In short For a reverse bay park, drive past the bay, stop with the car square to the bays, look all round, then reverse slowly on full lock and straighten up when the car is parallel to the lines, finishing inside them. For a forward bay park, drive in slowly, finish inside the lines, then reverse out with full observation, giving way to anyone moving in the car park.
Updated 9 November 2026 · Source: GOV.UK car driving test guidance, checked 9 November 2026
Reversing into a bay
- Drive slowly past the bay, keeping about a car's width from the bays, and stop when the target bay's line is in a reference point (in many cars, when the line two bays along meets your door mirror or the middle of your door).
- Select reverse and look all round, including both blind spots.
- Reverse slowly, and steer to full lock towards the bay as you start moving.
- Keep looking all round. Use both door mirrors to watch the lines on each side.
- When the car is parallel to the lines, straighten the wheels and reverse until the car is fully inside the bay.
Test centres often use their own car park for this. Know the area first with the Driving Test Routes app
Driving in and reversing out
- Approach slowly with enough room to turn in. Many learners use the start of the bay line meeting the door mirror as the cue to steer.
- Steer into the bay, straighten up, and stop with the car inside the lines.
- Before reversing out, look all round. Cars and pedestrians in a car park can appear from any direction.
- Reverse out slowly, steering to the side you want to leave, and give way to anyone moving.
Common faults
- Not looking round before and during the manoeuvre (the biggest one).
- Finishing over a line or at an angle.
- Too much speed, or too many corrections.
- Carrying on when a pedestrian or a car is close.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to finish straight in the bay?
You need to finish inside the lines. A slight angle is usually fine; across a line is likely to be a fault.
Where is the bay park done on the test?
Usually in the test centre car park, at the start or the end of the test, but it can be in another car park.
What is forward bay parking?
Driving forwards into a bay and then reversing out. The examiner may ask for this instead of reversing in.
Can I use the parking sensors?
Yes, you can use parking sensors and cameras, but keep looking all round; they do not replace observation.
Read next
Practise on the roads around your test centre
The Driving Test Routes app turns your phone into a practice coach for the practical test.
- Practice routes around UK test centres, with voice directions
- Mock tests that score the drive and list the faults to work on
- All 21 show me tell me questions, with photos of each control
- An emergency stop drill that times your reaction