Fees & refunds
Failed Your Driving Test? Rebooking Explained
You can book your next test straight away at gov.uk/book-driving-test, but the new date must be at least 10 working days after the fail. You pay the fee again, and the new booking has a fresh allowance of two changes.
The 10 working day gap
The mandatory gap exists so there is time to work on whatever caused the fail. It counts working days (Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and public holidays) from the failed test to the new one. You do not have to wait to book — only the test itself must sit beyond the gap, and with typical waiting lists the first available date is usually well past it anyway.
Rebook with the fail report in hand
Go through the examiner's report with your instructor
The report lists every fault. Identify what caused the serious or dangerous faults and agree what needs to change, and how many lessons that realistically takes.
Choose the new date from that plan
Book the earliest date after the work is done — not simply the earliest date. With two changes per booking, an over-optimistic date is expensive to fix.
Book it yourself through GOV.UK
The process is identical to any booking — our booking guide covers it. Check your theory certificate still reaches the new date; if it expires first you are back to the theory test.
Costs after a fail
The failed test's fee is spent — there is no partial refund — and the new test costs the normal £62 or £75. If an earlier slot would help once you are ready, the same cancellation-slot tactics apply as for any booking: see finding an earlier test date.
A large share of tests end in a fail and plenty of confident drivers passed on a second or third attempt. The report plus targeted practice is genuinely the fastest route through — more so than rushing back to the earliest possible slot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book the very next available test after failing?
Only if it is at least 10 working days after the fail. The booking service will not offer dates inside the gap.
Do I get any money back after failing?
No — the fee pays for the test attempt itself, whatever the result.
Official sources
Related guides
Rebook a test
Booking again after cancelling or running out of changes.
Book a practical test
What you need, the fees, and when to book under the 2026 rules.
Find an earlier date
How cancellation slots work and how to catch one within the rules.