How on earth do I book DS a driving test?

[yetanotherusername9183837]

All the test centres are booked up, for ever. I've just been on the DVSA website trying every postcode I can think of and every test centre says no tests available.

Does anyone know how I can book him a test? Or when they release new dates?

This just seems ridiculous.

My DCs used the Testi app.

Set an alarm for 5.30am on Monday morning. Go onto booking website. It will put you in a queue for the site opening at 6am, you should be able to get one for 6 months time if you do that. Then you can sign up for a cancellation notification app like Testi if you want one sooner but beware you need to be super quick if you get a cancellation notification, I am talking split second quick
Good luck.

New dates are released at 6am on a Monday (six months in advance and in our area they are gone by 6.05). Testi app was useless for us. I eventually found a cancellation by checking the gov website multiple times a day

Just to add the queue might say you are a number up in rhe thousands in the queue and it might take a while to get into the site

There number of tests available is being ramped up as there's a huge backlog - it was on the news last night. They're also trying to stop screen scraping resellers from booking appointments as they come available so I'd suggest not using the likes of Testi for an appointment because they are artificially pushing up the price and blocking available appointments.

It isn't Testi that is pushing up the price, there are resellers that block book then sell at a very inflated price.

Also they announced in December they were giung to have ut sorted by this December so effectively the 'new' news is them just pushing that date out because the situation has become worse rather than better

New tests are added at 6am on Monday mornings. Go to the dvsa website by 5.45am to join the queue. Book any test you can for anywhere, it will be for 6 months time.

Then you can start trying to get a swap for an earlier/more local one. Testi is a popular app but we never had any luck with it. The slots were always gone even if I clicked on the notification as soon as it arrived. Test shift worked for us, took about 6 weeks for a test to pop up at the centre we wanted. But they hold the slot for you for 15 mins then book it for you if you hit confirm within the 15 minutes. So much easier than testi.

Wow this is all so interesting and helpful. Thank you all so much.

I'm learning so much here, thank you!

We used an app called Driving Test Now. We had to pay £15ish I think but we got exactly what we wanted and it’s very easy to use. Dates were popping up (that we didn’t want) for within the next week or so.

Yes, agree, being in the queue by 6am is what worked for us. But I didn’t do it, I got DS to set his alarm, if he wanted to get a test he needed to put in the early shift not me!!

Why is your DS not doing himself? If he’s going to drive he should be competent - and learning some life skills……

I know other people who have got test dates doing the 6am thing

Im sure he can book it himself though. If he’s old enough to drive, he’s old enough to operate a website

Good to see one parent teaching their son responsibility and life skills, instead of thinking mummy will sort it out.

Good for you! I will be following your lead 😄

My ds1 booked a test 60 miles away and then we looked for cancellations. He ended up taking it nearer, but not local.

We booked a hotel overnight and used a test route app to drive many possible routes the day before.

You don't. He does. He needs to do his research and grow up and sort it out himself.

unfortunately a lot of bots are block booking so you have to pay ££ We managed to get one for 7 months time by going on DVLA at 6am on a Monday.

Be awake (caffeine!) and on the DVSA website by 5:50am on a Monday. Hit apply (or whatever it is) at 6am on the dot, a traditional radio is good for timing as smart devices tend to lag by a few seconds. And yes, they're all gone by 6:05am.

I got DS's first try, in our town, when I did it last year. Maybe it's worse now though. Good luck!

Is your DS learning with an instructor? My instructor sorted the test date for me.

Daughter logged on last Monday at 6am & got a test date for this coming September.

How are they being booked by bots? That’s insane! Here in Ireland it’s all linked to your government account and pps (NI) number.

The point is to be wary of booking other than directly

You still book it yourself with Testi. It literally just gives notifications when tests comes up on the site, it doesn't book them for you so you are still booking directly