28.02.2022

Driver testing services – lifting of COVID-19 driving test restrictions

We are lifting COVID-19 restrictions affecting driving and theory tests in England from Tuesday 1 March in line with the government announcement that English restrictions ended on 24 February.

The changes in England are:

• face coverings will be a personal choice for practical and theory test candidates and examiners
• driving tests will no longer end early unless the candidate’s driving is so poor it is a risk to their safety and that of other road users - in line with the pre-COVID-19 policy
• instructors and accompanying drivers are able to sit in on driving tests
• you no longer have to self isolate if you have COVID-19, but we encourage you to rearrange your test if you feel unwell for any reason

You need to make your pupils aware of these forthcoming changes, especially if you have made their practical test booking for them.

The current driving and theory tests safety measures in Scotland and Wales remain in place and we will let you know of any changes.

DVSA guidance on GOV.UK will be updated shortly.

Face coverings

Your pupil will have personal choice on whether they want to wear a face covering on their driving or theory test from 1 March in England.

Candidates will no longer have to let us know if they cannot wear a face covering in advance of their driving test from 1 March. This also applies to bookings you make on behalf of your pupils.

Our driving examiners can also make a personal choice to wear a face covering if they wish.

Face coverings continue to be a personal choice for you and your pupils during driving lessons in England.

Ending driving tests early

From 1 March, our driving examiners will no longer end tests early and they can continue after a candidate has committed a serious or dangerous fault to give them the full-test experience.

Tests will only be terminated early if the driving examiner assesses that the candidate’s driving is so poor it risks their safety and that of other road users. This is in line with our pre-COVID-19 policy.

ADIs sitting in on tests

We are lifting the restriction on ADIs and accompanying drivers to sit in on a driving test from 1 March.

This means that driving examiners will ask your pupil if they want someone to:

• sit in the back of the car during the test
• be with them for the result and feedback

ADI standards checks and ADI part 2 tests

The lifting of restrictions for wearing face coverings on tests from 1 March also includes ADI part 2 tests and ADI standards checks.

Standards checks will continue to last for 40 minutes.

Clean vehicles

We will no longer be cancelling driving tests if the inside of a vehicle is not clean.

However, we continue to encourage you to clean and tidy the inside of your vehicle when presenting it for a driving test in line with good hygiene.

It will be optional for examiners to wipe down surfaces in test vehicles or ventilate these vehicles during tests.

Pupils testing positive for COVID-19

We encourage candidates testing positive for COVID-19 up to 5 days before their driving test not to attend their test to reduce the spread of the virus.

You or your pupil should email us at customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk with the subject title ‘COVID-19 short notice cancellation’ to rearrange their test.

You or your pupil will need to include the following information in the email:

• their driving licence number
• their driving test booking reference number

We will then contact you or your pupil to help rearrange the test. Your pupil will not have to pay again.



Taking rapid lateral flow tests

Until 1 April, we continue to ask your pupils to take a rapid lateral flow test before their driving test if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. We are asking that they do this on the day of their driving test, before they leave home.

Find out more about taking a rapid lateral flow test before taking a driving test.

Thank you for your support

We know this has been a very challenging period for the driver and rider training industry.

The changes we have made to our services have had an impact across the industry but you have shown resilience, supported our colleagues and responded positively to our engagement.

We want to thank you for taking the necessary action to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, and protect our colleagues.

18.02.2022

Following the government’s announcement on the ending of plan B restrictions in England, we want to explain what these changes mean to driver testing services in England and how these changes will affect you and your pupils.

The main changes are:

• you and your pupils are not legally required to wear face coverings during lessons, but government guidance suggests that you continue to do so in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet
• your pupils should take a rapid lateral flow test on the day of their driving test, before leaving home
• your candidates no longer have to wear a face covering for their theory test, but the government guidance suggests that you continue to do so in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet

We are asking practical test candidates to continue to wear a face covering, unless they have a good reason not to wear one. Your pupils need to advise us in advance if this is the case. We will be keeping this under review.

The current driving test safety measures in Scotland and Wales remain in place and we will let you know of any changes.

Vocational lessons in England

You and your pupils no longer have to wear a face covering by law on a professional driving lesson.

COVID-19 spreads through the air by droplets and aerosols that are breathed out from the nose and mouth of an infected person.

However, we are suggesting you and your pupils continue to wear a face covering during lessons in line with government guidance that suggests people continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where they may come into contact with other people they do not normally meet.

Vocational driving tests in England

Wearing a face covering

We are asking you and you pupil to continue to wear a face covering when you come for driving tests, unless you or your pupil have a good reason not to, such as:

• having a physical or mental illness or impairment, or a disability that means you cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering
• putting on, wearing or removing a face covering would cause you severe distress

If your pupil has a good reason not to wear a face covering, we ask them, when they book their test, to tell us – if you have made the booking on behalf of your pupil you will need to do this if required.

Your pupil’s test may not take place without a face covering if they haven’t made us aware when booking their test. We will be keeping this under review.

Taking rapid lateral flow tests

We are asking your pupils to take a rapid lateral flow test before their driving test if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. We are asking that they do this on the day of their driving test, before they leave home.

Find out more about taking a rapid lateral flow test before taking a driving test.

In England, you should now take a rapid lateral flow test if you’ll be in a high-risk situation that day. This includes being in enclosed spaces where there’s limited fresh air. 

Driving test centre waiting rooms

In general, the risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is higher:

• in crowded spaces, where there are more people who might be infectious
• in enclosed indoor spaces where there is limited fresh air

We continue to suggest you keep your distance, wear face coverings and practise good hand hygiene in our waiting areas in England to help reduce the spread of the virus. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Theory tests in England

It is no longer a legal requirement for your pupils to wear a face covering whilst attending and taking their theory test.

However, we are asking candidates to wear face coverings during their theory test in line with government guidance on wearing a face covering in indoor spaces where people might come into contact with others they do not usually meet.

If your pupils wear a face covering to their theory test, they will be asked to remove it temporarily for staff to do an ID check.

Other safety measures such as the screen at reception and workstation dividers will remain in place. 

03.12.21 Click on the link below to read more

22.02.2021.

Borris has set the map and hopefully driving school will reopen on the 12th April 2021.

Your 1st choice instructors Will contact you towards the end of March 2021 to get you booked in.

If your driving test has been changed recently please inform your instructor as you don’t want your instructor double booked on your test day.

Stay safe,

1st Choice team.

08.02.2021.

1st Choice driving school reminder.

Driving lessons and motorcycle training.

England.

You must not provide driving lessons or motorcycle training in England because of the national lockdown.

However, you can:

• supervise someone from your household or support bubble during an essential journey
• teach a mobile emergency worker if they have an emergency driving test booked via their employer.

2. Teaching mobile emergency workers with an emergency driving test booked.

You can teach mobile emergency workers who have a confirmed emergency driving test booking in England and Wales.

This service is only available to:

• NHS health and social care workers
• the emergency services
• local councils

To be eligible, your pupil must both:

• need to drive as part of their job
• respond to ‘threats to life’ as part of their job

Your pupil should talk to their employer to find out if they’re eligible and how to apply.

This service is not available in Scotland.

You must not teach anyone who only has a routine driving test booked - even if they are an NHS health and social care worker, emergency services worker or local council worker.

What you need during lessons

During any driving lessons with your pupil, you must have:

• a copy of your pupil’s emergency test booking confirmation email
• a copy of the application request from their employer

You can use these to prove you’re allowed to teach during lockdown if you’re stopped by the police.

You must follow the guidance about working safely during coronavirus.

DVSA UPDATE 03.02.2021

Introduction

This guide is for approved driving instructors (ADIs), motorcycle trainers, and lorry and bus (vocational) trainers. It explains:

• how local restrictions and lockdowns are affecting driving lessons and motorcycle training
• how driving tests are affected by coronavirus
• how ADI qualification and registration is affected by coronavirus
• how you should work safely during coronavirus
• what financial support is available for businesses and the self-employed

There’s different information for Northern Ireland.

1. Driving lessons and motorcycle training.

England

You must not provide driving lessons or motorcycle training in England because of the national lockdown.

However, you can:

• supervise someone from your household or support bubble during an essential journey
• teach a mobile emergency worker if they have an emergency driving test booked via their employer.

Scotland.

You must not provide driving lessons or motorcycle training in mainland Scotland because of the temporary lockdown.

You can supervise someone from your household or support bubble during an essential journey during the temporary lockdown.

Driving lessons and motorcycle training can take place in areas in protection level 3.

Wales.

You must not provide driving lessons or motorcycle training in Wales it’s in alert level 4.

However, you can:

• supervise someone from your household or support bubble during an essential journey in alert level 4 areas
• teach a mobile emergency worker if they have an emergency driving test booked via their employer.

Teaching mobile emergency workers with an emergency driving test booked.

You can teach mobile emergency workers who have a confirmed emergency driving test booking in England and Wales.

This service is only available to:

• NHS health and social care workers
• the emergency services
• local councils

To be eligible, your pupil must both:

• need to drive as part of their job.
• respond to ‘threats to life’ as part of their job.

Your pupil should talk to their employer to find out if they’re eligible and how to apply.

This service is not available in Scotland.

You must not teach anyone who only has a routine driving test booked - even if they are an NHS health and social care worker, emergency services worker or local council worker.

What you need during lessons

During any driving lessons with your pupil, you must have:

• a copy of your pupil’s emergency test booking confirmation email
• a copy of the application request from their employer

You can use these to prove you’re allowed to teach during lockdown if you’re stopped by the police.

You must follow the guidance about working safely during coronavirus.

2. Theory tests and driving tests.

There’s separate guidance about how theory tests and driving tests are affected by coronavirus. It explains:

• how local restrictions are affecting tests
• what changes your pupils can expect when they take their test

Check the guidance about:

• theory tests
• driving tests

Booking tests

You can still book and manage tests for your pupils.

Driving test centre waiting rooms.

Not all driving test centre waiting rooms are open because of coronavirus.

There are temporary rules for using waiting rooms which are open.

Check which driving test centre waiting rooms are open and the rules for using them.

Sending information to the NHS Test and Trace service.

DVSA will share your details and your pupil’s details with the relevant NHS service if a DVSA member of staff you had close contact with both:

• develops coronavirus symptoms within 48 hours of your driving test
• tests positive for coronavirus after their symptoms developed

There’s more information in the privacy notices for:

• booking and managing a driving test
• ADI registration and services

3. ADI qualification and registration

If you’re qualifying to become an ADI

If your trainee licence was issued in January 2021

You can ask for your trainee licence to be reissued when coronavirus restrictions have been lifted.

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for advice about the options available in your personal circumstances.

DVSA ADI team
padi@dvsa.gov.uk

You need to include your:

• personal reference number or driving licence number
• date of birth
• postcode

If your trainee licence expires soon

Contact DVSA for advice about the options available in your personal circumstances if your trainee licence expires soon.

DVSA ADI team
padi@dvsa.gov.uk

You need to include your:

• personal reference number or driving licence number
• date of birth
• postcode

If you’re thinking about applying for a trainee licence

Contact DVSA for advice about the options available in your personal circumstances if you’re thinking about applying for a trainee licence.

DVSA ADI team
padi@dvsa.gov.uk

You need to include your:

• personal reference number or driving licence number
• date of birth
• postcode

Taking the ADI part 3 test

The law says you must book the ADI part 3 (instructional ability) test within 2 years of passing the ADI part 1 (theory) test.

You can take the ADI part 3 test more than 2 years after you passed your ADI part 1 test, as long as you book it within the 2-year limit.

Book your ADI part 3 test.

If no appointments are available when you book, you can book an ‘on hold’ test. This means:

• you have to pay for the test
• DVSA arrange the test date when appointments become available

This meets the legal requirement for you to book your test within 2 years.

DVSA does not have any legal powers to extend your ADI part 1 theory test pass certificate.

If you’re already an ADI

If your ADI registration expires soon

You can choose to not renew your ADI registration if it expires soon.

You then have up to 12 months from the date it expires to re-register as an ADI without having to take the qualifying tests again. It costs the same to re-register (£300) as it does to renew your ADI registration.

You cannot charge money (or monies worth) for instruction while your registration is lapsed.

Extending ADI registrations

The law sets out how long ADI registrations last and what they cost. DVSA does not have any legal powers to:

• extend your ADI registration
• waive or reduce the ADI registration fee

4. Working safely during coronavirus

The government has published guidance about working safely during coronavirus. It includes:

• guidance for people who work in vehicles
• cleaning your workplace safely
• keeping records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace

Wear a face covering in Scotland

You and your pupil must wear face coverings during driving lessons and practice sessions.

If you do not wear a face covering, you must have a good reason, for example:

• you have a physical or mental illness, impairment or disability
• wearing it would cause you severe distress
• you and the person you’re teaching live in the same household

Wearing glasses does not count as a good reason.

You can be fined £60 if you do not wear a face covering during a driving lesson in Scotland. This will be reduced to £30 if you pay within 28 days.

Read detailed information from the Scottish Government about driving lessons.

Detailed guidance about working safely

Representative organisations have published detailed guidance about working safely during coronavirus.

Check the guidance for:

• car driving instructors - from the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP)
• motorcycle trainers - from MCIA Ride and the Driving Instructors Association
• vocational trainers (PDF, 165KB) - from the National Vocational Driving Instructors Register

5. Financial support

Coronavirus support is available to businesses and self-employed people.

1. Check what to do if you’re self-employed and getting less work or no work.
2. Find coronavirus financial support for your business.
3. Sign up for email alerts about new or updated business and self-employed support.

You can read more information about business support from the Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

DVSA UPDATE 02.12.2020.

Government guidance on driving lessons and driving tests

This is an update about:

1. How local alert tiers affect driver training and testing.

waiting rooms

2. How local restriction tiers affect driver training and testing.

The Government has confirmed that driver training and testing can safely restart as normal in areas in tier 1 and 2 when the current national restrictions end on 2 December.

The Government has also confirmed that driving lessons can restart in all tiers when the current national restrictions end on 2 December.

Additional measures for driving tests in tier 3 areas

Our top priority is to keep you, your pupils and our staff safe.

To allow us to continue testing in tier 3 areas we will restart car practical tests in tier 3 areas from 3 December and will be introducing additional safety measures in these areas.

These include:

reducing the number of car practical tests our examiners carry out per day to 5 in tier 3 areas

anyone who has a car practical test booked in a tier 3 area who is exempt from wearing a face covering may have to delay their test until the area moves out of tier 3. We will reschedule their test if we cannot find a volunteer driving examiner to conduct their test without them wearing a face covering

What this means to you and your pupils

We email everyone in a tier 3 area who has a test booked to let them know about the additional measures.

We’ll also be contacting anyone whose test has been affected by these additional measures to let them know what will happen next.

2 December tests

The Government has clarified that all car practical and theory testing can resume on 2 December in tier 1 and 2 areas.

We previously rescheduled tests booked for this day to a later date.

If you or your pupil had a practical test previously scheduled for 2 December in a tier 1 or 2 area we will be in contact with you today, 1 December, to offer the opportunity to rebook the test for 2 December.

We did not want to automatically rearrange your pupils test to 2 December in case you or your pupil were no longer available or in case your pupil needs refresher lessons with you before your test.

We are very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused for you and your pupils.

Waiting rooms

Following the successful reopening of waiting rooms in a number of locations, we are able to reopen a further 94 waiting rooms in early December.

We’ll be in touch soon with more information about this.

Making sure your candidates are ready

It is important that your candidates are prepared for their test before you present them. Some of your pupils might not feel ready as they have not been able to have any lessons over the previous 4 weeks.

If your pupil feels they are not ready to take their driving test and need more time to practice they can change the date for free by visiting GOV.UK.

If your pupils are unable to find a test slot at their chosen test centre, they should look further afield as they should be prepared to drive in areas they are unfamiliar with.

03.11.2020

Theory tests to be suspended in England.

The Government has announced that England will be put under national restrictions from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December

We will continue to keep the situation under review in line with Government advice.

What this means for theory tests

These measures mean all theory tests in England will be suspended from 5 November and restart on Wednesday 2 December.

We are emailing everyone with a test booked in England to let them know their test has been put on hold and they will need to reschedule it.

If you have booked a test for any of your pupils you will receive an email to confirm their test has been put on hold. You will need to contact your pupil to let them know.

You or your pupil will need to log into the service and rearrange their theory test for a new time and date.

02.11.2020

Information about the test you have already booked.

Refunding practical tests affected by COVID-19

From today (Monday 2 November 2020) we will be contacting practical test candidates who have a test on hold due to COVID-19 to give them a refund.

We emailed these candidates to ask them to choose a new test and made them aware that we would be refunding them if they did not do this by 2 November 2020.

Organising refunds

Most tests on hold can be refunded automatically to the bank card used to book them. The refunds usually take 5 days to appear in the account from the date when the test is cancelled.

If you booked a practical test for a pupil using the Online Business Service, we will contact you to let you know which applications were refunded. It is your responsibility to pass this refund on to your pupil if they gave you money to pay for their test.

02.11.2020

Update on lockdown measures in England

Following the announcement on Saturday 31 October 2020 around further lockdown measures being introduced in England, we are working closely with the Government to agree the impact these will have on DVSA services.

All driver and rider training and tests will be suspended in England from 5 November until 2 December 2020. We will be contacting affected test candidates soon.

We'll keep you updated on the situation and provide further guidance when we're able too.

01.11.2020

Due to government 2nd lockdown all driving tuition in the UK has been suspended until the 2nd December 2020.

08.10.2020

Can all students wear face covering on all lessons due to the rise in the Covid-19 in Grimsby.

03.07.2020

26.06.2020

We are reopening on the 04.07.2020 using the guidelines from the government. Unfortunately we will be booking students already in our diary's then we will be taking new students a week or two after that.

24.06.2020

DVSA will be contacting all driving instructors on the 24th June 2020 to prepare us to go back to work (COVID save). 

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE STUDENTS THAT WAS IN OUR DIARYS back in are dairy very soon. 

23.06.2020.

Good afternoon,

It has been a long day getting information from the DVSA and other areas of our industry however driving schools were not mentioned in the briefing yesterday. We was mentioned 2 months ago so I’m saying we have not been forgetting in the sectors that can and cannot reopen (all information attached).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-after-4-july

So unfortunately 1st Choice will still remain closed until we get an email from the DVSA or government stating we are clear to restart teaching. Some school are mentioning reopening on the 4th July 2020 but will this happen? So please keep looking on my website and fb page to see what is developing with reopening driving schools.

22.06.2020.

THE QUESTION WE KEEP BEING ASKED IS.......WHEN WILL DRIVING LESSONS RESUME?

PREPARING TO RESTART LESSONS. 

We are waiting for clear instructions from the government regarding Covid-19 when we are able to teach driving lessons again. 

We stopped driving lessons on the 24.03.2020 and we will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

Unfortunately no date has been officially announced from the government for when driving lessons can resume. All 1st Choice driving instructors are preparing to begin driving lessons as soon as the government say it is safe to do so. 

WHEN LESSONS RESTART. 

All of 1st Choice Instructor’s diaries we’re already full before this outbreak and will fill up just as fast once driving lessons are allowed to resume.  We will be prioritising the allocation space in our instructors diaries to those who was already booked in and anyone who has pre-paid for lessons including gift vouchers in advance.