Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Motoring
  3. Learners and new drivers
  4. Practical test

Reporting for your practical test

When attending your practical driving or riding test you must produce certain documents. Make sure you have these documents available when the examiner calls your name. You must also have an appropriately insured and licensed vehicle suitable for the test.

You must bring and wear a face covering for the full driving test. Check Coronavirus (COVID-19): face coverings for more information on face coverings.

Your test vehicle

You must bring an appropriately insured and licensed vehicle which is in a roadworthy condition and is displaying L-plates that are clearly visible from the front and rear. The vehicle should be representative of the type of vehicle for the category of test you are taking.

  • Minimum requirements for test vehicles

At the driving test centre

You must bring the following items with you. If you don't, the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) may not carry out the test and you may lose your fee: You need:

  • a valid MOT certificate
  • the right theory test pass certificate or confirmation (if needed)
  • your appointment letter
  • both parts of your photo card driving licence (check your appointment letter for details - if you don't take both parts of your licence your test may not take place and you may lose your fee)
  • your signed driving licence with photographic identification
  • your motorcycle manoeuvres test pass certificate (for a motorcycle test)
  • your Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) certificate for the relevant test category (for a motorcycle manoeuvres test and an on-road motorcycle test) 
  • you must bring and wear a face covering for the full driving test

Further information about CBT can be found at:

  • Riding motorcycles and mopeds
  • About compulsory basic training (CBT)

If you misplace your licence, you must apply for a replacement from DVA which could take up to 15 days. If this happens, you may have to rearrange your test.

  • Replacing your driving licence
  • Book, change or cancel your practical driving test

Taking someone with you on your car driving test

DVA promotes the benefits of candidates having an ‘observer on test’ to give critical support for the learner and newly qualified driver’s ongoing development and lifelong learning. This involves an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI), parent or friend sitting in on the test to observe and listen to the examiner’s feedback.

The examiner will ask if you want your instructor or another person to be there at the end of the test for the result and feedback.

More useful links

  • Book, change or cancel your practical driving test
  • Practical test for cars
  • Practical test for motorcycles
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Practical test

  • Book your practical driving test online
  • Book, view, change, cancel your practical driving test
  • Cancel your practical driving test appointment online
  • Change your practical driving test appointment online
  • Driving and vehicle test centres
  • Driving test fees
  • Driving test public health information for candidates
  • Driving test public health information for driving instructors
  • Independent driving
  • Minimum requirements for test vehicles
  • Practical test for cars
  • Practical test for motorcycles
  • Practical tests for tractors and other specialist vehicles
  • Reporting for your practical test
  • View your practical driving test appointment online

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS