Overview
- The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency introduced the three-centre restriction on June 9, 2026, so learners can only relocate a booked car practical test to one of the three test centres nearest the centre where the test is currently booked.
- The new limit is the final step in a phased package that earlier cut permitted booking changes to two on March 31 and barred instructors and third parties from booking or managing tests on May 12.
- The rule applies to car practical tests in England, Scotland and Wales, is calculated from the test’s current booked location rather than the learner’s home, and the DVSA says breaches could lead to suspended online access or cancelled bookings.
- Industry groups and motoring experts warn the restriction may reduce flexibility for learners, prompt panic booking or poor planning, and are sceptical that rules alone will clear the long backlog of waiting candidates.
- The change builds on wider capacity steps the DVSA has taken, including more than 158,000 extra tests delivered since June 2025 and use of military driving examiners, as the service copes with about 3.7 million learners and average waits of roughly 22–24 weeks.