Key points
- Since 31 March 2026 you can make only 2 changes to a car driving test booking (it used to be 6).
- Since 12 May 2026 only the learner can book and manage their own car test. Booking a car test for someone else is against the law, and that includes driving instructors.
- Since 9 June 2026 you can only move your test to one of the 3 test centres nearest to where it is booked, or back to the centre you first booked.
- Smaller updates followed: online access can be suspended for 12 months, and since 1 October 2026 a swap needs both learners to phone DVSA on the same day.
- The rules apply to car tests only. Theory tests and other test types are not affected.
In 2026 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) changed the rules for booking and managing car driving tests in three main stages. From 31 March you can make only 2 changes to a booking. From 12 May only you, the learner, can book and manage your test. From 9 June you can only move your test to a centre near where it is booked.[1] Smaller updates followed in June and October. This guide covers each change: when it started, who it affects and what it means for you.
The changes at a glance
The government announced the reforms on 12 November 2025: a limit on rearranging tests, limits on moving to other test centres, and an end to anyone else booking on a learner's behalf.[3] DVSA published its full consultation response on 9 December 2025.[4] It then brought the changes in during spring 2026.[1]
| Rule | Old rule | New rule | In force since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of changes allowed | Up to 6 | Only 2 | 31 March 2026 |
| Who can book your test | You or your instructor | Only you | 12 May 2026 |
| Who can manage (change, swap, cancel) your test | You or your instructor | Only you | 12 May 2026 |
| Unofficial services that search the booking system | Allowed | Not allowed | 12 May 2026 |
| Where you can move your test | Any test centre | Only the 3 nearest centres (or the centre you first booked) | 9 June 2026 |
Source for the table: DVSA's summary of the 2026 rules.[1] These rules apply only to car driving tests, not to theory tests or other types of test.[1]
31 March 2026: only 2 changes per booking
Since 31 March 2026 you can make only 2 changes to an existing car test booking. If you had already used all your changes under the old rules, you got 2 more from that date.[1]
Only three things count as a change: changing the date or time, changing the test centre, or swapping your appointment with another learner. Changing the date and the centre at the same time still counts as one change.[1]
These do not count: updating your address or contact details, adding or removing your instructor's reference number, and changes DVSA makes itself, such as moving a test because of bad weather. If DVSA changes your test, you go back to having 2 changes available.[1]
Once both changes are used, the only option is to cancel and book a new test. You get a full refund only if you cancel at least 10 full working days before the test date.[1]
12 May 2026: only the learner can book and manage a car test
Since 12 May 2026 only you can book your car driving test, and only you can change, swap or cancel it. Your driving instructor can no longer do this for you.[1] When you book, you have to confirm that you are the learner taking the test and that you agree to the terms and conditions.[1]
The legal position is worth being precise about. It is now against the law for third parties to book a test for someone else. That includes unofficial booking and cancellation finder services, and driving instructors. It is also a breach of DVSA's booking terms and conditions for a third party to change, swap or cancel someone else's test.[2]
Some things did not change:
- Tests your instructor had already booked for you are still valid. Your instructor must give you the booking reference so you can manage it yourself.[1]
- Instructors and driving schools can still advise you on when you are ready. They can also set the times they are available, so you cannot book a slot that does not suit them.[2]
- A family member or friend can still help you book, but you must be with them while they do it. You should do as many of the steps yourself as you can, using an email address and phone number that are yours or that you can easily get to.[1]
Unofficial "scanning" services are not allowed
From 12 May 2026 you must not use unofficial services that scan the booking system for appointments, including cancellation finder websites and apps.[1] If you book or manage a test in a way that breaks the terms and conditions, DVSA can suspend your online access and cancel your booking.[1] Reselling appointments and searching the booking system with bots are also not allowed. DVSA has an online form for reporting these services, and you can report anonymously.[7]
Three months after the changes, DVSA said it had cancelled more than 1,300 tests that were booked or managed against the learner-only rules.[8]
9 June 2026: moving your test only to nearby centres
Since 9 June 2026, you can only move your test to:
- any of the 3 test centres nearest to the centre where your test is currently booked, or
- the test centre you first booked at on that booking.[1]
Each move counts as one of your 2 changes, and the "3 nearest" are worked out from wherever your test is booked at the time. DVSA's own example: a test booked at Chesterfield could move to Sheffield (Handsworth), Ashfield or Sheffield (Middlewood Road). A second change could then go to the 3 centres nearest Sheffield (Handsworth), or back to Chesterfield.[1]
If you already had a booking before 9 June 2026, the rule is based on where your test was booked on that date, not where you first booked it.[1] DVSA says the aim is to stop people booking at centres where they do not plan to take the test.[2]
Later updates in 2026
19 June 2026: reset changes can be used online
If DVSA changes your test (for example because of bad weather), you go back to 2 available changes. From 19 June 2026 you can use those reset changes online. Before that you had to phone DVSA to use them.[1]
22 June 2026: online access suspensions last 12 months
If DVSA sees activity on your booking that does not look like normal personal use, it can suspend online access for your driving licence number. The suspension lasts 12 months. During that time you have to book, change or cancel by phone, but a test you have already booked still goes ahead.[6] DVSA changed the suspension to 12 months on 22 June 2026, and you can fill in an online form to ask for a review.[6]
1 October 2026: both learners phone to complete a swap
Swapping tests with another learner is still allowed, but it counts as one of your 2 changes. You can only do it by phone.[5] Both of you need at least one change left, and you must ask at least 10 full working days before the earlier of the two tests. Both test centres must also meet the nearby-centre rule.[5] Since 1 October 2026 both learners have to phone DVSA separately on the same day to complete a swap.[5]
Never give another learner your driving licence number, theory test certificate number, payment card details or other personal details.[5]
What this means for you
- Book it yourself. Use the official GOV.UK service. Nobody else can do it for you, and you should not pay a third party to do it.[1][2]
- Pick your centre carefully. Later moves are limited to nearby centres.[1]
- Pick a realistic date. You only get 2 changes, and a car test needs 10 full working days' notice for a refund if you cancel.[1]
- Add your instructor's reference number when you book, so the system can check they are available.[1]
For step-by-step help with the official service, see how to book or change your driving test. For fees and refund rules, see driving test and licence costs. Every official change since January 2025 is listed on our rule changes tracker.
Sources
- Changes to driving test booking rules in 2026
- End of the road for unofficial driving test booking services
- Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog
- Improving car driving test booking rules (consultation outcome)
- Swapping your driving test with another learner driver
- Driving test booking: if your online access is suspended
- Report driving test resellers, cancellation finders or booking services
- Driving test booking changes – 3 months on
Last checked against the cited sources on 14 October 2026. PassNav is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA, DVLA or TomTom. Our guides are prepared with AI assistance and checked against the official sources cited on each page. Rules and fees change — for current legal requirements and booking rules, always check GOV.UK. This is general guidance and does not replace professional driving instruction. Spotted something out of date? Email passnav@smartaisolution.co.uk — see our editorial policy.