In short You drive for around 35 minutes. With the eyesight check and tell me question before the drive and the result and feedback after it, the whole test usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour from when your name is called. An extended test for drivers who were banned has around 65 minutes of driving.
Updated 9 November 2026 · Source: GOV.UK car driving test guidance, checked 9 November 2026
How long each part takes
| Part | Roughly how long |
|---|---|
| Licence check and declaration in the waiting room | A few minutes |
| Eyesight check and tell me question | About 5 minutes |
| The drive: general driving, independent driving, the show me question, one manoeuvre, maybe an emergency stop | Around 35 minutes |
| Independent driving (part of the drive) | 20 to 35 minutes |
| Result and feedback | About 5 to 10 minutes |
Timings vary with traffic and with how long the examiner spends on the feedback. If you would like your instructor to hear the feedback, say so; it adds a few minutes and is usually worth it.
Get used to a 35-minute drive around your test centre with the Driving Test Routes app
How long to allow on test day
- Arrive a few minutes early. Test centres are small and examiners start on time.
- A warm-up lesson: many learners book a lesson of about an hour just before the test, which ends at the test centre.
- Altogether, keep about two and a half hours clear if you are having a warm-up lesson, or an hour and a half without one.
How long is the extended driving test?
If a court banned you from driving and ordered an extended test, you drive for around 65 minutes instead of 35. It also costs more: £124 on weekdays and £150 for evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
How long is the wait for a driving test?
It depends on the test centre and changes week to week. A few facts about how dates are released help:
- New appointments are added 24 weeks in advance and released every Monday at 6am.
- "Cancellation appointments" appear whenever another learner changes or cancels a test, at any time of the week.
- There is no waiting list or cancellation list to join; you check the booking service yourself.
- You can change a car test appointment 2 times, and you must do it yourself. Your instructor is not allowed to change it for you.
- To change it without paying again, give at least 10 full working days' notice (Monday to Saturday count; Sundays and public holidays do not).
How long until you can retake it?
If you do not pass, you can book another test straight away, but the date has to be at least 10 working days later. You pay the fee again.
How long for your full licence to arrive?
You can drive on your own as soon as you pass; you do not need to wait for the licence. If you give the examiner your provisional licence, your full licence is sent to you automatically. If it has not arrived 3 weeks after you applied, contact the licensing agency.
Run a full-length mock test that scores the drive and lists the faults to work on
Frequently asked questions
How long is a UK driving test?
Around 35 minutes of driving. The whole visit, including the eyesight check, the tell me question and the result, usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
How long is the independent driving part?
The guidance gives 20 to 35 minutes, following a sat nav the examiner sets up, road signposts, or both.
Is the automatic driving test shorter?
No. The automatic test has the same parts and the same length as the manual test.
Does the test end early if I fail?
The examiner only stops the test if your driving is a danger to other road users. Otherwise you finish the route even after a serious fault, and get full feedback at the end.
How much notice do I need to change my test without paying again?
At least 10 full working days before a car test. Monday to Saturday count as working days; Sundays and public holidays do not.
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