Is the driving instructor game of ‘Go Fish’ ending, or just changing?

“Have you got any Julys?”
“Go fish.”

For years, that joke has landed because it felt true. In a stretched and often frustrating driving test system, many ADIs have become part planner, part organiser, part problem-solver. They have helped pupils find workable dates, line tests up with readiness, and make the best of a system under serious pressure.

That is now changing.

DVSA has confirmed a phased set of rule changes for car driving tests in 2026. From 31 March 2026, a booking can only be changed twice. From 12 May 2026, only the learner driver will be allowed to book, change, cancel or swap their own car driving test. From 9 June 2026, tests can only be moved to the 3 nearest test centres to the current booked centre, plus the original centre on that booking. Existing bookings remain valid, but learners will need their own test reference numbers to manage them. 

So yes, the old version of the game is ending.

From May, ADIs will no longer be able to use the service to book or manage car driving tests for pupils. DVSA says instructors will still be able to manage their own availability in the system, and learners can enter their instructor’s ADI reference number so the booking service checks whether that instructor is available at the time chosen. DVSA also says that friends, family members, or support workers can help someone make a booking, but the learner must be present and involved in the process. 

That means the instructor is not disappearing from the picture, but they are being moved out of the driver’s seat when it comes to booking management.

For some, that will feel like a sensible reset. DVSA’s position is that these changes are designed to reduce misuse of the booking system and give learners more direct control. The agency has also published figures showing enforcement action taken against misuse of business booking accounts in recent years. 

But it would be naive to pretend there are no practical concerns.

The day-to-day reality is that many ADIs have been helping pupils navigate a difficult system for years. When waiting times were high and availability inconsistent, instructors often acted as the link between a pupil’s real-world readiness, diary availability, vehicle access, and test opportunities. Removing direct booking control does not remove those logistics. It just redistributes them.

That is where some of the unanswered questions begin.

Swaps can still happen, but only the learner can now make them. In practice, many instructors will rightly be cautious about how they help connect pupils, especially where personal data, contact sharing, safeguarding, and professional boundaries are concerned. DVSA’s published guidance explains who can legally book and manage a test, but it does not set out a detailed safeguarding framework for how instructors should facilitate pupil-to-pupil connections where swaps are being explored. That does not mean such a framework does not exist elsewhere, but it is fair to say many ADIs are still looking for clearer operational guidance. 

There is also the communication issue.

DVSA has published guidance for learners and instructors, and says it will monitor queries and feedback as the changes roll out. But across the sector, there is still confusion. Some people are asking what counts as a “change”. Others are unclear on whether existing bookings remain valid, whether instructors can still help, and how availability settings will work in practice. DVSA has answered some of these points publicly, but not every concern people are raising feels fully settled yet. 

That uncertainty matters, because confusion creates panic, and panic creates poor decisions.

For learners, the message is now simple. Speak to your instructor before booking. Use their ADI reference number. Choose a realistic date. Do not treat the booking system like a fishing trip for random early slots that may not fit your training plan. DVSA’s own guidance tells learners to agree readiness with their instructor before booking and to choose a date they realistically expect to be ready for. 

For instructors, the role is changing rather than disappearing. The admin grip on the booking itself is loosening, but the professional role around readiness, planning, and decision-making becomes even more important. Good communication with pupils is no longer just helpful. It is essential.

So, is the ADI game of “Go Fish” ending?

In one sense, yes. The era of instructors directly managing practical test bookings through the DVSA service is coming to a close for car tests. 

But the real answer is this: it is changing.

The need for judgement, planning, and support has not gone away. The responsibility is just being redrawn. Whether that improves the system in practice is something we are all about to find out.