How to cancel your driving test (and when you shouldn't)

If you can't attend your practical driving test, you can cancel it online through the DVSA and get a full refund — provided you give enough notice. But before you cancel outright, it's worth knowing that moving your test is free and keeps your place in the system, because re-booking from scratch later usually means another long wait.

How to cancel your driving test online

Go to the DVSA's 'Cancel your driving test' service on GOV.UK.
Enter your UK driving licence number and booking reference.
Confirm the cancellation and keep the DVSA's confirmation email.

The refund rules

Cancel at least 10 full working days before your test and you'll get a full refund to the card that paid.
The DVSA counts Monday to Saturday as working days — Sundays and public holidays don't count.
Cancel inside the notice period and you lose the test fee, except in limited cases (e.g. medical reasons with evidence, bereavement, school exams — check GOV.UK for the current list).

Think twice: move it instead of cancelling

Cancelling puts you back to square one — when you're ready to test again, you'll be booking at the back of the queue, potentially months out. If the problem is just the date or time, use the DVSA's 'Change your driving test appointment' service instead: it's free, and your fee carries over.

Date too soon rather than too far? TestShift works both ways — set your availability window and it will only offer you slots on dates you can actually do, reserving each one for 15 minutes while you decide. Set your dates in the web app.

FAQs about cancelling your driving test

Will I get my money back if I cancel?

Yes, in full — if you cancel at least 10 working days before the test. Inside that window the fee is normally lost.

Someone else booked my test years ago — can I still cancel it?

Cancellation is done with the licence number and booking reference, so as long as you have those details you can cancel the booking. Remember that since 12 May 2026, any new booking must be made by you personally.

I cancelled by mistake — can I get my slot back?

Not reliably — the slot returns to the pool for other learners. You'd need to book again and, if the new date is worse, use a cancellation checker like TestShift to bring it forward.

What happens if I just don't turn up?

You lose your fee and the slot is wasted. Always cancel or move the test if you can't make it — another learner will happily take it.