What Happens on Your Driving Test Day: A Step-by-Step Guide

The UK car driving test takes about 40 minutes. It starts with an eyesight check and a vehicle safety question, then you drive on normal roads, including about 20 minutes of independent driving and one reversing manoeuvre. You get your result straight away.

Knowing exactly what will happen takes away a lot of the nerves. Here is the whole day, step by step, with tips from our instructors in Manchester.

• Your UK driving licence (the photocard provisional licence).
• A car that meets the test rules. Most learners take their test in their instructor’s car, which is already set up for the test.
• Your theory test certificate, but only if you took your theory test in Northern Ireland.

If you don’t take the right things, your test will be cancelled and you will not get your money back. Check your licence the night before.

1. Arrive in good time. Most instructors give you a lesson or warm-up drive first, then arrive at the test centre 10 to 15 minutes early.
2. Meet the examiner. They check your licence and ask you to sign a declaration about your insurance and where you live.
3. Choose whether your instructor sits in. You can ask your instructor to sit in the back and listen to the feedback at the end. Many learners find it helps.
4. The eyesight check. You will be asked to read a number plate from about 20 metres away. If you can’t, the test ends there and you fail, so if you need glasses, wear them.

Show me, tell me questions

You will be asked one “tell me” question before you start driving, such as how you would check the tyres. During the drive, you will be asked one “show me” question, such as how you would wash the windscreen. Getting one wrong is a driving fault, not a fail. See all the questions in our show me, tell me guide.

General driving

The examiner gives directions on a mix of roads, such as town streets, dual carriageways and roundabouts. They are not trying to trick you. Drive as you would in your lessons.

Independent driving (about 20 minutes)

For about 20 minutes you drive without turn-by-turn directions from the examiner. Most learners follow a sat nav the examiner sets up. On some tests you follow road signs instead. If you take a wrong turn safely, it is not a fault.

One reversing manoeuvre

You will be asked to do one of these:

• parallel park at the side of the road
• park in a parking bay, either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out
• pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse about 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic

Our guide to bay parking and parallel parking explains what examiners look for.

The emergency stop

Some tests include an emergency stop. The examiner will explain the signal before you start, then you stop the car quickly and under control when they give it.

At the end, the examiner tells you whether you passed and goes through any faults. You pass with 15 or fewer driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults.

• If you pass: you get a pass certificate, and the examiner can send off for your full licence for you. You can drive on your own straight away. Read our guide to the rules for new drivers before you do.
• If you fail: you can book another test, at least 10 working days later. Ask the examiner and your instructor what to work on, while it is fresh.

• Book a lesson just before your test, so you are warmed up in the car you will drive.
• Eat something and get a good night’s sleep. Tired drivers miss things.
• If you make a mistake, forget it and focus on the next road. You may not even have been marked for it.
• If you didn’t hear an instruction, ask the examiner to repeat it. That is fine.
• Know the most common reasons people fail and check for them on your last few lessons.

Our DVSA-approved instructors cover all of Greater Manchester and can take you through a full mock test on the roads around your test centre.

• Pay as you go lessons: £35 an hour, manual or automatic, no contract
• Intensive driving courses: 10 hours from £350
• Test preparation and mock tests

Book a lesson or call us on 07758 837589, 7 days a week from 7am to 11:30pm.

How long is the UK driving test?

About 40 minutes, including around 20 minutes of independent driving.

What do I need to bring to my driving test?

Your UK driving licence and a car that meets the test rules. You only need your theory test certificate if you took the theory test in Northern Ireland.

Can my driving instructor sit in on my test?

Yes. You can ask for your instructor or another person aged 16 or over to sit in the back and listen to the feedback at the end.

Can I drive home after passing my test?

Yes. Once you have passed you can drive on your own straight away, as long as you are insured to drive the car.