Your driving test checklist
This checklist covers DVSA car tests in England, Scotland and Wales. Pack your documents the evening before, then check them again before leaving.
- Your driving licence: for most learners, this is your provisional photocard.
- Theory pass certificate: take it if you have it. Check the Northern Ireland requirement below.
- A suitable car: agree which car you will use with your instructor or whoever is helping you.
- Glasses or contact lenses: wear them if you need them to meet the driving eyesight standard.
- Any extra documents: check the guidance below for paper licences, name changes and certain recalled cars.
DVSA does not supply a car. Confirm your instructor’s availability for the exact appointment, especially if you have recently moved your test.
Check your licence and theory pass
Which licence documents do you need?
Bring the licence itself. You must be recognisable from its photograph. If you have an old paper licence without a photocard, bring a valid passport as well. With a Northern Ireland licence, bring both the photocard and paper counterpart.
If you changed your name after booking, bring proof, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll. Check GOV.UK’s document guidance before attending.
Do you need your theory test certificate?
If you passed in England, Scotland or Wales and have lost the certificate, you do not need a replacement for your car test. The examiner checks your pass. See the official lost-certificate guidance.
For a Northern Ireland theory pass, GOV.UK currently asks for the certificate. Follow its Northern Ireland certificate instructions if yours is missing.
Your theory pass lasts two years. You must pass your practical test within that time or pass the theory test again. Check your pass date against the theory result rules, particularly after moving an appointment.
Bring the glasses or lenses you drive in
If you need glasses or contact lenses to meet the eyesight standard, you must wear them whenever you drive. That includes the journey to the centre if you are driving, as well as your test. Read the official driving eyesight rules.
The test starts with a number-plate check. You must read a new-style plate from 20 metres, or an old-style plate from 20.5 metres. If you fail this check, you fail the test and it ends. GOV.UK explains the eyesight check and test procedure.
Clean your glasses beforehand. If you wear contact lenses, allow enough time to put them in comfortably. A spare pair of suitable glasses can be useful if your lenses become uncomfortable.
What your own car needs for the test
If you are using a family car, check it well before the appointment. Ask the insurer to confirm that your cover includes a driving test. Do not assume ordinary learner cover is enough.
The main checks include:
- Vehicle tax and a current MOT if the car is over three years old.
- Roadworthy condition, no safety warning lights, legal tyre tread, no tyre damage and no space-saver spare fitted.
- An extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner.
- A passenger seatbelt and proper passenger head restraint. Slip-on head restraints are not allowed.
- L plates at the front and rear. You can use D plates in Wales.
- Four wheels, a maximum authorised mass of no more than 3,500kg, an officially fitted mph speedometer and the ability to reach 62mph.
Read the full own-car rules for excluded models, tinted windows, cameras and recall-proof requirements. Check with your test centre before using a coupe or convertible.
Practise in that car beforehand. Make sure you can find the demister, lights and other controls without searching. Agree who will bring the keys and leave enough fuel or charge for the journey and test.
What happens if you forget something?
Without the required licence documents or a suitable car, your test will be cancelled and you will lose your fee. A missing Great Britain theory certificate is different, as explained above.
If your licence is lost, apply for a replacement promptly. GOV.UK says it could take up to 15 days to arrive. Rearrange if it will not arrive in time; see what to do about a lost licence.
Check the deadline in your booking confirmation before moving your test. Late changes can mean paying again. Follow the current GOV.UK notice rules rather than guessing how many days you have left.
If you need another date, Bookman can check for open slots at your chosen centres. When you find one, it fills in DVSA’s booking pages. You check and confirm yourself. It is independent and is not affiliated with DVSA or GOV.UK.
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.
A final check before you leave
Open your latest booking confirmation. Check the date, time, centre address and any arrival instructions. Keep it accessible on your phone so you can check the details without searching through emails.
Wear familiar shoes that let you control the pedals comfortably. Plan the journey with time for traffic, then follow the arrival instructions in your confirmation. If someone is taking you, agree when they will collect you afterwards.
