0844 453 0122

The DSA has now closed. It was replaced by the DVSA in April 2014.

Other DSA Contact Numbers:

DSA	Phone Number
Head Office	0844 453 0122
Driving Test Enquiries	0844 453 0122
Complaints	0844 453 0122

DSA Opening Hours

Department	Opening Hours
Enquiries	Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

DSA Head Office Address

Department	Address
Head Office	DVSA The Axis Building 112 Upper Parliament Street Nottingham NG1 6LP

Reasons To Call The DSA Phone Number

You can call the Driving Standards Agency Phone Number to:

• Book your theory or practical driving test
• Change your driving test date
• Learn about becoming a DSA-approved driving instructor, driver trainer or large good vehicle instructor
• Find a DSA-approved instructor in your area.

Services of the DSA

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is a government-run agency belonging to the national Department for Transport. It offers theory and practical driving tests, which can be booked direct through the agency, as well as providing information on DSA-approved driving instructors and driver trainers and maintaining standards of the testing process. Learner drivers can call the DSA phone number to find out more.

The DSA regulate all aspects of road safety, such as speed limits, freight transport specifications; drink and drug driving penalties; drivers’ insurance and road safety awareness and education.

About The DSA Contact Number

The DSA is a national organisation, part of the government’s Department for Transport. Since the coalition government was established in 2010, the DSA’s mission has been to promote and maintain the safety of British roads, and it does this through:

• setting driver and driver trainer standards and providing adequate education and training
• maintaining standards of and carrying out reliable theory/ practical driving and riding tests
• recognising and approving quality-assured instructors
• developing further education of safe road use through its Learn To Drive programme
• monitoring practice and effect of the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme
• producing education resources and other campaigns

One of the DSA’s main priorities for 2013-2015 is to cut down on carbon emissions by at least 20%. If you want to find out more about its services, you can ring the DSA Contact Number.

I Have Decided I Want To Learn To Drive. What Do I Do Now?

If you have decided that your ready to start learning how to drive, you will need to apply for your provisional licence first of all. You will need to make sure you have your provisional licence before you can start taking driving lessons, take your theory exam and attempt to take your theory test.

In terms of age, you are able to apply for your provisional driving licence when you are 15 years and 9 months old. If you want to, at the age of 16 you can start to learn how to drive a moped or light quad bike.

However, if you are wanting to learn how to drive a car, you will need to wait a little bit longer. You need to be 16 years and 9 months old and then you can start to drive when you are 17 years old.

Your Provisional Driving Licence

Your provisional driving licence costs £50 and this cost must be covered by a debit or credit card payment.

To apply for your provisional driving licence, you will need to either do this online or by a postal form (D1 Application Form). You can get a D1 form by using the DVLA’s form ordering service or collect one from your local Post Office.

Taking Your Theory Test

Once you have received your provisional driving licence in the post, the next step to getting your full driving licence is to take your theory exam. It is also recommended that you start to take driving lessons, although this isn’t a requirement or prerequisite.

If you have opted to take driving lesson, most instructors will be happy to offer help and support with your theory exam, but it is unlikely there will be any formal theory lessons. The majority of the studying and revision for the theory part of the exam is down to the individual themselves to do.

There are a number of different methods that can be used for practising for your theory exam. There is the DVLA Theory Test App that is available for Apple and Android devices, many computer programs that simulate the test setting and educational games for handheld devices such as Nintendo DS’s.

The theory test itself consists of 50 questions that are about the rules and regulations of the road. To obtain a pass mark, you will need to answer 43 out of the 50 questions correctly.

As well as the initial question section of the theory test, there is a hazard perception exam. This consists of being presented with an “on the road” experience via a short video and you need to click whenever you see something that could potential develop or present itself as a hazard.

You have one hour to complete both parts of the exam, although if you have any extra special requirements, such as learning difficulties that mean you will require some extra time, you will need to inform the centre where you are taking the test.

Taking Your Practical Driving Test

When you have successfully taken your theory exam and passed, you can then  submit to take the practical part of the exam. Again, although it isn’t a requirement, you could find yourself benefiting from taking driving lessons, as the instructors have more experience of teaching a standard of driving that comes up to the quality needed to pass your practical test.

The practical exam is made up of two parts. The first part consists of several questions about the car, such as where you can find specific features, for example the engine coolant and how you would determine the oil levels.  Then, this is followed by an eye test, where you have to read a car registration plate that is approximately 20 feet away from you.

After this first part of the exam, you then need to take a 40 minute drive that looks at your ability to safely operate a vehicle on various types of roads. There is also an assessment of how well you can perform certain manoeuvres, such as a turn in the road, parallel parking, reversing round a corner and reversing into a parking space.

There is room to make minor errors when you are taking the exam. However, if you commit a serious fault, you will have failed the exam and will need to take it again. You are able to make up to 15 minor faults and still pass the exam, but if you make 16 minor faults, you will have also failed.