Knowing the shape of the test before you arrive removes a lot of the uncertainty. It runs to a fairly fixed structure, around 35 minutes of driving according to GOV.UK, and every part of it is designed to check skills you've already been practising, not catch you out with anything unfamiliar.
The Test at a Glance
GOV.UK describes four parts to the test: an eyesight check, two "show me, tell me" vehicle safety questions, general driving ability (which includes independent driving), and reversing. You'll drive for around 35 minutes, and you might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop. Source: GOV.UK, Driving test: cars, What happens during the test.
Our guide to the driving instructor code of practice covers what your instructor should do before and on your test day.
The Eyesight Check
The examiner checks you can read a number plate from 20 metres (20.5 metres for an old-style number plate) before you even get in the car. If you fail the eyesight check, the test ends. We cover the full eyesight requirement in our guide to getting started as a beginner driver, it's the same standard, just being checked for real this time.
The Vehicle Safety Questions ("Show Me, Tell Me")
You'll be asked two questions drawn from a bank of 21, covering things like checking tyre condition, brake fluid, or how to use the horn. "Tell me" questions are answered verbally before you drive; "show me" questions ask you to demonstrate something while you're driving. Getting one or both wrong counts as a single driving fault (a minor), not an automatic problem, so don't let one shaky answer rattle the rest of the drive.
General Driving
You'll drive in various road and traffic conditions, but not on motorways, and the examiner gives turn-by-turn directions whenever you're not following a sat nav or traffic signs. This section covers the full range of everyday driving skills built up across your lessons.
Independent Driving
This section lasts 20 to 35 minutes. You'll follow either sat nav directions, traffic signs or a mix of both, and the examiner decides which. They set the sat nav up for you and you cannot use your own. If you do go off the intended route, the examiner will simply tell you, and it isn't a fault in itself, what's being assessed is your decision-making and hazard awareness while driving independently, not your sense of direction.
The Reversing Manoeuvre
You'll be asked to complete one manoeuvre, chosen by the examiner on the day from a set that includes parallel parking, bay parking (forward or reverse), or pulling up on the right and reversing two car lengths. There's no way to know in advance which one you'll get, so all of them are worth being genuinely comfortable with.
The Possible Emergency Stop
You might be asked to carry out an emergency stop. It isn't announced beforehand, so it's worth staying ready for it throughout rather than assuming it won't come up.
What Happens Afterwards
At the end, the examiner tells you immediately whether you've passed, and talks you through anything recorded during the drive. For the full detail on how faults are categorised and what the pass mark actually is, see our guide to driving test faults.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the driving test actually last?
GOV.UK says you'll drive for around 35 minutes (around 65 minutes for an extended test after a driving ban). It doesn't give a total appointment time, so allow extra time around the test itself.
What documents do I need to bring?
Your UK driving licence, which will be your provisional licence, and your theory test pass certificate if you have it. Your examiner checks that you've passed your theory test, so you don't need a replacement if you've lost the certificate. If you don't take the right things, your test will be cancelled and you won't get your money back. See our guide to getting started as a beginner driver for the full detail on the licence. On the day, your face is checked against the photo on your licence, one of the ways DVSA guards against impersonation. Our guide to driving test cheating and impersonation explains more.
How many vehicle safety questions will I be asked?
Two, drawn from a bank of 21 possible questions.
Will I definitely be asked to do an emergency stop?
No, but you might be asked to carry out one, so be ready for it.
Do I get to choose which manoeuvre I perform?
No, the examiner selects it on the day from a set of options, so it's worth being comfortable with all of them rather than just a favourite.
Sources
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Please note: This is general driving guidance, not a substitute for in-car instruction. The real situation in front of you, and what your instructor tells you, always takes priority over anything written on this page.
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