Documents to bring to your test

 

You must bring:

• your theory test pass certificate (or confirmation) if you’re not exempt from taking the theory test

• your driving licence

 

You must bring your signed driving licence and a valid passport if you have an old-style paper licence.

 

Your test will be cancelled and you’ll lose your fee if you don’t bring the right documents.

 

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What happens during the test

 

Before you start the driving ability part of your test, you’ll have an eyesight check and be asked 2 vehicle safety questions.

To watch the official video click here

 

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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 can write down what you see if you can’t speak English or have difficulty reading.

 

New-style number plates start with 2 letters followed by 2 numbers, eg AB51 ABC.

 

You’ll fail your driving test and the test won’t continue if you can’t pass the eyesight test.

 

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Vehicle safety questions: ‘show me, tell me’

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The examiner will ask you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test - these are known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.

You’ll be asked the:

• ‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving

• ‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving - for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wiper

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To watch a video of the questions click here

 

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The driving ability part

 

The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

If you’re taking an extended test pass because of a driving disqualification, the test will last 70 minutes.

 

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Your general driving ability

 

During your test the examiner will give you directions that you should follow. You’ll drive in various road and traffic conditions. You should drive in the way your instructor has trained you.

 

It should include:

• normal stops

• an angle start (pulling out from behind a parked vehicle)

• a hill start

 

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

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Reversing your vehicle safely

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You’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres:

• parallel park at the side of the road

• park in a bay - either 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 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic

 

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Independent driving section

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This part of the test will last around 20 minutes - roughly half of the test.

2. Following directions from a sat nav

During the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.

The examiner will provide the sat nav (a TomTom Start 52) and set it up. You won’t need to set the route - the examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practise with.

You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test - you have to use the one supplied by the examiner.

You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a fault while doing it.

One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic signs instead.

 

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Taking someone with you

 

Your examiner will ask if you want your instructor, or another person, to:

• sit in the back of your car during your driving test

• be with you after the test for the result and feedback

 

This person will usually be your driving instructor, but it could also be a relative or friend.

They must be over 16 and can’t take any part in the test.

 

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The examiner’s supervisor

 

The examiner’s supervisor may come along as well. They will be watching the examiner’s performance, not yours. The supervisor won’t have any say in how you’re tested or in your result.

Your test might be cancelled and you could lose your fee if you don’t let the examiner’s supervisor go with you.

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Your driving test result

 

You’ll pass your test if you make:

• 15 or fewer driving faults

• no serious or dangerous faults

When the driving test has ended, you can call your instructor over if they didn’t go with you on your test. This is so they can listen to the result and help you with any feedback afterwards.

 

The examiner will:

• tell you if you passed or not

• explain how you did during the test

 

The different types of faults

 

There are 3 types of faults that can be marked:

• a dangerous fault - involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property

• a serious fault - could potentially be dangerous

• a driving fault - not potentially dangerous, but if you make the same fault throughout your test it could become a serious fault

 

If you pass your test

 

The examiner will give you a pass certificate if you pass the test. They will also ask you if you want your full licence to be sent to you automatically.

 

Once you have passed your test you can start driving straight away - you don’t need to wait for your full licence to arrive.

 

If you don’t pass

 

You have to wait another 10 working days before you can take another test if you don’t pass.

The examiner will also give you feedback about how eco-efficient your driving is.