Get driving test sooner?

[Freyagillian]

DVLA cancelled my granddaughter’s test the day of her test with no explanation or an apology, they gave her another test date for months away, to say she was upset is an understatement. Her test was a Thursday so her instructor put her in for a lesson fir Tuesday/Wed/ and Thursday a lesson before her test so in total it was £160 with hire of instructors car for sitting her test, she saw the cancellation when she was sitting in the car waiting for examiner to appear when she saw the message cancelling her test. We have tried the apps that are available but they are offering even later than her new test date. Her instructor has said she is more than ready for her test so having to keep paying £40 a week for extra months is a struggle for her mum who is a single parent, her granddad has gave her loads of lessons as well but feel she still should be with instructor as she is use to her car. The DVLA seem to be a law unto themselves with no explanation why they cancelled. Constantly hearing about touts buying up block books of tests and selling for extortionate prices. She has added other towns to give a better chance to get a test soon but nothing coming forth. Her instructor is also trying to get an earlier date for her but she says this is so common of DVLA and doesn’t hold out much hope. This is a typically government run business who does not give two hoots how they treat people. Any advice would be greatly appreciated to put a smile on my granddaughter’s face! Thanks in advance.

Impossible to get tests at the moment. My dd is also ready but hers is in Sept. I have had Testi installed for a couple of month - very few notifications and the two times I’ve tried to click, the earlier tests had already vanished. It’s been like this for years now, although lately it has got much worse. My eldest took his in 2023. Still bad, but not this bad.

We used testi and paid the £10 to notify you - managed to move it up by months got one in the end just 2 weeks away but you have to be quick.

It definitely seems to have got much worse and nobody seems to be doing anything to rectify this huge problem. Makes me so angry they give no reason why they have cancelled it🤷‍♀️. My daughter has got Testi but as I said the date they offered was even later than the date she has got in place of her cancellation. We have 2 apps n the go but think they are a waste of money.

Testi but I never got notified. I did have to log in a refresh upon occasion.

I used driving test now. Filled in the dates & times I was available for a test and it automatically booked for me. I failed my 1st test. With that app I had another test for 15 days later.

She doesn’t need to have weekly lessons with an instructor if she has access to drive her own/family members car on a regular basis?

DS hasn’t had any for over a month now but has been driving with me and is booked in for one with his instructor just before his test.

We used Testi, you can set it to only give notifications before her test date but do make sure you have the notifications set up in the app AND enabled in your phone settings.

i know someone who got one for July through Testi only today.

There seems to be certain times of day the cancellations get released, usually mid morning so try and be near your phone to watch for the notifications around then.

We used driving test now, you can set it up to auto book for you. I used it 9 times for 2DC and never had to wait too long

I booked a test anywhere but far into the distance, then set the app to my chosen test centre, set up any exclusions of dates not wanted and let it auto book

The longest we ever waited was 2 weeks to rebook and averaged about a month between tests

We had the app but found that tests were already taken. The only way my son got a test was to book one anywhere in the country at some future date. Once you have a test booked you can go on DVLA website and get a cancellation but you need to do this at 6am on Monday mornings when they get released. We were unsuccessful the first time we tried this but the following Monday we managed to get him a test for the following week at our local test centre. He passed, thankfully. Good luck!

I used testshift for my son's and paid for the automatic book upgrade. Got a test booked within days of doing that. Worked well.

I am an Approved Driving Instructor.

It is unreasonable for a replacement test to be months in advance. Ring the DVSA and ask for a test date that is closer. They DO have them and definitely do provide them. Your granddaughter’s instructor will know this.

My town is one of the business test centres in the UK and replacement tests are never more than a month away.

Also lots of towns have test swap groups amongst instructors where they can swap pupils tests where some are more ready than others.

Be careful doing this as it’s shortly going to be banned. Most instructors have voted for the ban. If you book a test in another town you may be stuck with it. The reason for the ban is that it limits the availability of tests for people who actually live in that area.

Pretty sure you can use an app for cancellations...my DS had a date for late September initially (booked end of April) but over course of about 36 hours managed to bring it forward in steps until it was within 3 weeks. We do live in a bit of a far flung spot though so maybe that was helpful. Good luck.

I had two apps and I didn’t get any cancellations, not once.

I booked a test in a different city and hired a car. Apparently some test centres have hire cars. It seemed mad at the time but like you, I couldn’t afford lessons every week for months.

https://www.arnoldclarkrental.com/dual-control-hire

We had bought 2 apps including Testi which didn’t work for us. Driving instructor recommended Test Shift and it was great, DD moved hers from September to yesterday and she passed. Worth the money imo. Good luck!

You have to literally sit and refresh the page all day, maybe a 2 or more days. Start at 6am.

She has her own car which she has been using for lessons in between ones with her instructor so she is still using that and just going to do her instructor once a month, as like her instructor said she is more than ready for her test so no need to get lesson every week thank goodness. Daughters bought Testi app but nothing.

She got a later test when they cancelled hers last week but it’s ages away. Have tried the 6 am several times as she had another date which was September but no luck trying on Monday morning. Her instructor managed to swap dates for last week but like I said DVLA cancelled at last minute and has gave her another late date. Got Testi app but nothing so far. She has put for other towns as well. Ridiculous you have to do this.

Have 2 apps but no lunch with either.😩

Don’t do this - they have software that detects bots, if you keep refreshing it thinks you’re a bot!. I tried it and kept getting my IP blocked and had to wait until the next day to try again 😂

Hi, thanks for advice. Her original test was end of September and her instructor managed to swap it for the test they cancelled last week and now they have gave her the end of July, her instructor put her down for 2 towns near to us as well although would prefer one in her own town. We have paid for 2 different apps but no luck so far. Tried the going on at 6am Monday morning, waiting time on that to even get in the queue😩 but nothing either. I have passed your advice to my daughter so she will phone. Is it just the DVLA number you use? Thanks again.

Sorry luck😜

So annoying paying that money for nothing, same here 2 apps and nothing from them. She is down for another 2 towns if they were available but would obviously prefer her own town.

So annoying for them when they are ready to sit test now but have to wait months. It worries me that if my GD gets another date what’s to say they won’t cancel on her again🤷‍♀️. That week cost £160 with extra lessons and hire of instructors car so don’t want to have to pay that again.

We have 2 apps including Testi 😩. Will have a look at Test shift. Thank you.