Driving Test Results UK 2026: How To Read Your DL25 Report

Last updated May 2026 · Verified against DVSA and GOV.UK 2026 guidance

Your UK driving test result is decided the moment your test ends. You pass with no more than 15 driving faults and zero serious or dangerous faults. A single serious fault or single dangerous fault is an automatic fail regardless of how well the rest of the test went. The examiner records every fault on form DL25, walks you through the result on the spot, and you get an email summary the same day. This guide explains every part of your driving test results: what the fault categories mean, what ETA means on your report, what to do after a pass or a fail, and how to use the result sheet to target your next attempt if you need one. If you have not yet started learning to drive, see our guide to what age you can drive in the UK before this one.

Driving test results explained: the basics

You get your driving test result the moment the test ends. The DVSA examiner tells you the outcome face-to-face at the test centre and talks you through every fault on the marking sheet. You also receive an email result the same day with the same information in writing.

What you take home from the test centre

Every UK driving test produces three pieces of paperwork:

• The DL25 marking sheet (also called the driving test report or driving test feedback form). This is the official record of every driving fault, serious fault, and dangerous fault recorded during your test, organised by skill category (mirrors, junctions, manoeuvres, observation, control, and so on).
• Your pass certificate if you passed. This is the document you need to drive immediately while waiting for your full licence to arrive in the post.
• Your provisional licence if you failed. The examiner returns it to you because you still need it to drive on lessons before your next test.

Most examiners now complete the DL25 on a tablet rather than paper, so the printed copy you take home is generated electronically and emailed to you within minutes. The result and the fault breakdown are identical on both formats.

The pass mark: how faults decide your driving test results

The UK driving test pass mark in 2026 is the same as it has been for years: no more than 15 driving faults, and zero serious or dangerous faults. The 15-minor limit is a ceiling, not a target. Most learners who pass record between 3 and 8 minor faults. Reaching 15 minors means you were very close to a fail and the examiner was paying close attention to whether any repeated minors should escalate.

The pass criteria in numbers

The asymmetry matters. You can have a near-perfect test with one serious fault and still fail. You can have a slightly messy test with 14 minors and still pass. The examiner is assessing whether your driving is consistently safe, not counting mistakes for the sake of it. For a deeper view of which faults trip up the most learners, see our guide to passing your driving test first time. For the lesson hours that typically lead to a confident first attempt, see our breakdown of how many driving lessons you need to pass and how long it takes to learn to drive.

The 3 fault types and what each means

The DVSA categorises every fault into one of three types. Knowing which type you picked up changes what your result means and what you should do next.

Driving fault (minor)

A driving fault, often called a minor, is a mistake that did not put you or anyone else at risk and was not part of a pattern. Examples include checking your mirrors slightly late before braking, stopping slightly over a line at a junction and correcting it, or selecting the wrong gear briefly and recovering. One or two minors in different categories have no real impact on the outcome. The DVSA confirms this in its official guidance on driving test faults and your result.

Serious fault

A serious fault is anything that could have caused danger at that moment, even if no other road user actually had to take action. A single serious fault means you fail the test regardless of how the rest of your driving went. Common examples include pulling out at a junction without seeing an approaching car that has to slow down, stopping suddenly at a green light because you misread the situation, or rolling back significantly on a hill start. The line between a minor and a serious fault is the level of risk created in that specific moment.

Dangerous fault

A dangerous fault is one that actually put someone in danger. Another road user, a pedestrian, or the examiner had to take avoiding action because of what you did. One dangerous fault is an automatic fail. Common examples include pulling out in front of a vehicle that had to brake hard or swerve, missing a red light, or driving the wrong way down a one-way street. In some cases the examiner uses the dual controls (brake) to prevent an incident, which itself confirms a dangerous fault was recorded.

What does ETA mean on driving test results?

ETA on your driving test results stands for “examiner took action”. It means the examiner had to verbally tell you to do something or physically take control of the car (usually the dual-controlled brake) to prevent an incident. ETA almost always accompanies a serious or dangerous fault on the same line of your DL25.

The two ways an examiner can take action

• Verbal intervention. The examiner says something to redirect you, for example “watch the cyclist on your left” or “slow down for that junction”. A verbal ETA is recorded when the prompt was necessary for safety, not just for navigation.
• Physical intervention. The examiner uses the dual brake, grabs the steering wheel, or applies any other physical control. Physical ETA is treated as a clear safety event and is nearly always paired with a dangerous fault.

If your DL25 shows ETA, treat it as the priority for your next learning sessions. The action the examiner took was a real safety event, not a margin call. Discuss the specific moment with your driving instructor and run it back in a mock test so you can rehearse the safer response under pressure before your next real test.

How to read your DL25 report without overthinking it

The DL25 marking sheet covers around 24 different driving skill categories. Looking at the form for the first time can feel overwhelming, but the structure is logical once you know what to focus on. Read it in this order regardless of whether you passed or failed.

Step 1: Start with serious or dangerous faults

If you failed, find the single fault (or two faults) that caused the result. The DL25 marks serious and dangerous faults in the “S” and “D” columns next to each skill category. Identify the one moment in your test that triggered the fault, work backwards to what made it risky, and that is your priority for the next set of lessons. Most fails are caused by one specific situation, not a general inability to drive.

Step 2: Look for patterns in the minor faults

Minor faults are recorded in the same skill categories. A cluster of minors in one category (mirrors, junctions, observation) tells you where your habits need targeted attention. A pattern of three minors in the same area is what most often escalates to a serious fault on a future test, so treating these patterns now is the cheapest way to prevent a future fail.

Step 3: Note any ETA

Any “examiner took action” entries on your DL25 mark moments where the examiner had to intervene to keep the test safe. These are the most important learning points regardless of whether they triggered the fail directly. Discuss each ETA with your driving instructor in detail before your next lessons.

Step 4: Talk it through with your instructor

Your DVSA-registered instructor will read the DL25 differently than you do. If you do not have an instructor yet (or want a fresh perspective from a new one), compare local DVSA-registered driving instructors on Rated Driving with verified grades and reviews. Patterns that look minor to you may flag a habit they have been trying to fix. Take a photo of the DL25 (with the examiner permission, if you want a verbal debrief) and share it with your instructor before your next lesson. Working through it together turns the result into a structured improvement plan.

If you passed: what happens next

The examiner hands you your pass certificate at the test centre. You can legally drive unsupervised the moment you walk out of the test centre, in any vehicle that matches your licence category, with appropriate insurance.

The full licence handover

The examiner asks at the end of the test whether you want DVSA to send your full licence automatically. Most learners say yes, in which case you hand over your provisional licence and DVSA processes the upgrade. Your new photocard arrives in the post within approximately three weeks. Until it arrives, your pass certificate is your proof of entitlement to drive.

Things to sort immediately after passing

• Insurance. Switch from learner driver insurance to a standard policy or get added to a family member policy as a named driver. Insurance is significantly more expensive in the first year, so compare quotes before committing.
• Remove L plates. L plates (or D plates in Wales) must come off as soon as you have your pass certificate. Driving with L plates on after passing technically breaches the rules.
• Consider Pass Plus or motorway training. Pass Plus is a voluntary 6-hour DVSA course that builds experience in conditions the practical test does not cover (motorways, night driving, rural roads, all weathers). Some insurers offer a small discount for Pass Plus completion.

If you passed in an automatic car, your licence is restricted to automatic vehicles only. To drive a manual later you would need a second practical test in a manual car. For the comparison of both transmission routes, see our guide to manual or automatic driving lessons. For execution-stage detail in each, see our guides to manual driving lessons and automatic driving lessons.

Newly qualified drivers in Northern Ireland must display R plates (Restricted) and observe a 45 mph speed limit for the first 12 months. The same rule does not apply in Great Britain.

If you failed: what to do with your driving test results

A fail is not the end of your route to a licence. Roughly half of UK learners fail their first attempt according to DVSA published statistics, and most pass on the second or third try. The most important thing is not to rush into rebooking before you have addressed what caused the fail.

The 10 working day rebook rule

You must wait at least 10 working days (two calendar weeks) before taking another practical test. You can book the new test immediately on the DVSA website, but the earliest available slot will always be at least 10 working days away. In practice, test centre waiting lists in 2026 mean the realistic wait is often 3 to 6 months in busy areas. Use that time strategically rather than dropping all your lessons in the gap.

The action plan from your DL25

1. Identify the root cause. Look at the serious or dangerous fault that caused the fail and understand exactly what happened in that specific moment. Run it back mentally and discuss it with your instructor.
2. Target your practice. If you failed for observation at junctions, spend your next 5 to 10 lessons specifically on junctions. If you failed for mirror checks, build the routine until mirror checks happen before every action without conscious thought.
3. Book a mock test. A mock test under realistic conditions reveals whether the fault is fixed or whether it still appears under pressure. Two well-timed mock tests before your next real test typically prevent another fail.
4. Only rebook when test-ready. Your instructor is the best judge of when to rebook. Rushing back to the test before the root cause is fixed leads to another fail at £62 to £75 plus the cost of extra lessons and the instructor car hire. Each failed attempt costs £200 to £300 in total. For the full cost picture of learning to drive in the UK and how a single retest fits into total spend, see our guide to how much it costs to learn to drive in the UK.

For a deeper breakdown of every common reason learners fail and how to fix each one before your next test, see our guide to passing your driving test first time. For tactical advice on keeping retest costs down, see our guide to cheap driving lessons in the UK.

Show me, tell me questions and how they appear in your results

The DVSA practical test includes two vehicle safety questions, both of which appear in the safety category of your DL25 if you get them wrong. Getting one wrong typically counts as one driving fault (minor). Getting both wrong counts as two minors. Neither, on its own, is a fail.

Tell me (asked before you drive)

The examiner asks one tell me question while you are still parked at the test centre. You answer verbally without touching the car. Common tell me questions cover topics like how you would check your tyre pressure, how you would check brake fluid level, how you would check the headlights work, and how you would top up engine oil.

Show me (asked while driving)

The examiner asks one show me question once you are driving, typically in the first 10 minutes. You demonstrate the answer with the car controls. Common show me questions cover things like washing the windscreen using the controls, demising the rear window, switching on the rear fog light, and controlling the radio or fan.

How they can escalate beyond a minor

The DVSA confirms that you get one driving fault per incorrect answer. However, if your driving becomes unsafe while you are demonstrating a show me answer, the unsafe driving itself can be marked as a serious fault. This is rare and only applies if you genuinely take your attention off the road while answering. Most learners pass both questions with no fault if they practise the bank of 21 official questions (14 tell me + 7 show me) before the test.

Can you appeal or complain about your driving test results?

You cannot appeal the examiner judgement of your driving. The DVSA position is that the examiner is a trained professional whose on-the-spot assessment is final. If they recorded a serious fault for your observation at a junction, you cannot argue it should have been a minor.

When you can complain to DVSA

A complaint is different from an appeal. You can complain if you believe:

• The examiner did not follow the official test procedure correctly
• The examiner was unprofessional or rude during the test
• External factors interfered unfairly with your test (roadworks not accounted for, examiner gave genuinely confusing instructions, the vehicle developed a fault during the test)
• The test was conducted in a way that breached DVSA published standards

What a complaint can and cannot achieve

If the DVSA upholds your complaint, the most you can typically receive is a free retest at no cost to you. The original fail is not changed to a pass. The DVSA is clear in its complaints procedure that test results cannot be changed. Realistic outcome: most complaints do not succeed, and the few that do result in a free retest rather than an overturned result.

To submit a complaint, contact the DVSA directly through the official complaints form on GOV.UK. Investigations typically take several weeks. Most experienced driving instructors will tell you the time is better spent preparing for the next test than fighting the previous one, but the right to complain exists for genuinely problematic test conduct.

Frequently asked questions