Driving Tests
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department took to communicate information regarding recent operational changes to the driving test booking system to Approved Driving Instructors ahead of those changes coming into force.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.
The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly.
The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.
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