This guide covers car tests in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland uses a separate service. Rules checked against GOV.UK on 23 October 2026.
What you need before changing your test
Have these details ready for the official change service:
- Your UK driving licence number.
- Your driving test reference number, or your theory test pass certificate number.
Keep a payment card nearby if the new appointment costs more. Before searching, decide which dates you can manage. Check work, college and any other commitments.
How to change your driving test date on GOV.UK
Start from the official GOV.UK page each time. You can look for an earlier appointment, move your test later or check the centres available for your booking.
- Open Change your driving test appointment and select the button to start.
- Enter your licence number and either your booking reference or theory pass certificate number.
- Check your current appointment and look for a suitable replacement date, time or permitted centre.
- Read the new details and any payment information carefully.
- Confirm the change yourself, then check that the appointment details have updated.
Save your confirmation and tell your instructor. Update your calendar too, so the old date does not cause confusion.
The service normally runs from 6am to 11:40pm. If you cannot sign in or a page fails to load, follow GOV.UK’s help with access problems.
Notice period and fees
Allow at least 10 full working days before your existing car test to change it without paying the test fee again. Monday to Saturday count as working days. Sundays and public holidays do not. Check the deadline in your booking confirmation or the booking service.
The current standard car test fees are:
- £62 for a weekday daytime appointment.
- £75 for an evening, weekend or bank holiday appointment.
Even with enough notice, moving from a £62 slot to a £75 slot means paying the £13 difference. Move the other way and DVSA refunds the difference, as explained in its change guidance.
If something unavoidable forces a late change, such as illness, bereavement, a school or college exam, or a stolen licence, you may be able to claim a refund. Read the official short notice refund instructions and keep supporting evidence.
How many times can you change your test?
The current car test rules allow two changes per booking. Changing the date or time, changing centre, or swapping appointments with another learner counts towards that limit.
Changing your date and centre together counts as one change. Updating contact details or adding or removing your instructor’s reference number does not use a change.
If DVSA rearranges your test, your allowance resets to two changes. Once you have used your allowance, further changes require cancelling and making a new booking.
Before you cancel, check the cancellation and refund rules. You need 10 full working days’ notice for an automatic refund. You also give up your existing appointment, so think carefully if you still want to keep that date.
Can you change your driving test centre?
Yes, within the current restrictions. The official centre guidance says you can:
- Stay at your current centre and change the date or time.
- Move to one of the three nearest centres to where your test is currently booked.
- Return to the centre where you first made that booking.
If your booking already existed on 9 June 2026, the centre you were booked at on that date is used instead of your original centre.
The change service shows your available options. Use the official list rather than assuming any centre near your home is allowed. Before accepting a different centre, consider the journey and whether you have time to practise nearby.
Find an earlier test
Bookman covers all 320 car test centres. It shows open slots at the centres you choose and fills in DVSA’s pages for you. You check and confirm.
How to move your test to an earlier date
Use the change service to look for an earlier appointment while you still have a booking. Decide the earliest date you will be ready, rather than choosing a slot simply because it is sooner.
According to DVSA’s appointment release guidance, earlier slots can appear whenever another learner cancels or moves their test, or extra examiner availability is added. There is no best time to look.
New appointments released at 6am on Mondays are 24 weeks ahead. You do not need to join that queue to find a cancellation sooner than that.
Check again at different times, but avoid repeated searches over a short period or using several devices at once. If you hit a search limit, follow the service’s instructions.
Under the current booking rules, only you can change your own test. A parent, instructor or booking service cannot do it for you.
