New driving test booking rules come into force today, affecting thousands of learner drivers across the country. As of June 9, learners can only swap their test booking to the three centres nearest to their original booking location.
The measure is designed to prevent individuals from using automated software, or 'bots', to reserve driving test slots as soon as they become available, only to resell them at a profit. Officials hope this will also help reduce the significant backlog of learners waiting for practical tests, where the average wait time now exceeds five months.
Recent changes to driving test bookings
This is not the only change introduced recently. Since May 12, driving instructors and third parties—including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services—have been banned from making bookings on behalf of others. This means only learner drivers themselves can book and manage their own driving tests.
Additionally, from March 31, learners are limited to making only two changes to their driving test booking, down from the previous six changes allowed.
Costs and requirements
The practical driving test costs £62 on weekdays and £75 for weekends, bank holidays, and weekday evenings. Before booking the practical test, learners must pass the driving theory test, which costs £23 and remains valid for two years.
Official statements
Simon Lightwood, Minister for Roads and Buses, commented: "This government inherited record waiting times and a huge backlog of learners waiting for tests, with the system seeing too many people paying over the odds to third-party touts. But we're taking action and seeing results, delivering almost 2 million tests over the past year, more than 158,000 extra tests since June 2025, and military driving examiners now on the ground helping boost capacity across the country."
He added: "These new rules put learners back in control by stopping others from snapping up tests and reselling them for profit, helping make the system fairer and ensuring tests go to the people who genuinely need them."
Beverley Warmington, DVSA Chief Executive, said: "Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices."
She continued: "These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others. These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test."
Warmington concluded: "We're determined to reduce waiting times further, building on the more than 158,000 additional tests delivered between June 2025 and March 2026—supported by driving examiner numbers at their highest level since 2018 and the recent deployment of military driving examiners who are already carrying out tests."
