The on-road driving test is the first stage of the practical driving licence test. For category B, it no longer takes place on the same day as the manoeuvring test: each now has its own appointment.
How do you know if you're ready?
The right indicator is not the number of driving hours, but how comfortable you feel on the test route. Most driving instructors have their learners drive on the routes usually used by the centre.
If you handle the junctions, right of way and parking on that route without hesitation, you're ready.
On the day of the test
Before getting into the car
You report to the centre at the time shown on your appointment letter and wait for your examiner.
Once they arrive, you both get into the vehicle. You hand them your file (given to you beforehand by your driving instructor) and your identity document.
Starting off
Fasten your seatbelt and wait for their signal before making any move.
When they give you the go-ahead:
- start the engine
- check your mirrors and blind spots
- use your indicator if necessary
- pull away smoothly
During the test
From then on, you follow only their instructions: turn right, turn left, stop, accelerate. They never give you a destination in advance; you drive, they guide.
Some minor mistakes are tolerated. Others, known as eliminating faults, result in an immediate fail, regardless of the rest of your performance. (We cover the main eliminating faults in a dedicated article.)
Returning to the starting point
Without any eliminating fault, the test generally lasts between 15 and 25 minutes, after which the examiner guides you back towards the starting point. There, you are told whether you have passed.
If you fail, the examiner will usually ask you to pull over at the side of the road. They then take the wheel using their own pedals and drive the vehicle back to the starting point themselves, where the result is given to you.
And after you pass?
For category B, passing the on-road test no longer gives you direct access to the manoeuvres on the same day. A new appointment letter is sent to you, generally several days later, and you have two attempts to pass the manoeuvres.
Our tips
- Practise on the test route, not only in town.
- Focus on your driving, not on what the examiner is writing down.
- A small mistake doesn't mean it's over; stay focused right to the end.
- Get into the habit of checking your mirrors and blind spots with every manoeuvre, not just on the day.
How long does the on-road driving test last?
Generally between 15 and 25 minutes, with no eliminating fault.
Does passing the on-road test give direct access to the manoeuvres?
No, a new appointment letter is sent a few days later, with two possible attempts to pass the manoeuvres.
What happens if you fail during the test?
The examiner asks you to pull over, takes the wheel using their own pedals and drives the vehicle back to the starting point, where the result is given to you.
