From 12 May, only learner drivers will be able to book, change or swap their own driving test, a shift that ends the long-standing practice of instructors handling those arrangements for students. Driving instructors are no longer allowed to book tests on behalf of their learners, although tests already booked by instructors will still stand.

The change is meant to cut waiting lists that have stretched to as long as six months and to make it harder for slots to be bulk-bought by bots and firms that resell them to learners at inflated prices. Since 31 March, only two changes can be made to a booked slot, down from six under the old rules, and if more than two changes are needed the test must be cancelled and booked again. A refund is available if the cancellation is made at least 10 working days before the test date.

The new rules land after complaints about long waits and unofficial booking services, with some tests resold through WhatsApp and Facebook at sharply higher prices. A investigation in December found that some driving instructors were offered kickbacks of up to £250 a month to sell their official test-booking login details to touts, who then used those details to book driving tests in bulk and sell them on to learners for as much as £500. The system was built to help students get on the road; instead, it became a market in access.

There is another change coming soon. From 9 June, a test can only be moved to the three test centres closest to where it was originally booked, tightening the rules further on rescheduling. The standard test fee remains £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays, so anyone who loses a slot or needs to switch it will have to work within those limits. The new regime gives learner drivers more direct control, but it also leaves them carrying the full responsibility for navigating a booking system that has already been distorted by scarcity and resale.