How the heck do we get a driving test booked?

[JustJane73]

DD passed her theory today so we have popped on to the government website to book her practical. We knew there was a bit of a waiting time and was expecting dates for end of the year but we have put every month in up until July 2026 and no dates have been found anywhere within miles of where we live.

What do we do? Is anyone else currently in this situation? Is it going to have to be a laborious task of checking all day, every day until a date becomes available?

Be logged on to the DVSA website on Monday morning before 6am. Click on submit / enter (whatever it is) it the second it hits 6am and type fast as the slots go. Even then you aren't guaranteed a slot.

It's a mess and apparently bots are hoovering up loads of slots. They should go back to booking at the local centre in person to get it under control.

Yup, 5.50am Monday. Refresh the website dead on 6am.

I was listening for the radio 4 pips on a normal radio, a smart speaker tends to run slow.

Although it was 18 months ago and apparently it's worse now.

Having recently gone through this. Like others I recommend Testi, but you need to have a test booked to you it, book a test anywhere you can, then use testi, the only thing is you need to be super quick and basically sitting with your phone in hand. I managed to book a by using it twice, but make sure your settings are all set up that it allows you to auto log in, on my iphone, i didnt have it set up correctly and had to then log in dvsa site once testi alerted me which meant i missed testis due to the seconds delay. Once i had it set up properly it was much better and logged you in automatically. Its such a process though and I need to go through it again in the not too distant future. Good luck to your daughter op.

I was in the same queue. Took over an hour to get in and no tests left.

tried this Monday. Was in st exactly 6am and no queue and got a test booked.

have now signed up for testi to try and get an earlier date.

there has to be a better way to book a test than this.

If people stopped using Bots, booking slots “anywhere” then swapping them, and using swapping apps … we wouldn’t have so much of a problem. You are all making a bad situation worse.

It should be 1 booking per licence number, at any 1 time. Also, only 1 swap allowed, otherwise you pay the full fee again.

It's absolutely ridiculous and has been a problem since covid so they really have no excuse for not sorting it out! I think the problem is block booking of tests by bots not individuals.

I don't disagree with you.

I got a test booked for our local centre, didn't look anywhere else other than other local ones to us.

but it's 6 months away. That was the earliest one I could get booked - and that was the third one I tried to book - the other two were gone in the second I clicked continue.

I've no chance of securing a cancellation without the use of an app. Even then it's quickest finger first.

its soul destroying at attempting to book a test, logging in at 6am to discover there are 19,000 others in the queue before you and knowing there is little chance of booking one that day.

Thanks everyone. I'll have to set my alarm nice and early for Monday and keep my fingers crossed we can get somewhere.

Quick question for those who have mentioned automatic log-in for the actual test booking, how are you doing this? I am doing it via the gov.uk website and can't see an option for automatic booking. Am I looking on the wrong website?

Once we booked test we got the testi app that finds cancellations for you and sends notifications

That's through a third party app.

testi auto logs in but you need a test first before you can use testi

Wales- we did dds in Cardiff- we don’t live anywhere near Wales.

I agree but the issue that needs to be addressed is how the bots are managing to bypass the system in the first place to book up the tests that then get cancelled later on

Not sure if anyone else has said but the automatic log in is for the testi app.

I've managed to get a test booked for January so we'll get one of the apps up and running now.

What a palaver.

God, you’re all nicer parents than me. Setting your alarms for 5.30am?! If my DC want a test, they can set their own alarms and do it themselves!

@JustJane73 / anyone - when you book the test do you have to specify whether you will take it in your instructors car or your own car?

We booked months ago and it’s fast approaching, but my son will now be taking it in our car as his instructor isn’t available on the day. I can’t recall if I had to tick a box one way or another (if I did I’d have said instructors car) and am wondering if I need to let the DVSA know?

I didn't have to state which car dd would be using. Good luck to you ds, hope he does well.

This was exactly my experience with my two who are 18 months apart! Driving test now worked within a week the first time but 18 months later we were waiting two months and nothing. In the end I paid about £150 to a “agent” who works with fast track driving course companies. It seemed pretty dodgy but it actually wasn’t and we got a test. It’s a really bad situation and puts so much pressure in passing.