Restarting driving lessons and tests in England

The proposed date to restart driving lessons and training is Monday 12 April 2021.
We know many learner drivers and instructors want the opportunity to carry out lessons and training before driving tests restart.
Therefore tests are due to restart 10 days later on Wednesday 22 April, if government guidance allows.
The safety of our customers and the driving examiners is our top priority. Closer to the restart date the DVSA will work with Public Health England to review and check our standard operating procedures.

In the meantime, pupils can continue to practice driving with an accompanying driver from within their household, as long as it’s part of an essential journey.

Driving test bookings

The DVSA will email candidates with tests booked before 22 April to let them know their test will be rescheduled. The learner driver does not need to pay again to reschedule, and if the dates they are given aren’t convenient they can change them to something better.
We know pupils with tests booked between 12 and 22 April will be disappointed. But it’s important that candidates have adequate time to practice with a professional instructor before they come to test.
Restarting lessons ten days ahead of tests will give you a chance to have professional refresher training before you take your test. This approach is supported by the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP).

Theory tests

Currently the intention is for theory tests to restart in England on 12 April 2021. The DVSA will email all candidates with theory tests booked before 12 April to ask them to reschedule their test.

For more information about driving tests re-starting please click here to see the government guidance.

Increasing the number of car driving tests

The suspension of testing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to exceptionally high demand for driving tests.

Test availability

The measures we put in place to protect our customers and staff from COVID-19 have limited the number of available tests.
This includes reducing our booking window to 6 weeks and driving examiners carrying out 5 tests a day instead of the usual 7.
To increase the number of tests, we have announced that from Monday 14 September, we will extend the period in which tests are available to book from 6 weeks to 18 weeks ahead.
This will add up to 375,000 test appointments between 14 September 2020 and 21 January 2021.

Moving to 6 tests a day

As well as increasing available tests to 18 weeks ahead we plan to move from 5 to 6 car tests a day.
Driving examiners are now familiar with using PPE such as face coverings and gloves and using the latest guidance for carrying out tests. This means there is more capacity to safely increase the test programmes to 5 to 6 tests per a day.
This will increase the number of tests you and your pupils can book by more than 7,000 extra tests every week.

Test start times

It’s important you do not arrive for your driving test more than 5 minutes before your appointment time.
The increased number of daily tests in addition to the vital COVID-19 safety checks put in place to protect you and your pupils, means there is a small risk some tests could overrun.
This might affect the start time of the next test. If this is the case, please be patient until the examiner is available and ensure the vehicle is well ventilated in readiness for the test to start.
Please take this into account when planning your diary.
We will continue to end tests early when a learner commits a serious or dangerous fault, which means they have failed. So not all tests will run to the full time.
This means that any disruption to test times is likely to be minimal, and test centre managers will be on hand to help customers where needed.

High demand

Driving tests will continue to be in high demand as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown and the suspension of testing, so you and your pupils will need to be patient.
We will be releasing more tests every week for you and your pupils to book.
It is vital that your pupils are test-ready when booking their tests, as tests could be at short notice.
On average fewer than 50% of learners pass their driving test and there could be long waiting times for a retest – your pupils should book only when they are confident they can pass.

Car driving tests will restart in England on 22 July 2020 with safety precautions in place – other types of tests will restart before then.

Car driving tests will restart in England on Wednesday 22 July 2020 with new social distancing and safety precautions in place. These will only be for people who had their driving test cancelled because of coronavirus to begin with.

Arrange your driving test appointment

If your car driving test was cancelled due to coronavirus, you were sent an email with a new date and time for your test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will email you again soon to ask you to go online and choose your preferred date and time for your test.

When you arrange your test, you’ll need to say if there’s a good reason you cannot wear a face covering when you take your test.

Booking a new driving test

You cannot currently book a new driving test if you did not have a test booked before lockdown.

Driving tests will be carried out for people who had their test cancelled because of coronavirus as a priority.

Check back or sign up for email alerts to find out when you can book a new driving test. For more information on this article please click here.

Sit in and observe driving tests

You cannot sit in and observe a driving test at the moment because of coronavirus (COVID-19) and social distancing.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and driving tests

Driving instructors and supervising drivers are not currently allowed to sit in the back during driving tests. This is to help with social distancing.

To see what the rules are when you’re allowed to sit in on driving tests please click here.

Theory tests will restart in England on 4 July 2020 with social distancing and safety precautions in place.

Theory tests will restart in England on Saturday 4 July 2020 with new social distancing and safety precautions in place.

Theory tests are still suspended in Scotland and Wales.

Keeping you safe at the test centre

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has introduced social distancing measures and safety precautions at test centres.

These include:

• using floor markings to keep people 2 metres apart
• spacing workstations and chairs so you’re 2 metres away from other people
• extra cleaning of the test centres
• using protective transparent screens at the reception desk
• providing hand sanitiser for you to use when you arrive at the test centre, during your test and when you leave
• cleaning workstations, including computers and headphones, before every test

Staff will wear a face covering (unless there’s a medical reason that it’s not recommended for them) and gloves.

You have to come into the test centre alone. This is to help with social distancing.

To read more about this article please click here

Coronavirus: driving tests (Scotland and Wales)

Driving tests in Scotland and Wales are currently suspended due to coronavirus – but you can apply for an emergency driving test if you’re a critical worker.

If your driving test was cancelled

What happens next will depend on what type of test you had booked.

If you had:

• a car driving test booked, you will need to choose a new date and time for your test when driving tests restart
• a motorcycle, lorry, bus, tractor or approved driving instructor (ADI) test booked, it will not be rebooked for you – you’ll get a full refund and have to book again later

Car driving tests

You were sent an email with a new date and time for your test when it was originally cancelled.

However, driving tests have not yet been able to restart in Scotland and Wales.

This means that your test will not go ahead on the rescheduled date you were given.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will email you again when it’s safe to restart driving tests in Scotland and Wales. You’ll then be asked to go online and choose your preferred date and time for your test.

You will be given priority for the available appointments

If you want to cancel your car driving test

You can cancel your test if you want to get a full refund now. Email DVSA to request this.

You need to include your full name and 2 of the following pieces of information:

• your driving licence number
• your theory test pass certificate number
• your driving test booking reference

DVSA customer services
customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk

If you’d like to read more on this article please click here.