2026 driving test changes: CPR, AED and booking rules

Two distinct sets of changes hit UK driving tests in 2026. The theory test bank now includes new questions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED) for car and motorcycle tests. The car practical test has tightened booking rules in three phases — 31 March 2026 (max 2 changes per booking), 12 May 2026 (only the learner can book/change a test), and 9 June 2026 (changes restricted to the 3 nearest centres). None of the practical-test booking rules apply to the theory test.

CPR and AED added to the theory test

DVSA announced on 13 August 2025 that car and motorcycle theory tests would include new questions about CPR and — for the first time — defibrillators. Candidates were told to start familiarising themselves with the new content from autumn 2025, with the questions appearing in tests from 2026. The questions cover the basics of CPR (hand placement, compression rate and depth) and using a public-access AED. DVSA built the content with the Resuscitation Council UK, Save a Life Cymru, and Save a Life programmes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Part of being a safe and responsible driver is knowing what to do in an emergency – how to step in and make a real, life-saving difference. Learning CPR and how to use an AED is a very simple skill and adding this into the official learning resource is a great way for DVSA to support the drive to raise awareness.

There is no additional cost, no extra test time, and no change to the pass mark — the new content is folded into the existing 50-question multiple-choice section. The questions are being added to car and motorcycle theory tests first; DVSA has said other test types will follow at a later date.

What to know about CPR for the theory test

The questions follow the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 Guidelines. Three numbers and three steps cover most of what is testable:

The three-step procedure in plain English:

1. Check safety and consciousness. Approach only if the area is safe.
2. Call 999 immediately if the person is unresponsive — and ask for an AED if one is available nearby.
3. Start CPR immediately if the person is unresponsive with abnormal breathing. Don’t wait for the ambulance.

The familiar “DR-ABC” mnemonic (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation) has been streamlined out of the Resus Council’s lay-rescuer CPR guidance in favour of this three-step model (ABCDE is still used as the structured assessment framework in trained first aid). Some older revision materials still teach DR-ABC; the theory test follows the current lay-rescuer guidance.

What to know about AEDs for the theory test

Public-access defibrillators (AEDs) are designed to be used by anyone — no training required. DVSA cites Resuscitation Council UK data showing more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK each year, with fewer than 1 in 10 people currently surviving — but if CPR is given and a defibrillator used within 3–5 minutes of collapse, survival rates can reach 70%. (See Resus Council — defibrillation.)

The six-step AED procedure, based on Resus Council UK guidance:

1. Use an AED as soon as one is available — keep doing CPR while someone fetches it.
2. Open the AED case. Some AEDs turn on automatically when opened.
3. Follow the audio and visual prompts. The device guides you through each step.
4. Attach the electrode pads to the casualty’s bare chest in the positions shown on the pads.
5. Ensure nobody touches the person while the AED is analysing the heart rhythm.
6. If a shock is delivered, restart chest compressions immediately afterwards.

Two facts that often surprise candidates: an AED will not deliver a shock to a heart that doesn’t need one (the device decides), and you cannot harm the casualty by trying — the machine refuses to shock unless the rhythm is shockable.

Car practical test: three booking-rule changes

A separate set of changes affects the car practical driving test — not the theory test. DVSA introduced them in three phases to make the booking process fairer and to reduce the impact of bots and third-party test-resellers.

The new rules only apply to car driving tests. They do not apply to other types of tests.

What this means if you’re studying for the theory test

• Add CPR and AED to your revision. The Resuscitation Council UK publishes free training videos and a CPR/AED quick guide — DVSA points learners towards those resources directly.
• The 50-question, 57-minute structure is unchanged. Pass mark stays at 43 out of 50 for the multiple-choice section and 44 out of 75 for the hazard perception section.
• The May 2026 “only you can book” rule does not apply to theory tests. You can still book the theory test for yourself in the usual way at gov.uk/book-theory-test, and you can have someone help you book if you need it.
• The booking restrictions kick in only once you’ve passed theory. If you’ve started the booking process for the practical, the 2-amendment cap and 3-nearest-centres rule will apply.

Other 2026 syllabus context

The Highway Code has been updated several times in recent years, and parts of the test syllabus reflect those updates. Driver-assistance systems — Rule 150 specifically calls out motorway assist, lane departure warnings and remote control parking — have been covered by the Highway Code since 30 November 2018. The 29 January 2022 update introduced the Hierarchy of Road Users (Rules H1–H3), a new technique for opening car doors known as the “Dutch Reach” (Rule 239), and guidance about using electric-vehicle charge points.

Sources

• GOV.UK — New theory test questions to boost cardiac-arrest survival (DVSA) (13 August 2025)
• GOV.UK — Changes to driving test booking rules in 2026
• GOV.UK — Theory test: pass mark and result
• GOV.UK — Highway Code updates
• Resuscitation Council UK — Learner drivers quizzed on lifesaving CPR skills
• Resuscitation Council UK — 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines
• Resuscitation Council UK — Adult basic life support guidelines (2025)