Course booking information

In 2026 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) changed the way car driving tests are booked in England, Scotland and Wales. The headline change is simple: you now have to book and manage your own driving test — we are no longer allowed to do it for you. Here is what that means, and how we work around it to get you onto the right course.

The new DVSA test-booking rules

• Only you can book your test. Since 12 May 2026 it has been against the law for anyone other than the learner taking the test — including driving instructors, driving schools and third-party “test finder” services — to book, change, swap or cancel a car driving test. You have to book it yourself.
• You can only change a booking twice. Since 31 March 2026 you can make just two changes to a test booking (the date, time, centre, or a swap). After that you must cancel and book again — so it pays to book at the right time.
• Moves are limited to nearby centres. Since 9 June 2026, if you move your test you can only move it to one of the three nearest test centres to where it is booked, or back to the centre you first chose.
• Only pay the official DVSA fee. The car test fee is currently £62 on weekdays and £75 in the evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays. Never pay extra to a third-party service promising an earlier slot.
• What we can still do. We can advise you on when you are genuinely test-ready, and help you plan the timing of your test around your course.

These are DVSA rules and can change. You can read the official detail on GOV.UK. The fees shown are correct at the time of writing.

The best way to book an intensive course with us

Because you can only change a test twice now, and we cannot move it for you, getting the timing right from the start matters more than it used to. This is the approach we recommend:

1. Pass your theory test first

   Intensive courses work best when your theory test is already out of the way. It lets us focus your course entirely on your practical driving, and you are then free to grab a practical test date as soon as a suitable one appears.

2. Look for a test date — but talk to us before you pay

   Once you start looking for a practical test, get in touch and tell us the dates and test centres you can see. We will check whether we can run a course to suit that date before you pay for the test. That way we line the course and the test up together, rather than you committing to a slot we may not be able to cover.

3. Book your test and we lock in your course

   When we have confirmed we can fit a course around your date, you book and pay for the test yourself (as the rules now require), and we reserve your course dates and instructor.

No theory pass or test booked yet? You can still start

You do not need to have passed your theory test or booked a practical test to begin. We are happy to run an intensive course purely to build your driving up to a good standard, and you can book your test for a later date once you are ready.

This works really well if you only have limited time to take off work, school or other commitments — you get the intensive driving done in one focused block now, then slot your test in whenever it suits you. It is also a sensible option if practical test dates in your area are still some way off: you can be ready and waiting, rather than losing momentum while a date comes around.

Already have a test date booked?

No problem — just give us a call and we'll see whether we can match a course to your existing date, or advise you in any other way we can. The sooner you are in touch, the better the chance we can line a course and instructor up around the date you already have.

Ready to get started?

Tell us your area, whether you would like manual or automatic, roughly how much driving experience you have, and any theory or test dates you already have. We will talk you through the best plan — with no obligation until you are happy.