Practical driving test (Sevenoaks)
| Administered by | DVSA |
|---|---|
| Drive length | About 35–40 minutes |
| Fee | £62 weekday; £75 evening, weekend, bank holiday |
| Pass standard | 15 or fewer driving faults, no serious or dangerous fault |
| Prerequisite | Theory test pass |
The practical driving test for cars in Great Britain is run by the DVSA. At Sevenoaks the drive lasts around 35 minutes; candidates should allow 40 to 45 minutes in all.[1][2]
Structure
- Eyesight check — reading a modern number plate from 20 metres, usually on a car across Argyle Road. Failing ends the test.
- Overview and "tell me" question — the examiner offers a short explanation of the test, then asks one vehicle safety question, sometimes with the bonnet open.
- General driving through varied roads, starting with the busy exit from the test centre.
- Independent driving — since November 2025, between 20 and 35 minutes following the examiner's sat nav, road signs or both.
- "Show me" question — operating a control while driving. See Show me, tell me questions.
- One reversing manoeuvre — forward bay park, reverse bay park, parallel park, or pulling up on the right and reversing about two car lengths.
- Pulling over on the left, usually about three times: typically a hill start, one stop about a car length behind a parked vehicle, and one routine stop.
- Emergency stop — since November 2025, on only about one test in seven, always briefed first at the roadside.
The examiner, route, manoeuvre and questions are allocated by the system before the candidate arrives.[4]
Sat nav
Most Sevenoaks tests use the examiner's sat nav, which sits on a grippy pad on the dashboard. Candidates follow the light blue line and ignore any green line, which shows a quicker route. Distances are in yards; Newman's rule of thumb is that 100 yards is about 10 seconds of driving. The sat nav's displayed speed limits are not always right, so road signs take precedence. Going the wrong way is not a fault in itself, but correcting it with a sudden change of direction can be.[4]
Marking
Three kinds of fault can be recorded:[4]
- Driving fault (minor) — below standard but not dangerous on its own.
- Serious fault — potentially dangerous, even if nothing was there at the time. One is a fail.
- Dangerous fault — actual danger to anyone or to property. One is a fail.
To pass, a candidate needs no serious or dangerous faults, no more than 15 driving faults, and no more than four repeated driving faults in the same area. A wrong "show me" or "tell me" answer is one driving fault. Examiners may also mention "noteworthy points", which are feedback rather than faults.[4][3]
The result and a debrief are given in the car park. After an unsuccessful test, the next one cannot be taken for at least ten working days.[4]
See also
- Driving test faults
- Pulling over on the left
- Reversing manoeuvres
- Emergency stop
- Independent driving and the sat nav
- Using your own car for the test
Using your own car
A private car needs L plates, an extra interior mirror for the examiner, a passenger head restraint, no warning lights, legal tyres (no space-saver), and tax, MOT and insurance covering a test. Many learner policies end on passing, so cover should be checked before driving home.[1]
References
- "Sevenoaks driving test centre: the complete local guide".
- "Sevenoaks driving test routes".
- "Sevenoaks Driving Test Centre". passrates.uk.
- Newman, Geoff (2026). Sevenoaks Driving Test Secrets, chapters 1, 4 and 12–16.