From 8 April 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will require learner drivers to give 10 full working days’ notice if they need to change or cancel their car driving test without losing the test fee. Currently, only three full working days’ notice is needed. The change, which is part of DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce driving test waiting times, aims to make better use of test slots and help more learners secure appointments when they are ready.

DVSA explains that last-minute cancellations create gaps in the schedule that can be difficult to fill, leading to wasted appointments and, in 2024 alone, around 60,000 tests were lost because learners failed to turn up, the equivalent of 45 full-time examiners’ workloads over the course of a year. DVSA hopes that increasing the notice period will give other learners more time to take up newly available slots, reducing overall waiting times.

The longer notice period applies only to car driving tests. Theory tests, motorcycle tests, lorry and bus driving tests, and instructor qualification tests will continue to require three full working days’ notice to reschedule or cancel without losing the fee.

DVSA is also urging learners to formally cancel their test if they cannot attend, rather than simply failing to show up. Later this year, a consultation will explore additional measures, such as increasing the time a no-show learner must wait before booking another test or introducing a penalty fee. These proposals form part of DVSA’s wider efforts to make the testing system more efficient and accessible for those who are ready to pass.

Learners will still be able to apply for a refund if they need to cancel their test at short notice due to illness, injury, bereavement, a school or college exam, or a stolen driving licence. DVSA will also continue to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses for tests it cancels with fewer than three full working days’ notice while reviewing its current policy.

From 8 April, all test booking details will reflect the updated notice period. DVSA has published a list of old and new deadlines to help learners and instructors adjust to the change.

More details on the new rule and its impact on learners are available in DVSA’s official announcement.