How to change your driving test date
Need to move your practical driving test? Whether your date is too far away, the time clashes with work or college, or you want a different test centre, you can change your booking free of charge through the DVSA — as long as you follow the notice rules. Here's exactly how to do it, and how to find an earlier date when the DVSA site shows nothing suitable.
What you need to change your driving test
- Your UK driving licence number
- Your DVSA booking reference (from your booking confirmation email) or your theory test pass certificate number
Lost your theory test certificate number? Request it on GOV.UK: Find your lost theory test pass certificate number.
Lost your booking reference? Use the 'Check your driving test appointment' service to retrieve your booking details.
How to change your driving test online
- Sign in to the DVSA's 'Change your driving test appointment' service on GOV.UK.
- Review your current appointment, then choose to change the date, time or test centre.
- Pick from the available slots shown, confirm, and keep the DVSA confirmation email for your records.
Changing to another available slot is free — your existing test fee carries over to the new appointment.
The 10 working days rule
You must give at least 10 full working days' notice to change or cancel your test without losing your fee. The DVSA counts Monday to Saturday as working days — Sundays and public holidays don't count. Inside the notice period you can still make changes, but you may have to pay for a new test.
No earlier dates showing? Here's the trick
The change service only shows what's available at the exact moment you look. Cancellation slots from other learners appear throughout the day and are usually claimed within minutes — so the fact that nothing shows now doesn't mean nothing will show an hour from now.
TestShift watches for you. It scans your chosen test centres every minute, around the clock. When a matching cancellation appears, TestShift reserves the slot for 15 minutes, notifies you instantly, and — once you accept — completes the exact change you approved. The DVSA confirmation email arrives within minutes. Start with the web app, or find your centre in our test centre directory.
FAQs about changing your driving test
How many times can I change my driving test?
You can change your test date, time and centre twice through the online change service, so use changes wisely — and make each one count by moving to a date you can definitely make.
Does changing my test cost anything?
No — swapping your existing booking to another available slot is free, provided you're outside the 10-working-day notice period.
Can I change to a different test centre?
Yes. The change service lets you switch centres if the new centre has availability. TestShift can search up to three centres at once to widen your options.
Will I lose my place if the change fails?
No. Your original booking stays in place until a change is confirmed by the DVSA.
