Free official practice theory test

The DVSA publishes a free practice theory test on GOV.UK, using questions from the same bank as the real one. It is the only practice test that comes from the people who set the exam, and it costs nothing. Take it before you pay for anything else.

Take the official DVSA practice theory test on GOV.UK

What the real test involves

The car theory test comes in two parts, sat one after the other, and you have to pass both on the same day.

• Multiple choice. 50 questions, and you need 43 right to pass. You get 57 minutes.
• Hazard perception. 14 video clips containing 15 developing hazards. You score up to 5 points per hazard depending on how early you spot it, out of 75, and the pass mark is 44.

The car theory test costs £23, the same price weekdays, evenings and weekends. Book it through GOV.UK and nowhere else – unofficial booking sites charge more for the same test.

Pass both and you get a theory test certificate that lasts two years. If you have not passed your practical in that time, the theory has to be done again – which is worth knowing before you leave a long gap between the two.

How to actually pass it

• Do the free official one first. It tells you where you stand honestly, and it is the closest thing to the real format.
• Practise hazard perception separately. Most people who fail, fail on this half. It is a knack rather than knowledge, and clicking wildly scores zero for that clip.
• Read the reasoning, not just the answers. Learning which letter is right for 50 questions gets you nowhere; the real test draws from a much bigger bank.
• Book it early. You cannot sit your practical until the theory is passed, and it is the single most common reason a course has to be moved.

When you are ready: book your theory test on GOV.UK, or read more about what the theory test involves.

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