Government response to an ongoing public petition to improve test-booking system

For fairness, the DVSA combats the reselling of its tests for profit and introduced further review of the driving test booking system.

It encourages learners to use only the official GOV.UK website to book and manage tests and has published advice warning of the risks of using third parties.

It’s not possible to block-book tests. One driver number can be assigned to only one car test at a time. But anyone with access to unassigned driving licence numbers can book a test for each one, potentially without the owner of the licence knowing.

DVSA uses anti-bot protection to stop automated systems buying up tests in this way. But these are constantly evolving. So, following a 2024 consultation on the booking rules (with a record 27,000 responses), DVSA is now developing proposals for improvement, including potential changes to law.

In January 2023, the DVSA changed the terms for using the booking service to help prevent tests being sold at profit. In the following two years, the DVSA issued 350 warnings, 792 suspensions, and closed 813 business accounts for its misuse.

In the four months since terms were again tightened in January 2025, there were 44 warnings, 120 suspensions, and 270 business accounts closed.


It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception is current at the critical point a person can first drive unsupervised. The two-year limit between passing the theory test and practical test aims to support this, as new drivers are disproportionately casualties on our roads.