Starting Tuesday, May 12, a significant change will affect all learner drivers in England. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is introducing a “two-strike” rule as part of a broader effort to tighten control over the driving test booking system.
Under the new regulations, only the learner driver themselves can book their driving test. This means driving instructors will no longer be permitted to book tests on behalf of their students. Learners must use the official government website to book and confirm their test appointments, verifying their identity and agreeing to updated terms and conditions.
This change places full responsibility on the learner driver to manage their test bookings and any necessary amendments. From May 12, instructors will no longer have the authority to alter or reschedule tests—only the learner can do so.
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Additionally, from June 9, 2026, if a learner needs to change their test location, they will be restricted to selecting from the three nearest test centers, limiting location switches to nearby facilities only.
A spokesperson from the Department for Transport explained that the reforms aim to tackle the previous inefficient system, which left many learners waiting and vulnerable to exploitation by rogue operators. The measures, which include deploying military driving examiners and restricting test relocations, have already resulted in nearly 75,000 extra tests conducted between June and November compared to the previous year. These changes are expected to continue increasing testing capacity throughout the next year.