Practical test
Can someone sit in with you on your driving test?
Yes - the examiner asks you. Who is allowed, what they can and cannot do, whether they hear your result, and the one person it costs you to refuse.
See the driving skills lessonsQuick answer
- Yes. The examiner asks whether you want someone in the back, and whether you want them there for the result.
- Usually your instructor, but a relative or friend is allowed. They cannot take any part in the test.
- Only one person is usually allowed, though two may be permitted as a reasonable adjustment.
- You can refuse the examiner's own supervisor, but GOV.UK says your test can then be cancelled and you have to book another and pay again.
You do not have to ask for this. The examiner raises it with you, and GOV.UK words the offer as two separate things: whether you want someone to sit in the back of the car during the test, and whether you want them with you for the result and feedback afterwards.
They are genuinely separate. You can have your instructor ride along and then hear the result on your own, or send them off during the drive and have them there for the debrief. Whichever combination suits you is available, and neither is the default.
Who is allowed to sit in
GOV.UK says it will usually be your driving instructor, but that you can take a relative or friend instead. It sets three conditions: they cannot take any part in the test, they must be over 16, and they must follow the rules about observing tests.
On age, GOV.UK does not agree with itself. The driving test page says the person must be over 16; the separate rules for observing tests say you can observe if you are 16 or over. If yours is 16, it is worth a call to the test centre rather than turning up and finding out.
How many people
One, normally. GOV.UK says only one person is usually allowed to sit in and observe, and that you might be allowed two as a reasonable adjustment to meet a specific need. GOV.UK says to tell the examiner about it at the start of the test - so raise it when they call you through, not once you are all standing at the car.
What they can and cannot do
The rules for observers are short and mostly obvious, but two of them catch people out - the phone, and the well-meant nudge.
- Turn the phone off or put it on silent before the test starts, and do not answer it during.
- They can take notes to help you afterwards.
- They can shift position to give you a clearer view during the reversing exercise.
- They must not prompt you by coughing or nudging the back of your seat.
- They must not signal with gestures or eye contact in a way that looks like coaching.
On where they sit, GOV.UK is relaxed: behind you is usually the least intrusive place, but it says the best position is wherever is most comfortable, provided they can sit upright with the seat belt correctly fitted.
Should you take someone?
There is no right answer, and it is worth deciding in advance rather than on the spot when the examiner asks.
The argument for taking your instructor is the debrief: they hear exactly what the examiner says about your faults, first hand, rather than a version of it relayed by someone who has just had the most stressful half hour of their year. If you do not pass, that is the difference between guessing what to work on and knowing.
The argument against is simply that some people drive worse with an audience. If having someone behind you would make you more nervous rather than less, decline - it is your test and the examiner will not think anything of it.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone sit in with you on your driving test?
Yes. Your examiner asks whether you want someone to sit in the back during the test, and whether you want them with you for the result and feedback. It is usually your driving instructor, but you can take a relative or friend instead. They cannot take any part in the test.
How old does someone have to be to sit in on a driving test?
GOV.UK words this two ways: the driving test page says the person must be over 16, while the separate rules for observing tests say you can observe if you are 16 or over. If your observer is 16, check with the test centre before the day rather than risk it.
Can two people sit in on a driving test?
Usually only one person is allowed to sit in and observe. GOV.UK says you might be allowed two as a reasonable adjustment to meet a specific need, which you should raise with the examiner at the start of the test.
Can you refuse to let the examiner's supervisor sit in?
You can, but it has a cost. GOV.UK states that if you refuse, your test can be cancelled and you will have to book another test and pay again. The supervisor is there to watch the examiner rather than you, and their presence does not affect your result.
Does your instructor have to be there for the result?
No. The examiner asks whether you want them present for the result and feedback, and it is a separate question from whether they sit in during the drive. You can have them for one, both, or neither.
Related learning
Part of a topic guide
The UK practical driving test
Part of Driving Mastery's practical driving test guide, covering what happens on the day, how faults are marked, and the questions learners actually ask before their test.
What happens on your driving test
The four parts of the UK car practical test, how long you actually drive for, and what the examiner is marking - from the eyesight check to the debrief.
Show me, tell me: what it is and when you are asked
Show me, tell me questions are part of the practical driving test, not the theory test. Learn what each type asks and how to practise them.
Do you keep driving after a serious fault?
Yes - the test runs to its full length. The examiner stops a test for one reason only, and it is not a serious fault. What that means for the rest of your drive.
Know the order things happen in
The four parts of the test, how long you actually drive for, and how the marking works.
What happens on your driving testA mistake does not end the test
The examiner only stops a test for one reason, and it is not a serious fault.
Do you keep driving after a serious fault?Driving Mastery articles are written and reviewed with input from a qualified UK Approved Driving Instructor, so learner-driver guidance stays practical, safe, and grounded in real driving lessons.