I know that it all seems really complicated, and there are a lot of things you need to know before passing your driving test. Below are some of the more common questions, answered for you. If you have a questions not covered here, just drop me a line and I will try my best to answer it for you, or point you to a resource that might be able to help. Check out the helpful links section too, these sites are full of useful information.
Go to the website to apply for your Provisional Licence. It costs £34 to apply online.
You’ll need to provide:
You’ll also have to be at least 15 years old and 9 months and be able to read a number plate at 20 metres distance.
Click the following link: Book Your Theory Test.
(If you cannot get a reasonable Theory Test date - try booking through this cancellation service and enjoy 20% off their price).
You need your:
You must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the last 12 months before the day you take your theory or driving test.
Car and motorcycle tests cost £23.
There are 2 parts to the test:
50 multiple-choice questions covering all aspects of driving in 4 broad categories; driver attitude; traffic signs and regulations; effects of alcohol, drugs and fatigue on driver behaviour; safety and environmental aspects of vehicles
It’s very important to study for the theory test, don’t just try to memorise the answers. To get the best chance you will need to read the Highway Code and The Official DVSA Guide to Driving, The Essential Skills.
There are many apps available these days to help you study driving theory, I recommend Theory test pro which can be accessed free, but the full version is available to purchase.
No, you can take lessons at the same time as studying for the theory test, however you will be unable to take the driving test before passing the theory, so it’s best to get it passed as soon as possible.
Click the following link: Book Your Driving Test.
(If you cannot get a reasonable Driving Test date - try booking through this cancellation service and enjoy 20% off their price).
You will need your:
Current charges are detailed below:
| Test type | Weekdays | Evenings, weekends and bank holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Driving (L) test | £62 | £75 |
| Extended driving test for disqualified drivers | £124 | £150 |
Full details can be found here, but basically, the test lasts about 40 minutes (70 minutes if you need an extended test) and will consist of:
This is very variable. Some people learn more quickly than others, but we will never push for more hours tuition than you genuinely need. The national average from beginner to passing is 48 hours of lessons.
I book 2 hour lessons as standard, but I am happy to carry out longer or shorter lessons if required. 1 hour lessons greatly reduce the areas we can drive to for a meaningful lesson and 2 hour lessons might be recommended for certain topics.
Yes, if they are willing to supervise you. Anyone can supervise your learning as long as they are over 21 years old and have had a full licence for more than 3 years. Also, you must have suitable insurance on the vehicle, and be displaying “L” plates front and back. Practising between lessons is a great way for you to learn more quickly.
Yes, you can arrange to be collected and dropped off at different locations with my prior agreement, so long as the locations are not out of the Dover area.
My teaching hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday's from 8:00 to 5:00. I can do outside these hours occasionally (eg for driving tests) if necessary.
I only teach around Dover, Canterbury and Folkestone, so the Folkestone and Canterbury test centres are the ones I recommend and use. If you wish to use a different test centre (eg Ashford), please let me know before booking as we will need to book a longer time period.