UK driving theory test · Learn · 2 November 2026 · 6 min read

The 2026 car theory test: 50 questions in 57 minutes, 43 to pass, three video-clip questions, hazard perception (44 of 75), the 23 pound fee and resits.

The car theory test for England, Scotland and Wales has two parts taken in one sitting: 50 multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes, with 43 needed to pass, followed by a hazard perception test of 14 video clips, with 44 out of 75 needed to pass. You must pass both parts in the same sitting. Three of the 50 questions are about a short video clip of a driving situation, which replaced the old written case study.

This guide explains each part, the rules on booking, results and resits, and how to prepare. Our practice tests cover the multiple-choice part only; hazard perception is not offered on Fable Tests.

The test at a glance

Part 1: multiple-choice questions

A question and several possible answers appear on screen, and you select the answer. You have 57 minutes for all 50 questions, and you can finish early once every question is answered. You can flag questions you are unsure of and go back to review or change any answer before you finish.

The questions are drawn from a bank of over 700, according to DVSA in August 2025. From autumn 2025 the bank also covers first aid for cardiac arrest: car and motorcycle candidates need to know how to do CPR and how to use a defibrillator (AED).

What 43 out of 50 means

You can afford to get seven wrong. That is a pass mark of 86 percent, so a rough grasp of the material is not enough. Aim to score 46 or more on practice tests before you book.

The video-clip questions

Three of the 50 questions are about one short video clip. The clip shows a normal driving situation, such as a town centre or a country road, and has no sound. You can watch it as many times as you like. Northern Ireland's official guidance describes the same format: a clip of up to 30 seconds followed by 3 questions, each with 4 possible answers.

These questions replaced the old written case study for car tests. They test the same skills: noticing who is around you, reading the road ahead and deciding what a careful driver would do next. Watch the clip once all the way through before reading the questions, then replay it to check details such as a cyclist's position or a sign at the roadside.

The break

After the multiple-choice part you can take a break of up to 3 minutes before hazard perception starts.

Part 2: hazard perception

Hazard perception is the second part of the real test. We do not offer it, but you need to know how it works because you must pass it in the same sitting.

• You watch 14 video clips of everyday road scenes.
• Each clip has at least one developing hazard, something that would make you change speed or direction. One clip has two.
• You score up to 5 points per developing hazard. To score well, click as soon as you see the hazard starting to develop. You do not lose points for a wrong click.
• You get one attempt per clip and cannot review or change your responses.
• Clicking continuously or in a pattern scores nothing for that clip.
• The pass mark is 44 out of 75.

To prepare, gov.uk points to the official guide to hazard perception and the official DVSA hazard perception apps. For the whole theory test, DVSA names three official study books: The Highway Code, Know your traffic signs and Driving - the essential skills.

Booking: who can take it

• Age: from your 17th birthday, or from your 16th birthday if you get, or have applied for, the higher rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• Licence: you need a provisional driving licence to book.
• Residence: you must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the 12 months before the test.
• Fee: 23 pounds for the car theory test, the same price on weekdays, evenings and weekends.
• Languages: the test is available in English, Welsh or British Sign Language.

Book through the official gov.uk service. Arrive at the test centre 15 minutes before your test.

Results, certificate and resits

You get your result at the test centre. If you pass, you get a letter with a pass certificate number, which you need to book and take your driving test. It lasts 2 years: you must pass your driving test within that time, or take the theory test again.

If you fail, you must wait at least 3 working days before you take the test again, and you retake both parts, even if you passed one of them. The letter you get tells you which parts you did not score enough points on.

For context, DVSA reported a pass rate of 45.7 percent between July and September 2024. More than half of candidates fail, so preparation matters.

What the multiple-choice questions cover

The questions span 14 topic areas, from alertness and attitude to vehicle loading. The legal syllabus for car drivers (Schedule 7 to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999) covers road traffic rules and signs, alertness and attitude to other road users, stopping distances and road holding in different weather, vulnerable road users, other types of vehicle, documents, what to do after an accident, vehicle and load safety, and environmental matters.

Our guide to the 14 theory test topics and how to revise them goes through each one. Two areas are worth extra attention: stopping distances and the hierarchy of road users.

How to use this

1. Read the Highway Code alongside our study chapters, starting with Alertness and Safety margins.
2. Take a full practice test under real conditions: 50 questions, 57 minutes, no notes. Start with practice test 1.
3. Review every wrong answer and go back to the matching chapter. Use the topic drills, such as the road and traffic signs drill, to target weak areas.
4. Repeat across all ten tests on the UK theory test hub until you score 46 or more consistently.
5. Practise hazard perception separately with the official DVSA materials, since you must pass it too.

Sources: gov.uk, Theory test (all parts), Book your theory test and Driving test cost; DVSA news releases of 1 July 2016 and 13 August 2025; nidirect.gov.uk, Taking your theory test; Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999, Schedule 7 (legislation.gov.uk); checked 1 November 2026.