If you have put your driving test appointment on hold, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says that you will now need to choose a test date as soon as possible.

The agency states that it will email whoever made the booking itself and used the ‘on-hold’ button, asking them to choose a test date by the end of Tuesday 31 August.

Keep checking

It’s a tough call for learners because, while the DVSA is adding new test slots all the time, you may still find you are unable to find a slot immediately.

The agency says that if this is the case, you should keep checking availability on a regular basis until one does pop up.

Bottom line is if you don’t choose a test date by the deadline, your on-hold booking will be cancelled and a refund issued.

Crossed wires

The DVSA says that it will make its advice more clear about what the on-hold button should be used for when booking your test. Reasons include:

  • For a remote site
  • Where candidates need an extended test
  • For an ADI part 2, ADI part 3 or ADI standards check
  • Where additional support is needed for reasons such as if you have a disability, health condition, are pregnant or have a learning difficulty.
Admin errors?

However, there may also be an issue with who is actually putting tests on hold, it is claimed. Driving instructor Steve Whipp states on the Driver Trainer site that one of his pupils had her application put on hold by the DVSA, not by her.

According to Whipp, the agency said that it would be back in touch with her once a test became available, though he claims that his student is still waiting.

Backed up

The on-hold test booking is yet another issue caused by the fallout from the pandemic, which has reduced testing volumes with huge numbers of learners having to wait up to four months to bag themselves a test slot.

Now factor in the reduced number of driving tests carried out each day to protect examiners’ health, and it’s created a perfect storm of frustrated learners and long, long delays.

We can all only hope that as the pandemic eases – fingers crossed – the backlog can be cleared and normal driving test booking processes get back up to speed once the DVSA believes it is safe to do so.

Get ready for your theory test

Double your chances of theory test success with Theory Test Pro. Sign up for free here.

Main photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.