The DVSA has issued a new update clarifying how changes to driving test bookings will be counted under tough new rules coming into force next month.
In fresh guidance, the agency confirmed that learner drivers who change more than one detail at the same time will only have this recorded as one change, not multiple amendments.
The clarification appears in the "what will count as changes" section of the DVSA's official guidance, first released in December 2025.
The change comes ahead of the March 31 changes, where learners in England, Scotland and Wales will face strict limits on how many times they can alter their car driving test booking.
At the moment, candidates are allowed to make up to six changes to an existing appointment. But under the new rules, that allowance will be slashed to just two changes per booking.
Confirming the key clarification, the DVSA said: "If you change more than one detail in the same transaction, this will count as one change."
It said that if a learner moves their test from Northampton on June 4 to Kettering on May 12, that will count as just one change - even though both the location and date have been altered.
This means the system counts the transaction itself, rather than each individual element changed within it.
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| DVSA/GETTYUnder the updated framework, changing the test date or time counts as one change. Moving to a different test centre also counts as one change.
Swapping a test slot with another learner who already has a confirmed booking will also use one of the two permitted changes.
Once a learner has used both allowed amendments, the only option will be to cancel the existing booking and arrange a completely new test appointment.
The updated DVSA rules also follow the appointment of the new chief executive, Beverley Warmington, who was appointed to specifically target the driving test backlog.
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"I have every confidence she will grip the driving test backlog and robustly oversee the reforms needed to ensure learners can get on the road when they are truly ready and safe to do so."
The DVSA also confirmed that anyone who has already used all six changes under the current rules will receive a fresh allocation of two changes when the new system comes into force at the end of March.
In its guidance, the DVSA said learners should use their limited changes only for genuine reasons and avoid unnecessary amendments.
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Further changes have also been planned for later this year, when learner drivers will be required to book their own car driving tests through GOV.UK, and instructors will no longer be permitted to make bookings on their behalf.
Learners will only be able to move their test to centres located near their original booking, rather than switching to any centre across the country as is currently possible.
If a learner decides to cancel their test completely, they can still receive a full refund, but only if they cancel at least 10 full working days before the scheduled test date.