What to take to your Driving test

You must take:

Your UK driving licence

Your theory test pass certificate, if you have it

A car – most people use their driving instructor’s car, but you can use your own if it meets the rules. 

Your driving licence

You need to apply for a replacement driving licence if you lose yours before your test. This could take up to 15 days to arrive.

Rearrange your test if you do not get the new licence in enough time.

If you do not have a photocard licence

Bring a valid passport and your paper licence.

If you have a licence from Northern Ireland

Bring the Northern Ireland photocard and paper counterpart.

What happens during the test

There are 5 parts to the driving test:

An eyesight check

show me, tell me, vehicle safety questions

General driving ability

Reversing the vehicle

Independent driving

The test is the same for both manual and automatic cars.

Eyesight check

You’ll have to read a number plate from a distance of:

• 20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate
• 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate
• You will fail your driving test if you fail the eyesight check. The test will end.

How long the test lasts

You’ll drive for around 40 minutes.

You’ll drive for around 70 minutes if you’re taking an extended driving test because you’ve been banned from driving

Your general driving ability

You’ll drive in various road and traffic conditions, but not on motorways.

The examiner will give you directions that you should follow. Driving test routes are not published, so you cannot check them before

your test.

Pulling over at the side of the road

You’ll be asked to pull over and pull away during your test, including:

Normal stops at the side of the road

Pulling out from behind a parked vehicle

A hill start

You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.

Reversing your vehicle

The examiner will ask you to do one of the following exercises:

Parallel park at the side of the road

Park in a parking bay – either by driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)

Pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for around 2 car lengths, and rejoin the traffic

Independent driving

You’ll have to drive for about 20 minutes by following either:

Directions from a sat nav

Traffic signs

The examiner will tell you which you have to follow.

They’ll set the sat nav up for you. You cannot use your own sat nav.

If you cannot see traffic signs

If you cannot see a traffic sign (for example, because it’s covered by trees), the examiner will give you directions until you can see the next one.

Going off the route

The examiner will not give you a fault for taking a wrong turning.

They’ll help you get back on the route if you do.

If you make mistakes during your test

You can carry on if you make a mistake. It might not affect your test result if it’s not serious.

Your driving examiner will only stop your test if they think your driving is a danger to other road users.

Other people at your test

Your driving examiner’s supervisor might sit in on your test to watch your examiner’s performance. If you refuse, your test can be cancelled and you’ll have to book another test and pay again.

Your driving examiner will ask if you want someone to:

Sit in the back of the car during the test

be with you for the result and feedback.

This will usually be your driving instructor, but you can take a relative or friend. They cannot take any part in the test.

They must be over 16 and follow the rules about observing tests