THE PRACTICAL DRIVING TEST

Your instructor will advise you when to apply for your driving test.
You can apply on the internet, by phone or by post.

If you want to book by phone the number is 0300 200 1122.

You will receive a letter of confirmation a couple of weeks after you apply and the test date will usually be six to eight weeks after you first applied.
The driving test fee is currently £62.00 (£75.00 on Saturdays)

On the Day of Your Test

On the day of your driving test you should have a warm up session in your usual tuition car with your driving instructor, arriving at the test centre a few minutes before the appointment. You will go into the driving test centre with your instructor and wait for the examiner.

At the Driving Test Centre

The examiner will come out of the office and will ask to see both parts of your driving licence and your driving theory test pass letter. He will ask you to sign in a box on his test form to say your car is insured for him to carry out the driving test.

Then he will ask you to lead out to the car, ask if he can call you by your first name and tell you his.

Outside, he will ask you to read a number plate as an eyesight check.
He will then want you to show or tell him how to do a couple of the safety/maintenance checks taken from the full maintenance schedule which your instructor should have practiced with you. They are not difficult. They take no more than two minutes to do. It's only a minor fault if you get them wrong.

The Driving Test

You and the examiner will then go for a drive lasting approximately 40 minutes. You can have your instructor sat in the back of the car if you want.

At the end the examiner will tot up your faults and then tell you whether you have passed or failed your driving test. He will discuss your driving faults with your instructor listening in, unless you prefer not.

When to Take Your Driving Test?

Your instructor should have given you two or three practice tests. As a result of these, he may advise you to take extra lessons and put your test back to accommodate them. In this event, you need to give four working days notice to change your driving test appointment.

You should delay your driving test if your instructor says you are not ready for it.

Taking and failing your test when you are not ready will cost you a lot more than a few extra lessons. It will damage your confidence and could ruin you for subsequent driving tests.

In Nottingham, driving tests can be taken at either of two venues. These are Chalfont Drive and Colwick test centres. Colwick is a brand new, all purpose driving test centre, opened in October 2008 and located at the end of private road No5 on the Colwick industrial estate. Gedling and West Bridgford test centres are now closed.