From 12 May, only learner drivers will be able to book, change or swap their own driving test, ending the long-standing practice of driving instructors doing it for them. Tests already booked by instructors will not be affected.
The shift is meant to tackle waiting lists that can stretch to six months and to stop slots being bulk-bought by bots and firms that resell them to learner drivers at inflated prices. For many learners, the change hands the booking back to the person who has to sit the test, but it also puts the responsibility for managing the slot squarely on them.
The move comes after a first tightening of the rules on 31 March, when learner drivers were limited to two changes to a booked slot. If all six changes allowed under the old system had already been used, two more changes could still be made from that date. Changing the date or time counts as one change, changing the test centre counts as one, and swapping a slot with another learner driver also counts as one. If several details are changed at once, such as the date and test centre, that still counts as one change. If the DVSA changes the test, it does not count against the limit.
If more than two changes are needed now, the learner driver must cancel the test and book again. A refund is available only if the test is cancelled at least 10 working days before the date. The standard fee is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
There is another restriction coming on 9 June, when a moved test can only be moved to the three test centres closest to where the test is booked. That is meant to make it harder for people to jump around the system in search of easier dates or locations, and it tightens the grip on a booking process that has been repeatedly exploited.
Learner drivers can still get help from someone they know when booking or managing a test, but only if that person is with them while they do it. All confirmations must go to the learner driver's email or phone number, and if they do not have email, an account can be set up for them. The DVSA also says learners should speak to their instructor first to make sure they are ready and to get the instructor's reference number before booking.
The policy answer is clear: the DVSA is trying to take the driving test market out of the hands of middlemen. The background makes the reason plain. In December, a investigation found some instructors were offered kickbacks of up to £250 a month to hand over their official login details, while touts used those details to scoop up tests in bulk and sell them on WhatsApp and Facebook for as much as £500.
