In April 2025, an email from the DVSA about trialling some changes to the driving test from 6th May 2025 for 3 months as sent out.

This is now being extended for another 2 months to 6 October 2025.

Allowing more time for the trial gives DVSA time to collect additional data and monitor performance over the summer period

This will allow DVSA to gather further variation of evidence during the school holiday summer period, when road usage differs, especially in popular holiday locations. 

What is the trial?

As a reminder, this trial involves increasing the amount of time your pupils spend on higher speed roads (including high-speed and rural roads) during a driving test while not changing the content of the test or the time taken to carry the test out.

The aim of the trial remains to better replicate the challenging conditions your pupils face when they are novice drivers in the real world, such as being able to negotiate driving on rural roads.

DVSA will continue to contact learner drivers with a test booked at the trial sites to make them aware about the trial and reassure them that what they need to learn or will be tested on during their test will not change.

Areas involved in the trial

The trial will run at the same driving test centres (DTC) across Great Britain. These are:

Avonmouth, Bishopbriggs, Bolton, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dudley, Halifax, Hendon, Hereford,  Hornchurch, Isleworth, Maidstone, Middlesbrough, Musselburgh, Norris Green, Norwich (Peachman Way), Nottingham (Chilwell), Oxford, Portsmouth, Wakefield.

Up to 4 examiners are taking part in the trial from each of the DTCs above.

Monitoring of the trial

DVSA will continue to monitor the new routes and review the impact the changes are having on tests.

Once the trial has finished, they will be in touch again to update you on the success of the trial and next steps.