Driving test: cars
Using your own car for your test
You can take your driving test in your own car rather than your driving instructor’s if it meets certain rules.
Your test will be cancelled and you’ll have to pay again if your car does not meet the rules.
Rules about the car
Your car must:
- have no warning lights showing, for example, the airbag warning light
- have no tyre damage and meet the legal tread depth on each tyre - you must not have a space-saver spare tyre fitted
- be roadworthy
- be fitted with an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner
- be fitted with a passenger seatbelt and a passenger head restraint for the examiner (slip-on types are not allowed)
- be able to reach at least 62mph and have an mph speedometer
- be fitted with L-plates (‘L’ or ‘D’ plates in Wales) on the front and rear
- have 4 wheels and meet the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of no more than 3,500 kg
The MAM is the limit on how much the car can weigh when it’s loaded. It’ll be in the car’s handbook.
Tax and insurance
Your car must:
- be taxed
- have a current MOT (if it’s over 3 years old)
- be insured for a driving test (check with your insurance company)
Cleaning your car
You should tidy your car before your test. This includes removing any rubbish or unnecessary items from the dashboard, footwells, door pockets, cup holders and seats.
Your car must be smoke-free - this means you cannot smoke in it just before or during the test.
Dashcams and other cameras
You can use a camera fitted for insurance purposes, as long as it:
- faces outside of the car and does not film the inside
- does not record audio from inside the car
Vehicle features
You can use a car with:
- an electronic parking brake
- hill-start assist
- cruise control
- speed limiters
- parking sensors and cameras
- lane assist
- blind spot monitoring
- traffic sign recognition
If your car has the following features, you cannot use them during the test:
- self-parking
- Tesla autopilot
- your own sat nav
Manual and automatic cars
You can take the test in a:
- manual car - these have 3 pedals
- automatic or semi-automatic car - these have 2 pedals
If you take your test in a semi-automatic car you’ll only be able to drive automatic and semi-automatic cars once you’ve passed your test.
Tinted windows
Your windscreen and front side windows must follow the rules for tinted vehicle windows.
There are no rules for rear windows, but your test may be cancelled if they are too dark for the examiner to see clearly.
Dual controls
If you’re using your own car, it does not need to have dual controls.
Hire cars
You can take your test in a hire car if it’s fitted with dual controls and meets all the other rules.
Cars you cannot use
Some cars cannot be used in the test because they do not give the examiner all-round vision.
You cannot use the following:
- any panel van (cars without rear seats or rear side windows)
- BMW 218 convertible
- BMW Mini convertible
- Ford KA convertible
- Smart Fortwo (2-door)
- Toyota iQ
- VW Beetle convertible
There might be other cars that you cannot use. This is because not every model has been used in a test before, and some may not give the examiner all-round vision.
Check if your car can be used before booking a test
You can check if your car can be used by contacting the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
Always check if you want to use a:
- convertible car
- coupe (a car with a fixed roof, two doors and a sloping rear)
DVSA driving test enquiries
customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 1122
WhatsApp (message only, no calls): +44 (0)1908 787001
Webchat
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm
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