The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced that it has cancelled over 400 driving tests since June 9. It comes after officials identified that they had been booked in breach of its terms and conditions.
It stated that it "cancelled 450 driving tests booked outside the new rules and placed 4,034 online booking suspensions on the system". It confirmed this happened "as part of its commitment for tougher action against misuse."
New Measures to Improve Fairness
The DVSA’s latest measures to improve fairness in the driving test booking system follow a series of recent changes which were introduced in spring 2026. These include limits on changing test details, requirements for learners to book their own tests, and new restrictions relating to driving test locations.
The recent changes to the booking rules are designed to protect learner drivers from exploitation and help the DVSA identify instances where the rules are being breached. As a result, the DVSA is now better equipped to detect patterns of misuse, such as payment cards being used to book multiple tests for different learners, and can take appropriate action when such activity is identified.
Government and DVSA Leaders Speak Out
Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: "Learners should be focusing on getting test-ready, not fighting an unfair booking system or paying over the odds to third-party touts. That's why DVSA's action to cancel dodgy tests is so important. By cancelling tests booked in breach of the rules and suspending access for those attempting to misuse the system, DVSA is sending a clear message that attempts to exploit learner drivers and profit from driving test appointments will not be tolerated."
"These new rules are helping to ensure driving tests go to the people who genuinely need them, rather than being snapped up and resold for profit." Beverley Warmington, DVSA Chief Executive, added: "We promised to make the driving test booking system fairer, and we have kept that promise.
"These reforms were about making sure that driving tests go to genuine learners, not to those who profit from exploiting them. Today's action demonstrates that we have the tools and the determination to enforce the new rules. We will keep monitoring, keep acting, and keep the pressure on anyone who tries to circumvent the system."
Action Against Test Reselling
As part of its efforts to prevent bookings made outside the rules, the DVSA has been reporting evidence of test reselling activity on social media and through mobile apps. This action has led to 17 apps being removed from major app stores and to the shutdown of social media accounts advertising these services.
The DVSA is not only taking action against people who misuse the booking system, but also working to ensure that more learner drivers can access test appointments when they are ready. Between June 2025 and May 2026, DVSA delivered more than 240,000 additional driving tests compared with the same period the previous year, supported by the highest number of driving examiners in several years.
DVSA Driving Test Changes in 2026
DVSA has made a series of changes to the driving test booking system during spring 2026:
- March 31: Learner drivers are now limited to 2 changes per booking.
- May 12: It is a legal requirement for only the learner driver to book, change, swap or cancel their own car driving test. Use of unofficial apps, bots or automated booking services was prohibited under DVSA's terms and conditions.
- June 9: Learners may only move their test to one of the 3 nearest driving test centres to where their test is currently booked. For new bookings made from 9 June, the 3 nearest centres are calculated from the test centre originally booked. For existing bookings, the rule applies to wherever the test was booked on 9 June — not the original booking location.
The team behind the driving test in the UK warn that unofficial apps and booking services can carry significant risks. By providing personal data to these platforms, learners may also lose control over how their information is used and managed.
Where DVSA finds evidence of a breach of its terms and conditions or the law, it may:
- Contact the learner to confirm booking details or request further information
- Issue a warning notice
- Restrict the learner's ability to book or manage their test online
- Cancel the booking
- Consider legal action where the law has been broken
DVSA say that every learner affected was told why their test was cancelled. They received a full refund to the original payment method and were asked to call DVSA to arrange a new booking. Full guidance is available here.
