Booking driving test

[ImAGoodPerson]

Hi, just wondered if anyone had any tips for booking a practical driving test. My son is taking lessons and will need to do a test in a few months. There seems to be nothing at all, I am trying every day. We can't afford to keep paying for lessons if it takes 6-8 months to get a test so that will have a negative impact on him passing no doubt.

Am I missing something re trying to book?

Thanks

I have been through this with two teens recently - this is still a hangover from Covid where tests were unavailable for months and months.

Agree with others - Testi app. Book a slot at ANY centre, preferably one near but it doesn't matter. Once you have the app you can select notifications and it will ping every time a quicker slot becomes available. You can either pay extra to be able to book the slot directly from the app, or if you are around your phone/laptop most of the time just get straight on and book.

It does work - DS failed a driving test in September and the soonest we could get a retest was about February. Testi came through for us and we managed to get one about 5 weeks after the fail.

I've been informed the apps no longer work and the only way now is WhatsApp groups

The situation with the theory tests appears to have eased a lot, luckily. In Scotland we had stricter rules around social distancing for so much longer than elsewhere which meant from about January - August 2021 you just couldn't get a theory test place at all as the centres were having to ensure everyone had 2 metres all round them at the computer so could have 2 or 3 people in a room which usually accommodated 20 or 30. We live in Glasgow - parents were booking weekends away in London, Birmingham or Brighton just so their DC could get a test slot.

Driving examiners were on strike recently too which is only adding to the backlog. DD has a practical test booked for the first week in May, that was booked as soon as she passed her theory in November.

I haven't checked Testi recently but it worked for us - the free version. The DVSA don't WhatsApp, so it's just people sharing information which may be reliable, may not be.

It is shit though, so many people here found during Covid that their theory ran out while they were waiting for a slot so had to pay to do that again too.

We had a panic when nothing was showing locally but went on early one morning and there were slots showing for August which we've booked. She's only a new learner so hopefully about right anyway.

I tried a few times to book DS in for his driving test with no luck. His instructor saw space available, and told DS to book a slot. That was early on a Monday morning.

OP glad you managed to book a test. I found with Testi you have to keep refreshing as they just go immediately, obviously this just isn't possible when you are working but DD got it on her phone too so if one came up we both had a chance! Do speak to his instructor too as many of them seem to be able to get tests, I've no idea how but one of her friends failed and the the instructor got one for two weeks later.

*To those posters who say get on the website at 6am - either their advice is out of date or they live in a very very rural area.
*
I live in London and did this within the last 6 months so neither of these however tests always seem to be booking a minimum of 5-6 months ahead here. But I agree it's a shit situation.

Bold fail below

It's frustrating though isn't it. Instructer has said DS will likely be ready around May but that the cancellations seem easier to get so for us to wait till he's nearly ready then literally get one ASAP. There were 2 available for this week when I went on this morning so hopefully will work out ok.