Photo: Mike Bird / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
Getting from provisional licence to a pass in Great Britain costs at least £119 in official fees as of November 2026: a £34 provisional licence, a £23 theory test and a £62 weekday practical test. The fastest way to blow that budget is a failed test, a lost fee or a wasted booking. This guide covers every test-related fee for learners in England, Scotland and Wales, what a resit really costs, and how to protect the money you have paid for each test.
The fees on your route to the test (as of November 2026)
| Stage | Fee | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| First provisional licence | £34 online, £43 by post | Apply from 15 years 9 months. Post uses form D1. |
| Car theory test | £23 | Same price every day. The pass lasts 2 years, so you must pass the practical inside that window. |
| Car practical test | £62 weekdays, £75 evenings, weekends and bank holidays | Book it yourself on GOV.UK. |
| Extended test (disqualified drivers) | £124 weekdays, £150 evenings, weekends and bank holidays | Only for disqualified drivers who must take it. |
| Pass Plus (optional, after the test) | Set by the instructor | At least 6 hours of training after you pass. |
The real cost of not passing first time
Most of the avoidable spend sits here. A fail does not just cost the fee again; it costs the wait and the extra practice in between.
| Situation | Cost | Waiting rule |
|---|---|---|
| Failed theory test | £23 again | Wait at least 3 working days. You retake both parts. |
| Failed practical test | £62 to £75 again | New date at least 10 working days away. |
| Theory test changed with under 3 full working days’ notice | Pay again | Refunds only for set reasons, such as illness with proof. |
| Practical test changed or cancelled with under 10 full working days’ notice | Fee lost | Monday to Saturday count as working days. |
| Turning up without the right documents or a suitable car | Fee lost | The test is cancelled. |
If it does go wrong, see failed your driving test: what next.
Protect your test fee: a pre-booking checklist
- Are you actually ready? Pass a full mock test under the 15-driving-fault limit with no serious faults before you book. See how many lessons before you’re ready to pass.
- Is your theory pass still valid on the date you are booking? It lasts 2 years.
- Do you know the notice rules? Under 10 full working days to change a practical test means losing the fee.
- Is the car sorted? If you use your instructor’s car, ask what they charge for the test and any lesson beforehand. A car that is not suitable means a cancelled test.
- Do you have your documents ready for the day? Missing documents also cancel the test.
The costs with no fixed price
Lessons: GOV.UK states that instructors set their own prices, with no minimum or maximum. Anyone you pay must be an approved driving instructor (green badge) or a trainee instructor (pink badge).
Learner insurance: you must be insured for every hour of private practice. If you practise in your own car you need your own learner policy. In someone else’s car, either their policy covers you as a learner or you take out your own. Prices depend on the insurer. See learner driver insurance for practice and test day.
Revision for the theory test: GOV.UK has a free practice theory test. The official DVSA books, apps and theory test kit cost extra; prices are set by the sellers.
Build a test budget in five lines
- Official fees: £34 + £23 + £62 = £119 (online provisional, weekday test).
- Training: the hours you need to reach test standard, at your instructor’s rate.
- Insurance: learner cover for the weeks you practise privately.
- Test day: car hire for the test and any warm-up lesson.
- Buffer: one theory resit (£23) and one practical resit (£62 to £75) if you want to be safe.
Legal ways to spend less on the tests
- Apply online for your provisional licence: £9 cheaper than by post.
- Take a weekday test: £13 cheaper than evenings, weekends or bank holidays. Moving to a weekday slot later gets you the difference back.
- Use free practice: the GOV.UK practice theory test, plus supervised practice with family or friends (they must not be paid).
- Never use test resellers or bots. They break DVSA rules and your booking can be cancelled. See how to find an earlier test legally.
Common questions
How much does a driving test cost in 2026?
£62 on weekdays or £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays in Great Britain, as of November 2026.
Do I pay for my full licence after passing?
The examiner can send your licence to be upgraded on the day if you hand over your provisional. Otherwise you must apply within 2 years of passing. Check GOV.UK for any fee that applies to your case.
Is the test cheaper in an automatic?
The official fees are the same. You may reach test standard in fewer hours, but your licence will only cover automatic cars.
Does Northern Ireland cost the same?
No. Northern Ireland has its own DVA fees and rules. See cost of learning to drive in Northern Ireland.
Can I get help with the cost of getting test-ready?
Some disabled learners on the Motability Scheme can get grants for lessons. See learning to drive with a disability in GB.
Looking for lessons or an instructor? Our sister site Compare Driving Instructors covers lesson prices and choosing an instructor.
Back to the full guide to learning to drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Apply for your first provisional driving licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving test: cost” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Theory test: revision and practice” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Theory test: pass mark and result” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Change your theory test appointment” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Change your driving test appointment” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving test faults and your result” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving lessons and learning to drive” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Pass Plus” (gov.uk)
- Motability Foundation, “Driving lessons grant” (motabilityfoundation.org.uk)