New driving test

A new driving test was introduced on 1 July 2008.

All applicants for either a probationary or full licence must pass the new test.

The new test which takes about 30 minutes is in two parts.

The first part involves five to ten minutes in less challenging driving situations. This is to assess the applicant’s basic driving ability.

The second part is about 20 minutes and involves a wider range of traffic to test  the applicant’s  day-to-day driving ability more thoroughly.

The test will check whether the applicant is able to drive safely, control the car smoothly , obey road rules and co-operate with other road users.

A young applicant under 21 is more likely to pass to pass the test if they :

•  have at least 120 hours of supervised driving experience in a wide range of driving situations
• can drive safely and legally in normal and busy traffic, at intersections, and on multi-lane roads.

 A 12 page leaflet,‘What you need to know about your Drive Test’ has more information.