News
Driving Standards Agency announces changes to test fees
The Driving Standards Agency has announced the results of last autumn’s consultation on its proposed driving test fee structure.
Theory tests for learner car drivers and motorcycle riders booked on or after 30 March will be £31 while practical tests for car drivers will cost £62 from that date. This is a reduction of £1.50 on the proposed fee.
The fee for practical vocational tests and for car plus trailer tests (category B+E) will be £115, some £4 less than was proposed. Fees for the non-statutory services we provide will also rise from that date in line with the individual proposals.
The overall motorcycle test fee will remain unchanged in March at £80 (split between Module 1 - £10 and Module 2 - £70) but will undergo its annual uprating and rise to £90.50 (split between Module 1 - £15.50 and Module 2 - £75) in October 2009 as previously announced.
Fees related to the Approved Driving Instructor Registration Scheme will increase from 24 April.
DSA Chief Executive, Rosemary Thew, thanked the public for participating in the public consultation, and said: “We are doing everything we can to ensure that fees remain as low as possible for our customers - particularly during the current economic climate.
“Despite this, increases are necessary to cover inflation, increases in general running costs and development work.
“The Agency is largely self-funding. We receive only a small amount from general taxation and have to recover most of our costs through test fees.
“We are confident that these increases will enable us to maintain our high standards and provide a first class service to all our customers.”
Please refer to the Annex for a summary of the driving test fee structure.
If you would like to know more about the consultation we have published the Response to Consultation Report on the DSA website.
Theory Tests (from 30 March 2009) Fees
Car and Motorcycle/moped £31.00
Lorry and Bus (HPT) £15.00 (unchanged)
Lorry and Bus (MCQ) £35.00 (unchanged)
Practical Tests- Standard (from 30 March 2009) Weekday fees Saturday/Sunday & weekday evenings fees
Car £62.00 out of hours sat /sun /evenings £75.00
Lorry and Bus £115.00 out of hours sat /sun /evenings £141.00
Car plus trailer £115.00 out of hours sat /sun /evenings £141.00
Tractor and other domestic categories £62.00 out of hours sat /sun /evenings £75.00
Practical Tests- extended (from 30 March 2009) Weekday fees Saturday/Sunday & weekday evenings fees
Car £124.00 out of hours sat /sun /evenings £150.00
Observer on Test
2010 will see the introduction development, of new and exciting changes for learner drivers, instructors and examiners.
The results of the Learning to Drive consultation identifiedways we could improve drivertraining and testing. It emerged that encouraging test candidates to have an observer on test, who would also listen to the feedback at the end, would improve their learning and development. Examiners and instructors are already aware of this practice. In 2008/9 18,000 instructors accompanied pupils on 81,000 tests - at the request of the candidate.
From 6 April these figures will rise, because examiners will always ask candidates if they would like their instructor (or another observer - preferably the person who has taught them) to sit in on their test and listen to the feedback. However, it is purely the candidate's choice. We'll update you on the level of take-up in future issues.
Independent driving is coming in October
DSA has published two research reports about independent driving, which will be included in practical
tests from October. Newly-qualified drivers say that one of the biggest challenges they face is driving
without the support of their instructor. The reports indicate that independent driving should help bridge that gap.
The reports - 'From taking directions to taking control' and 'On the road to independence' - can befound at www.dsa.gov.uk