Driving Test Manoeuvres Explained (GB, 2026)

Photo: Boys in Bristol Photography / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.

On the car driving test in Great Britain you do one reversing or parking exercise: a parallel park, a bay park, or pulling up on the right and reversing about 2 car lengths. Some candidates are also asked to do an emergency stop, which DVSA now sets on about 1 in 7 tests. This guide covers what each manoeuvre involves, what the examiner marks, and the mistakes that turn into faults.

Key facts

How many: one manoeuvre per test, chosen by the examiner.
Options: parallel park at the side of the road; bay park (drive in and reverse out, or reverse in and drive out); pull up on the right, reverse about 2 car lengths and rejoin traffic.
Emergency stop: about 1 in 7 tests since 24 November 2025 (it was about 1 in 3 before).
What is marked: control and observation. Accuracy matters, but a careful, well-observed manoeuvre beats a quick one.
No surprises allowed: you won’t know which manoeuvre you get until the examiner asks.

Which manoeuvre will I get?

DVSA’s examiner guidance says examiners choose, and should use each manoeuvre equally over time. So practise all of them to the same standard. Bay parks are normally done in a car park, often at the test centre at the start or end of the test.

The three reversing or parking exercises on the GB car test. Illustrative diagram, not to scale.

Manoeuvre	What you do	Typical faults
Parallel park	Reverse into a space at the side of the road, behind one parked car or between two. Finish within about 2 car lengths and parallel to the kerb.	Hitting or mounting the kerb, ending up far from the kerb or at an angle, missing a cyclist or pedestrian approaching
Reverse bay park	Reverse into a bay (usually your choice of bay), then drive out	Several shunts to correct position, finishing over the lines, not looking all round
Forward bay park	Drive forwards into a bay, then reverse out	Poor observation when reversing out into the car park aisle
Pull up on the right	Pull up on the right side of the road when safe, reverse about 2 car lengths, then rejoin traffic	Misjudging oncoming traffic as you cross, relying only on mirrors, touching the kerb, parking too far from it

What does the examiner look for?

DVSA’s own guide to understanding your test result lists two skills for every manoeuvre:

Control: slow, steady speed using clutch control (or brake control in an automatic). Having to reposition the car a lot because of poor control is marked.
Observation: effective all-round checks before and during the manoeuvre, and reacting properly to anyone who comes near. Stop and wait if someone approaches.

One small correction is fine. Hitting the kerb, finishing outside the bay or ignoring a pedestrian behind you are where marks go.

How to do a parallel park

Check mirrors, signal if it helps others, and stop alongside the target car, about a door’s width away.
Select reverse. Look all round, including both blind spots.
Reverse slowly. When your instructor’s reference point lines up, steer towards the kerb.
Keep looking around while you move, not just in the mirrors.
As the car straightens, steer back to bring the front in.
Stop parallel and close to the kerb, within about 2 car lengths of the car in front.

About reference points: a reference point (“steer when the kerb reaches this part of the mirror”) only works for one car from one seat position. Seat height, the car’s size and length, a sloping road and how much steering is already on all change it. If you switch cars, or copy a point from a video, check it again with your instructor somewhere quiet. Treat it as a guide to position, never as proof that the space around you is clear. If a pedestrian or car comes into the area mid-manoeuvre, stop and wait rather than carrying on with the steering sequence, and watch the front of the car swing out as well as the back.

How to do a bay park

Reversing in

Pick your bay and position the car so you have room to swing in.
Full observation all round, then reverse slowly.
Steer into the bay using the lines in your side mirrors as a guide, checking all round as you go.
Straighten up and stop with the car central and inside the lines.
Drive out, checking for pedestrians and moving cars.

Driving in forwards

Driving in is easier. The hard part is reversing out into the aisle, where your view is limited. Creep back slowly and keep checking both ways and behind.

How to pull up on the right and reverse

When asked, check mirrors, signal right and wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic.
Cross and stop reasonably close to the right-hand kerb.
Look all round, then reverse slowly in a straight line for about 2 car lengths. Look over your shoulder, not only in the mirrors.
Stop, then rejoin the road on the left when safe. Check your blind spots: traffic can come from both directions.

Off the test, remember Highway Code Rule 248: you must not park on a road at night facing against the traffic flow unless you are in a recognised parking space. See parking rules in the Highway Code.

The emergency stop (controlled stop)

From 24 November 2025, DVSA reduced the emergency stop to about 1 in 7 tests. If you get one, the examiner will tell you what the signal will be.

Assessed: how quickly you react, and whether you stay in control.
Do: brake firmly and progressively, keep both hands on the wheel, and press the clutch just before you stop.
Don’t: lock the wheels and skid. This matters most in cars without ABS.
Afterwards: handbrake, neutral, then full checks including both blind spots before moving off. Missing the rear check after an emergency stop is one of the examples in DVSA’s top fault “not moving off safely”.

Practising it: do your first emergency stops with your instructor in a quiet place they have chosen, and only once they have told you the signal. Never try a surprise hard stop with traffic behind. Find out whether your practice car has ABS and read what the handbook says it feels like, because the pedal can feel or sound different when it works. ABS helps you keep steering, but it does not add grip or guarantee a shorter stop. The best emergency-stop skill is still needing it less: good observation, sensible speed and a safe gap.

Stopping distances are covered in stopping distances explained.

Common questions

Do you still have to reverse around a corner or turn in the road?

Not in Great Britain. They are not among the three options on the GB car test. Northern Ireland’s DVA test still includes reversing around a corner and turning in the road. See learning to drive in Northern Ireland.

Can I choose which manoeuvre I do?

No. The examiner chooses. For a reverse bay park they normally let you pick the bay.

Can I use the parking camera or sensors?

GOV.UK says you can take the test in a car with parking sensors and cameras. DVSA’s advice is to treat them as an aid only: you are still marked on looking all round yourself, so don’t rely on a screen.

Can I correct a manoeuvre if it goes wrong?

Yes. A small correction is fine. It is repeated repositioning because of poor control, or doing it without looking, that gets marked.

Is touching the kerb an automatic fail?

Not automatically. A light touch may be a driving fault. Mounting the kerb, or hitting it hard, is more likely to be serious. The examiner judges it on the circumstances.

Why did DVSA cut emergency stops?

DVSA made permanent changes from 24 November 2025 after a trial, which also cut the number of stops in the test from 4 to 3. DVSA said there was no change to the manoeuvre requirements.

Sources

DVSA, “Driving test: cars: What happens during the test” (gov.uk)
DVSA, “Understanding your driving test result: car driving test” (gov.uk)
DVSA, “Carrying out driving tests: examiner guidance, 1. Car driving test and extended car driving test” (gov.uk)
DVSA, “Making adjustments to the driving test” (despatch.blog.gov.uk)
DVSA, “Top 10 reasons for failing the driving test in Great Britain” (gov.uk)
DVA, “About the practical test for cars” (nidirect.gov.uk)
DVSA, “Driving test: cars: Using your own car for your test” (gov.uk)
DVSA, “Manoeuvres (skills 17 to 20)”, Ready to Pass? (readytopass.campaign.gov.uk)
Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Waiting and parking (238 to 252)” (gov.uk)

Driving Test Manoeuvres in GB: Parallel, Bay Park, Pull Up Right