Bring your UK photocard driving licence to a theory test. That is the whole list for most people. If you turn up without the right documents the DVSA cancels the test and you do not get your money back, so it is worth checking the night before.
The list
- A UK photocard driving licence. For most candidates that is all you need.
- A Northern Ireland licence? Bring the photocard and the paper counterpart.
- Only a paper licence? Bring a valid passport as well.
What happens if you forget
The DVSA is explicit: your test is cancelled and you do not get your money back. You rebook and pay the full fee again.
There is no discretion here worth relying on. A photo of your licence is not a licence, and a licence that has expired is not one either — check the date while you are checking you have it.
What you do not need
You do not need your booking confirmation or reference number. It helps if something has gone wrong with the booking, so it costs nothing to have it on your phone, but it is not what gets you in.
Everything else — bags, phone, notes, watch — goes in a locker. You will not have them with you during the test.
Sources and last verified
Rules and fees change. These are the official pages this answer is based on, with the date we last checked each one — if you are reading this long after, check the source before relying on it.
- Theory test: cars — What to take — DVSA, checked 4 August 2026
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