The DVSA has unveiled its Christmas and New Year operating schedule, with drivers warned to expect significant changes during the festive period.
Today’s announcement outlines crucial dates and deadlines for driving test centres, vehicle test stations including MOT appointments, and customer service operations.
While most centres will maintain normal operations until December 23, the schedule revealed varying levels of service availability during the holiday season.
The changes will primarily impact drivers planning to take theory or driving tests, with specific deadlines for modifications or cancellations.
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Drivers have been warned they have three days to change driving tests before incurring a fee
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To avoid the booking fee, drivers have been urged to plan ahead and, if unable to attend their tests, use the online services which offer the quickest method for modifying theory and driving test appointments.
These include facilities to change theory test bookings, cancel theory tests, modify driving test appointments, and process driving test cancellations.
Drivers must provide at least three full working days’ notice for any changes, with Monday to Saturday counting as working days.
To help accommodate this, the DVSA reported how its online services will remain accessible throughout the festive period.
All driving test centres and vehicle test stations will be completely closed on Christmas Day while Christmas Eve will see reduced operations, with only some centres remaining open across the country.
The pattern of partial openings continues through the period, with selected centres operating from December 26 to January 1.
The DVSA did note that most facilities will return to normal operations by January 2, 2025, marking the end of the holiday schedule. The DVSA’s customer service centre will be open on December 23, before switching to reduced hours. On Christmas Eve, it will operate from 8am to 4pm.
It will close completely during the bank holidays on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. Between December 27 and December 31, the centre will operate on reduced hours from 8am to 4pm, except for the weekend of December 28 and 29 when it will be closed.
Weekend closures will continue to affect customer service availability throughout the period. Drivers planning to change or cancel their tests have been warned of new deadlines.
For tests scheduled on December 23, changes must be made by December 18, while motorists with tests on December 26 or 27 must make any alterations by December 20.
Tests scheduled for early January also have specific deadlines, with drivers taking tests on January 2 and 3 needing to take action by December 27.
The agency noted that it is always “quicker to use the online services” for both theory and driving test changes. Even after the published deadlines, drivers must still inform DVSA if they cannot attend their scheduled test.
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The DVSA urged drivers to adhere to the new opening times for services during the Christmas period
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Drivers can be entitled to a refund if they fail to cancel their tests before the three-day deadline if they have:
- An illness or injury that means they cannot take their test
- Suffered a bereavement
- To take an exam at a school or college
- Had their driving licence stolen
