The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is now able to offer tests outside the normal test times at a number of test centres. This provides customers a wider range of appointments over an extended working day. Practical tests are generally available at all permanent test centres. Saturday and weekday evening tests, subject to resources being available, are offered at a premium rate. Non premium rate tests are available at various times between 7.30 am and 3.27 pm Monday to Friday.

The driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you:

• Can drive safely.
• Know The Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving.

You must bring the following items with you to the test. If you don't, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) may refuse to carry out the test and you may lose your fee:

• An appropriately insured and licensed vehicle, displaying L- Plates, that's suitable for the test. Learn to Drive Driving School car is perfect for the test.
• The appropriate theory test pass certificate.
• Your appointment letter confirming your test time and date.
• Both parts of your photo card licence. If you don't take both parts of your licence, your test will not take place and you'll lose your fee.

If you have an old-style paper licence, you must take your signed driving licence and separate approved photo identification with you.

Before the practical driving test, your driving examiner will ask you to read the number plate on a stationary vehicle. The distance requirement for the eyesight test using old style number plates is 20.5 metres or 20 metres if the new-style number plate is used. New-style number plates are easily identifiable starting with two letters eg AB 51 ABC. After the eyesight test you will be asked two vehicle safety check questions, one 'show me' and one 'tell me'. One or both questions answered incorrectly will result in one driving fault being recorded.

You will then be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises. The reversing exercises will be chosen from:

• Reversing around a corner
• Turning in the road
• Reverse parking
• You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise.

What happens during the test?

The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set exercises.

Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don't worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.

You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger to other road users your test will be stopped.

Independent Driving

This will become part of the practical driving test in Great Britain in October 2010. It's asking the candidate to drive for about 10 minutes, either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both.

To help the candidate be clear about where they're going, the examiner may show them a diagram too. It doesn't matter if candidates doesn't remember every direction, or if they go the wrong way - that can happen to the most experienced drivers.

To view the DSA video on Independent Driving go here.

You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test. It costs £62.00 (or £75.00 on weekends & evenings)

After the practical test

When the driving test is over, the examiner will tell you whether you passed or failed. You can request feedback on your test from the examiner, who will then go through your performance during the test.

Applying For The Full Driving Licence

Congratulations you passed! You can now get out on the road. Don't forget that you now need to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and exchange your test pass certificate and provisional driving licence for a new 'Full' driving licence as soon as possible.