Overview
- The DVSA’s final booking rule, which took effect on Tuesday, June 9, restricts learners to moving a booked car practical test only to one of the three test centres nearest the appointment’s current location.
- The change completes a three-stage package that earlier this year cut allowed booking changes from six to two on March 31 and barred instructors and unofficial services from booking or managing tests on May 12.
- The agency says the measures target automated bots, cancellation-finding apps and third-party resellers that bulk-book and trade slots, and it requires learners to confirm their identity when booking with suspension or cancellation possible for breaches of the terms.
- Industry groups and motoring experts warn the rules reduce flexibility, raise the risk of 'panic booking' and may not by themselves resolve long waits that average about five months in parts of the UK.
- The DVSA points to capacity gains as part of the response, reporting more than 158,000 extra tests delivered since June 2025 and the use of military driving examiners to increase examiner numbers and appointments.