Support during your theory test
The support arrangements available if you have a disability, health condition or reading difficulty, and how to request them.
Check this before you rely on it
This page states fees, rules or arrangements that change from time to time. We check it monthly and show the date above, but the official service at GOV.UK is always the authority.
Support is available if you need it, and asking for it is routine. The important thing is when you ask.
Request support when you book, not on the day. Test centres cannot normally arrange it at short notice.
What can be arranged
Arrangements offered by DVSA have included:
- Extra time for the multiple-choice section
- An English or Welsh voiceover through headphones
- A British Sign Language interpreter
- A reader or recorder to read questions aloud or record your answers
- Sitting the test in a separate room
- Other adjustments depending on your needs
The exact list, and the evidence required for each, is set out on GOV.UK and does change. Check it before you book rather than relying on this page.
Who it is for
Support is not only for physical disabilities. It is available to candidates with, among other things:
- dyslexia or other reading difficulties
- a health condition affecting concentration or stamina
- deafness or hearing loss
- a visual impairment
- a condition that makes sitting a timed test in a room difficult
You may be asked for supporting evidence — for example a letter from a teacher, employer or health professional — so allow time to obtain it before you book.
How to ask
The booking service asks whether you need support as part of the process. If your needs are not covered by the options shown, contact DVSA directly rather than booking and hoping.
If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, ask. The cost of asking is a phone call; the cost of not asking is a wasted test.
Practising with support
Some things you can replicate here while you revise:
- Every mock test has an untimed version with the same questions and pass mark, so you can practise the content without the clock.
- Timer warnings in our timed mocks can be switched off before you start.
- Every quiz works with a keyboard alone, announces question numbers to screen readers, and never signals right or wrong with colour by itself.
- Hazard exercises can be paused and replayed, and each has a written description and a transcript.
Our full accessibility statement sets out the standard we build to, and the gaps we know about.
On the day
Tell the staff at the desk what has been arranged, and check it is in place before you start rather than after. If something is not right, say so immediately — it is far easier to fix before the test begins.
If you need medication, a medical device or water, mention it when you arrive.
Sources checked for this page
We summarise official guidance in our own words. Where the rules matter legally, check the official source. This site is not affiliated with DVSA.