Learning to drive in the UK: the theory test and the practical test

In short

• In England, Scotland and Wales you get a driving licence like this: a provisional licence (a driving licence for learners), learning to drive, the theory test, and then the practical test. Northern Ireland has its own rules (see the section below).
• Applying online for your first provisional licence costs £34 (as of November 2026, GOV.UK), and you can apply from the age of 15 years and 9 months.
• The theory test costs £23 (GOV.UK) and the practical test costs £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays (GOV.UK).
• You can take the theory test only in English, Welsh or British Sign Language (BSL). There is no Polish version.
• From 12 May 2026, in England, Scotland and Wales only the learner can book and change their own practical test.
• Already have an EU driving licence? See our guide to exchanging your licence and running a car in the UK.

Provisional licence: requirements, application and cost

This section covers England, Scotland and Wales (DVLA). According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026), to apply for your first provisional licence you must be at least 15 years and 9 months old, be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, and have been given permission to live in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for at least 185 days. You can usually start driving a car when you are 17 (GOV.UK).

• Online: £34, paid by debit or credit card. When you sign in, the service may ask you to prove your identity, usually with photo ID such as a passport. The licence should arrive within a week, but additional checks by DVLA can make it take longer.
• By post: form D1 (available from most Post Offices) and a fee of £43 by cheque or postal order.

Learning to drive: instructor, supervisor and L plates

Rules from GOV.UK for England, Scotland and Wales:

• A learner driver of a car must be supervised by a driving instructor or someone else who meets the rules (for example family or friends). The car must display L plates on the front and back (in Wales you can use D plates instead).
• Instructors set their own prices for lessons: there is no minimum or maximum cost. A green DVSA badge in the windscreen means a qualified driving instructor.
• There is no minimum number of lessons you must have had before you book and take your test (GOV.UK).
• You can only drive on a motorway if all the conditions on the GOV.UK list apply. They include being with an approved driving instructor (ADI) and the car being fitted with dual controls.

Theory test: booking, language, format and result

Booking and cost. You need a provisional licence to book, and you can take the test from your 17th birthday (GOV.UK). The car theory test costs £23 (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). Book through GOV.UK, because unofficial websites usually charge more (GOV.UK). Before the day of the test you must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the last 12 months. When you book, say if you have a reading difficulty, health condition or disability.

Language. You can only take the test in English, Welsh or British Sign Language (GOV.UK). There is no Polish version.

Format. The test has two parts, which you book and take together. You must pass both.

1. 50 multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes; you can go back and change your answers. The pass mark is 43 out of 50 (as of November 2026, GOV.UK).
2. Hazard perception: 14 video clips, up to 5 points for each developing hazard. The pass mark is 44 out of 75. You see each clip once, and clicking continuously or in a pattern scores 0.

On the day. Arrive 15 minutes early: if you are late, your test is cancelled and you lose your fee. Bring your UK photocard driving licence; with a paper licence you also need a valid passport. If your licence was issued in Northern Ireland, bring both the photocard and the paper counterpart. Your test will be cancelled and you will not get your money back if you do not bring the right documents. You can use a device for monitoring a medical condition only if DVSA approved this when you booked your theory test; turn off all other electronic devices. Leave your personal belongings in a locker.

Result. You get it at the test centre straight after the test. Your pass certificate number lasts 2 years: you must pass the practical test within that time, otherwise you have to pass the theory test again.

Practical test: booking, changes and cost

This section covers England, Scotland and Wales (DVSA). You can book your practical test once you have passed the theory test (GOV.UK).

• Who books. From 12 May 2026, only learner drivers can book and manage their own test (GOV.UK). You also change, swap or cancel it yourself. It is against the law to book a car driving test for someone else (GOV.UK). For general advice on staying safe online, see our guide to scams in the UK.
• Appointments. New appointments are added 24 weeks in advance, every Monday at 6am. There is no waiting list or cancellation list. DVSA publishes current information about appointments on the page Driving test appointments.
• Cost. £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). A test from 4:30pm counts as an evening test. If you fail, you pay the full amount again for the next test.
• Changes. You can change a car driving test at most 2 times (GOV.UK); the limit has applied since 31 March 2026 (it used to be 6). After that you must cancel the test and book a new one. From 9 June 2026, when you change a car test you can stay at the same test centre, move to one of the 3 test centres nearest at that time, or return to the centre you first booked (if you already had a test booked on 9 June, the centre of that booking) (GOV.UK).
• Cancelling. To change or cancel a car test without losing the fee, you must give 10 full working days' notice (GOV.UK). Monday to Saturday count as working days, but Sundays and public holidays do not (GOV.UK).

Practical test: what happens and when you pass

According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026), you bring a car to the test: most people use their driving instructor's, but you can use your own if it meets the rules. Your own car must have, among other things, L plates (L or D plates in Wales) on the front and rear, an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner, and insurance that covers a driving test (check with your insurance company). If you take your test in a semi-automatic car, you will only be able to drive automatic and semi-automatic cars once you have passed.

• The test has 4 parts and you drive for around 35 minutes. You do not drive on motorways.
• It starts with an eyesight check: you read a new-style number plate from 20 metres. If you fail the eyesight check, the test ends and you fail.
• You do not get a fault for taking a wrong turning.
• You pass if you make no more than 15 driving faults ("minors") and no serious or dangerous faults ("majors").
• If you fail, you pay again and choose a date at least 10 working days away.

After you pass

• You can start driving straight away, but you must have insurance that allows you to drive without supervision (as of November 2026, GOV.UK).
• If you give your provisional licence to the examiner, your full licence will be sent to you automatically. Otherwise, apply within 2 years of passing your test. If your licence has not arrived 3 weeks after you applied, contact DVLA (GOV.UK).
• Your licence will be revoked if you get 6 or more penalty points within 2 years of passing your test. Any penalty points on your provisional licence that have not expired are carried over to your full licence (GOV.UK).
• We cover fines and insurance in our guide to driving licences and cars in the UK, and parking tickets in our guide to PCNs and how to appeal.

Wales and Northern Ireland

Wales. You can use a D plate instead of an L plate, and you can take the theory test in Welsh.

Northern Ireland (DVA). It has a separate system. The rules below come from nidirect (as of November 2026):

• From 1 October 2026, holders of a GB provisional licence cannot book or take Category B (car) theory or practical tests in Northern Ireland (nidirect). A first provisional licence in NI costs £62.50 (nidirect).
• From 1 October 2026, Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) applies to everyone whose provisional entitlement began on or after that date. It includes a Mandatory Minimum Learning Period of 6 months before testing (learners who can evidence their entitlement to Carer's Allowance are exempt from it), a programme of training recorded in a logbook and signed by an approved instructor or supervising driver, and the removal of the 45 mph speed restriction for learner and newly qualified drivers.
• Newly qualified drivers in GDL display an R plate for 2 years after passing (nidirect). A new driver under 24 cannot carry more than one passenger aged 14 to 20 between 11pm and 6am during the first 6 months after passing. The restriction does not apply to immediate family members, or where someone in the front passenger seat is aged 21 or over and has held a full driving licence for at least three years.
• Transitional period. Learner drivers who held a Category B (car) provisional licence before 1 October 2026 can complete their training and testing under the existing rules. They have until 31 March 2027 to book and pass the practical test. Those who pass before 1 April 2027 remain subject to the current requirements, including an amber R plate and the 45 mph limit for one year.
• Provisional entitlement from 1 October 2026 with an exemption from the 6-month learning period. You take the current practical test, and if you pass during the transitional period you display the new R plates: a blue R on a white background for 6 months, then a white R on a blue background. The source is not consistent about the cut-off dates here, so check the details on nidirect.
• After the transitional period. According to the nidirect example, with a provisional entitlement from 1 October 2026 you can take the practical test on or after 1 April 2027 (if you meet the GDL conditions). The practical test also changes from that date, for example the independent driving section is extended to about 20 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to take a driving test in the UK?

You pay your instructor for lessons, and they set their own prices. The official fees in England, Scotland and Wales are £23 for the theory test and £62 for the practical test on weekdays, separately (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). For Northern Ireland, see the fees on nidirect.

Can I take the theory test in Polish?

No. If you have reading difficulties, you can ask when you book to hear the test through headphones (in English or Welsh). If you send proof of those difficulties, you can also get other support (GOV.UK).

What happens if I fail the theory test?

You take the whole test again, even if you passed one part, and you must wait at least 3 working days (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). What happens after failing the practical test is described above.

Can I practise with family or friends?

Yes, in England, Scotland and Wales. That person must, among other things, be over 21 and have held a full driving licence for 3 years (from the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein). You can be fined up to £1,000 and get up to 6 penalty points on your provisional licence if you drive without the right supervision (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). If you practise in a car you own, you need your own insurance as a learner driver.

Where to get help

• GOV.UK: Book your theory test: help with your booking (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm; WhatsApp, message only, no calls: +44 (0)1908 787001).
• GOV.UK: Book your driving test: booking the practical test; DVSA helpline 0300 200 1122.
• nidirect: A guide to booking your practical driving test: booking in Northern Ireland (by phone Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, charged at local rate).

This text is general in nature. Fees and test rules change, so check current information on GOV.UK or nidirect before you book.