BOOK YOUR PRACTICAL TEST

• You’ll have to read a number plate from a distance of:  
• 20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate 
• 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate  
• New-style number plates start with 2 letters followed by 2 numbers, eg AB51 ABC.  You’ll fail your driving test if you fail the eyesight check. The test will end. 

You’ll be asked 2 vehicle safety questions known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.    The 'tell me' question will be asked at the start of the test before you start driving.   The 'show me' question will be asked whilst you are driving.  

You’ll drive in various road and traffic conditions.  The examiner will give you directions that you should follow. Driving test routes aren’t published, so you can’t check them before your test.  

• You’ll be asked to pull over and pull away during your test, including:
• Normal stops at the side of the road 
• Pulling out from behind a parked vehicle 
• A hill start  
• You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.  

• The examiner will ask you to do one of the following exercises:  
• parallel park at the side of the road   
• Park in a parking bay - either by driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which one they want you to do).
• Pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for around 2 car lengths and then rejoin traffic. 

• You’ll have to drive for about 20 minutes by following either:    
• Directions from a sat nav 
• Traffic signs  
• The examiner will tell you which you have to follow.  They'll set up the sat nav for you.  You can't use your own sat nav.  If you can’t see a traffic sign (eg because it’s covered by trees), the examiner will give you directions until you can see the next one.  
• Your test result won’t be affected if you go off the route, unless you make a fault while doing it. The examiner will help you get back on the route if you take a wrong turning.  You can carry on if you make a mistake. It might not affect your result if it’s not serious.  The examiner will only stop your test if they think your driving is a danger to other road users.   
• The current cost of a practical driving test is £62.