You can use your own vehicle for the driving test. Almost any vehicle is suitable and there are a few things you need to ensure you have in place if you want to do this. Driving instructors are now monitored in regards to the standards of students they bring to the test centre. We have a clear obligation to ensure that someone sitting the driving test is ready to pass. Driving tests are also very hard to find at the moment and this brings with it a conflict of interests over availability. You may also feel more comfortable in your own vehicle.
Using your own car for your test
You can take your driving test in your own car rather than your driving instructor’s if it meets certain rules.
Your test will be cancelled and you’ll have to pay again if your car does not meet the rules.
Rules about the car
Your car must:
be taxed
be insured for a driving test (check with your insurance company)
be roadworthy and have a current MOT (if it’s over 3 years old)
have no warning lights showing, for example, the airbag warning light
have no tyre damage and the legal tread depth on each tyre - you cannot have a space-saver spare tyre fitted
be smoke-free - this means you cannot smoke in it just before or during the test
be able to reach at least 62mph and have an mph speedometer
have 4 wheels and a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of no more than 3,500 kg
The MAM is the limit on how much the car can weigh when it’s loaded. It’ll be in the car’s handbook.
Cleaning your car
You should tidy your car before your test. This includes removing any rubbish or unnecessary items from the dashboard, footwells, door pockets, cup holders and seats.
Things that must be fitted
The car must have:
an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner
L-plates (‘L’ or ‘D’ plates in Wales) on the front and rear
a passenger seatbelt for the examiner and a proper passenger head restraint (not a slip-on type)
Dashcams and other cameras
You can use a camera fitted for insurance purposes, as long as it:
faces outside of the car and does not film the inside
does not record audio from inside the car
Vehicle features
You can use a car with:
an electronic parking brake
hill-start assist
Manual and automatic cars
You can take the test in a:
manual car - these have 3 pedals
automatic or semi-automatic car - these have 2 pedals
If you take your test in a semi-automatic car you’ll only be able to drive automatic and semi-automatic cars once you’ve passed your test.
Hire cars
You can take your test in a hire car if it’s fitted with dual controls and meets all the other rules.
Cars you cannot use
Some cars cannot be used in the test because they do not give the examiner all-round vision.
You cannot use any of the following:
BMW Mini convertible
Ford KA convertible
Smart Fortwo (2-door)
Toyota iQ
VW Beetle convertible
There might be other cars that you cannot use. This is because not every model has been used in a test before, and some may not give the examiner all-round vision.
Check if your car can be used before booking a test
You can check if your car can be used by contacting the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
Always check if you want to use a:
convertible car
panel van
coupe (a car with a fixed roof, two doors and a sloping rear)
DVSA driving test enquiries customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk Telephone: 0300 200 1122 Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm