New theory test booking system goes live on Monday 19 July

The new theory test booking system, for England, Scotland and Wales, will go live at 08:00 on 19 July 2021.

When the new system goes live, all car, motorcycle, lorry and bus theory tests from 6 September 2021 will be available to book.

ADI part 1 and DVSA enhanced rider scheme trainer theory tests will also be available to book. 

You can continue to book test dates for on or before 3 September using the current booking system in the usual way.

When you book a test on GOV.UK you will now be asked to choose a date for your test at the start of the booking process. You will automatically be directed to the correct booking system depending on the date you select.

Practical test bookings are not affected by the changes to our theory test booking system.

Booking or changing a test date

You can book test dates from Monday 6 September on the new system. New dates will be added to the booking system each week.

If you want to change a theory test appointment date for a test booked on or before 3 September, to a date on or after 6 September you will need to cancel your current test on GOV.UK and rebook online using the new booking system.

This is because the 2 booking systems are separate. Refunds will be issued for cancelled tests as normal.

Theory test bookings with additional support can only be cancelled or rescheduled by contacting the customer contact centre.

Theory test centre locations

The location of many theory test centres will change from 6 September. Please check the 'find your nearest theory test centre' page on GOV.UK to quickly see where your closest centre will be from 6 September.

Unfortunately, some addresses for the new theory test centre locations we shared with you on 12 July are still to be confirmed. This means you won't be able to book a test at them from 6 September.

We will write to you as soon as we can to let you know the remaining new addresses and when you can book at the new theory test centres.

In the meantime, candidates who want to book a theory test before their closest theory test centre opens can use 'find your nearest theory test centre' on GOV.UK to find the nearest alternative centre. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause.

Customer enquiries

For booking enquiries about tests due to take place on or before 3 September only, please continue to contact Pearson VUE:

• customercare@pearson.com
• Telephone: 0300 200 1122
• Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

From 19 July, for booking enquiries about tests due to take place on or after 6 September, please contact DVSA customer contact centre as it will be taking over the service from Pearson VUE:

• theorycustomerservices@dvsa.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0300 200 1122
• Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

Letting your pupils know

If any of your pupils are planning to take their theory test on or before 3 September and have to change or retake their test on or after 6 September, they will need to be aware the location of their nearest test centre may have changed. 

We would be grateful for your support in reminding any affected pupils.

New theory test service – location addresses

We recently wrote to you giving details of the new theory test locations for England, Scotland and Wales.

Attached is a list of addresses for the test centre sites that will be providing theory tests from 6 September onwards. These will be available through the 'find your nearest theory test centre' service on GOV.UK when the new booking system goes live on 19 July.

As we mentioned previously, unfortunately some changes to theory test centre locations will not be confirmed by the time we open the new booking system.

We will add these test centres to the booking system as soon as the addresses and opening dates are confirmed.

We will write to you to let you know when they have been added. We apologise for any inconvenience these delays may cause you and your pupils.

Tests on or before 3 September can still be booked, where available, on the current booking system on GOV.UK.

Practical test centre locations are not affected by the changes we are making to our theory test centre network.

New theory test booking service to go live from 8 July

We wrote to you earlier this year to let you know we are making changes to the theory test service by bringing more parts of it in-house. This includes the theory test booking service.

Launching the new booking service

The new theory test booking service, for England, Scotland and Wales, will be launched on Thursday 8 July 2021 when bookings will be taken online and via the DVSA customer service centre. This service is moving from Pearson VUE to DVSA.

The new online booking system will accept test bookings to be taken from 4 September when the new theory test service begins. Any test bookings for dates before 4 September must be made on the current system.

All theory tests including ADI part 1 and enhanced rider scheme training theory tests are still booked from the current GOV.UK pages. For tests to be taken from 4 September, other than slightly different looking screens you and your pupils will not notice a difference.

We have worked with theory test candidates and the Government Digital Service to improve the booking service by making it easier to use.

Temporary change in the booking window for theory tests

Currently theory tests can be booked 4 months in advance. From 4 May the amount of time that tests can be booked in advance will be reduced by one day. By the time the new booking system opens on 8 July, tests will only be available 2 months in advance.

DVSA has taken action to reduce the theory test backlog by extending opening hours in England and Wales and opening additional temporary theory test centres in England. This has created additional test capacity, so the number of tests available to book should not be affected, just how far in advance you can book them.

Theory test centre locations

The contract for running theory test centres from 4 September has been split into 3 regions. Some existing test centres will change location and we are working with the new suppliers to confirm where the new theory test centres will be. We will share the addresses with you as soon as we can.

Free rapid lateral flow device tests for you and your pupils in Scotland

To help keep you, your family, your pupils and our examiners safe, we’d encourage both you and your pupils to regularly take coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow device (LFD) tests. This includes while you’re teaching them to drive and within the 4 days before they take their driving test.

Regular testing using rapid LFDs helps to find positive cases in people who have no symptoms, but who are still infectious. If people who test positive self-isolate, we can break the chain of transmission and limit the spread of COVID-19.

A negative rapid LFD test result is not a guarantee that you do not have COVID-19. You must continue to follow coronavirus FACTS guidance and restrictions in place in your area.

If you live in Scotland you can get a coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow device test if you do not have symptoms. They’re free and you get a result 30 minutes after taking the test. You should take a rapid LFD test twice-weekly(every 3 or 4 days).

This applies even if you’ve had the first dose or both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to reduce the chance of you suffering from COVID-19 disease. You may still get COVID-19 despite having a vaccination, but this should be less severe.

The NHS does not yet know how much it will reduce the risk of you passing on the virus. You’re also more likely to be teaching pupils in the age groups where the data shows infection rates are some of the highest and where vaccination is still to be undertaken.

What this means for your pupils

Your pupils will not need to take a rapid LFD test to be able to take their driving test, but by doing one, they’ll help to stop the spread of COVID-19.

For the rapid LFD test to be valid, your pupil will need to take the test in the 4 days before their driving test.

If your pupil or anyone they live with tests positive from a rapid LFD test, everyone in the household must:

• self-isolate immediately
• get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result (a PCR test is a different type of COVID-19 test) within 48 hours

If a PCR test result is negative

If your pupil gets a negative PCR test result back before their driving test, they can stop self-isolating when the local health protection team tells them it’s safe to do so.

They can then take their test.

If a PCR test result is positive or they do not get a PCR test result in time

Your pupil must not go for their driving test if either:

• they or someone they live with has a positive PCR test result
• their PCR test result does not come back before their driving test

They will need to change their driving test appointment to a later date.

They can then email us if they’d like us to try and find an earlier appointment. They should email customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk with the email subject ‘Lateral flow rebooking’ and include 2 of these 3 pieces of information:

• their driving licence number
• their theory test pass certificate number
• their driving test reference number

We’ll then try to find them an earlier test appointment.

We’ll only do this if they changed their test appointment within 4 days of their test. This service cannot be used by anyone else to try to get an earlier appointment. We will refuse anyone who is not eligible and tries to use this service.

We’re contacting all driving test candidates to let them know how to get a rapid LFD test and encourage them to get them while they’re learning to drive and before they take their driving test.

If you have a booked a driving test for any of your pupils, you need to pass this information on to them.

More information

Check GOV.UK for the latest about:

• theory tests
• driving tests
• instructor guidance