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Test dayUpdated April 2026

What actually happens on your driving test.

Roughly 50 minutes start to finish. Around 38 of those are driving. Here is the entire test, minute by minute, with the small things examiners care about that nobody tells you.

The full test, minute by minute
  1. T-15Step 1

    Arrival

    Arrive at the test centre 10-15 minutes before your slot. The waiting room has the day’s board with your examiner’s name. Your instructor can wait with you.

  2. 0:00Step 2

    Eyesight check

    Read a number plate from 20 metres (about 5 car lengths). Glasses are fine if you wear them. Fail this and the test ends here, counts as a fail.

  3. 0:02Step 3

    Tell me question

    One vehicle safety question before driving. For example: “tell me how you would check your brakes are working before starting a journey.” Wrong = 1 minor.

  4. 0:04Step 4

    Driving begins

    Examiner guides you out of the test centre car park. Standard junctions, traffic lights, dual carriageways: nothing the routes haven’t prepared you for.

  5. 0:18Step 5

    Independent driving

    Around 20 minutes following sat-nav directions or road signs without the examiner prompting. Wrong turns are not faults, only the way you handle them.

  6. 0:25Step 6

    Show me question

    Asked while driving. Eg: “show me how you would wash your windscreen using the controls.” Mishandling can become a serious if you take eyes off the road.

  7. 0:35Step 7

    One manoeuvre

    Forward bay park, reverse bay park, parallel park, or pull-up-on-the-right and reverse 2 car lengths. The choice is the examiner’s.

  8. 0:40Step 8

    Possible emergency stop

    1 in 3 chance. Examiner pulls you over, briefs you, then says “stop” on a quiet stretch. Practise so it’s controlled, not panicked.

  9. 0:48Step 9

    Return and result

    Park back at the test centre. Examiner gives you the result and walks through any faults on the DL25 sheet. Pass: photo, certificate, full licence in 3 weeks.

Bring with you

The two things you cannot test without.

  • AYour UK provisional driving licence (the photocard).
  • BTheory test pass certificate (or know the certificate number; the examiner can confirm it on screen).
  • !If you turn up without a valid licence, the test does not run and the fee is forfeit. There is no exception to this.