practical driving test uk

A few questions:
Has anyone had a positive experience, passing the practical test ont he first try?
How long does it general take once you apply to take the tset until you actually take it?
Do you know if you can take the test with a manual car?
Is it necessary to take some lessons? how many?

I am getting close to 1 year mark and am hoping I have left myself enough time! I basically need to pass it first time! any other tips on passing would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Cherisse

1. I did not have a positive experience on my first try but had success on the second

2. When I called for a test in Harrogate, the 1st available was a month away. Varies test centre to test centre.

3. Manual or automatic test is your choice. 

4. Lesson- Big Yes.  I had about 15.  It depends when you and the instructor think you are ready

Good Luck. 

Do you know if you can take the test with a manual car?

If you want to be able to drive a manual car once the 12-month grace period on your U.S. license expires, then legally you will have to take the test in a car with manual transmission. 

If you take the test in an automatic, then your U.K. license will be restricted to driving automatics only.

I avoided my test so long that my 12 months ran out and I wasn't able to drive. I needed to drive to get to work so I decided the best way for me was to do a two day residential driving course. I went to blackpool on a Sunday night and headed home on tuesday with my license (passing the test the first time ).
My advice, get to work with some lessons and you will do fine! Good Luck

Thanks everyone for your helpful answers!

Does anyone know if when the year is up you have to have passed both the theory and practical tests and hold your full UK licence? I thought I had heard/read somewhere that at the one year point you only had to have passed your theory test and be signed up and waiting to take the practical test. I am guessing because waiting period can be so long?

Thanks again!

I thought I had heard/read somewhere that at the one year point you only had to have passed your theory test and be signed up and waiting to take the practical test.

Not unless there has been some change in the law very recently.   The legislation allows you 12 months on your U.S. license from establishing residency, after which you revert to exactly the same rules as any other British driver -- Which means being under all the conditions of a learner until you have passed both theory & practical.

1) I passed on my first try at the test.
2) It took me 6 weeks to get a test date then the day of my 1st test the DVLA called told me it was cancelled... luckily I got another appointment 3 weeks later so I actually waited 9 weeks for it!
3) Like said before manual or automatic... but if you take it using automatic your restricted to driving automatic.. take it with standard you can drive either once you pass, would be handy to be able to drive both for work purposes probably.
4) My husband gave me lessons only... no instructor... but I dont really recommend not getting an instructor unless you've got someone with alot of time and patience to teach you.  And that person would need to read up and research what instructors are teaching and whats on the test.  Probably less hassle to just get a few lessons so you know whats on the test since you obviously already know how to drive.

Good luck. 

Hi good luck with the test....fingers crossed that you pass it the first time

I passed on the first time.  The instructor said that he could tell that I was not a new driver so my experience in the US paid off....I... had only driven an automatic in the US from the ages of 17-27..I had tried to learn to start a manual car in the US and practice with the clutch but that was it...I took the test on a manual car in the UK

.it was a good feeling passing it because I had always wanted to learn to drive a manual car

I can't remember how many lessons i took but it must have been for at least 6 months...

right before taking the test my instructor and I practiced areas where I felt uncomfortable...like reverse parking...

I actually made about 7 minor errors on my test and think that If it had lasted longer I might have failed (like speeding, not signalling on the roundabouts properly)

let us know how you get on...

I'm not American, so I took the UK test as a teenager driving for the first time, but

1) It took both my brother and I three attempts to pass, but our younger brother passed 1st time (I think only about 50% of people, maybe less, pass first time - it's known for being a hard test to pass and there are rumours of daily pass/fail quota for the examiners although the DVLA deny it)
2) It depends on the test centre, but at mine it was about a 2-month wait: my 1st test was booked for early April, but I failed and the next available date was early June. Failed again, and the earliest date after that was 1st August. However, the examiner was ill and it got postponed so I finally passed on August 9th, 15 months after my first driving lesson (it took me ages to gain enough confidence to take the test)!
3) As the others have said, if you wish to drive a manual in the future you must take the test in a manual, if not, you can take it in an automatic but you will not be licenced to drive a manual.
4) Even if you've been driving in the US for years, it's wise to take some lessons because there are certain things you have to do on the UK test in order to pass that you might not be familiar with or you might normally do slightly differently.

According to the DSA, the pass rate overall is below 50%, and considerably lower for first-time applicants.   There's a historical summary on the page linked below, although the test has changed considerably in recent years (i.e. the theory test is fairly new and the separate hazard-perception test even newer):

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=344

I believe, last time I checked, it was only like 43% first pass success up here in Inverness... Happily, I passed first time around. I had a very positive experience, my examiner was very nice and we chatted the whole time.  This experience was FAR better than my US driving test experience, which I failed the first time around and the state trooper was an a-hole... 

Take lessons if you can, like my driving instructor said- I'm not teaching you how to drive, I'm teaching you how to remember what its like to be a learner driver and how you have to over-exaggerate your mirror-signal-mirrors...

Take the test in a manual if you can, so you can drive whatever type of car... 

If you don't pass the practical test in 1 year from moving here, its "L" plates for you and only being able to drive with someone licensed over 21 in the passenger seat with you.

Good luck!

I passed both my theory test and practical the first time.

Here are my tips - spend the £20 or so and buy the test CD-ROM thing. And practice with it.  If you are already a driver, you really just need to know all the weird traffic signs the British use and the different speed limits for different sized vehicles. I thought the test where you watch the different driving scenarios and pick out the dangers was a snap. I've spent the last 10 years of my life driving in major cities so that part wasn't bad but I did practice it on the computer to get the feel for it nonetheless.

For my behind the wheel test, I called my local driving school and asked for an instructor who had experience teaching foreigners 'just to pass the test' I already knew how to drive and had been driving on my US license in the UK for some time. I took 3 lessons and just started practicing driving 'for the test'. It's funny how many little habits you pick up after years of driving. I passed on my first try with only a few minor faults.

Again, best of luck!

I passed on my first try!

I don't actually remember how long it took - a month or so, I think?

Yes, manual or automatic. I took mine in an automatic, which means I can only drive an automatic legally (which is fine with me).

There's no requirement that you take lessons, but I think it's a good idea. I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have passed the first time without my lessons.

I agree with Beegirl about the CD-ROM mock test thing. It's great. You need to practice the hazard test especially.

More tips: When booking your practical test, try and avoid rush-hour, school traffic, etc. Do whatever you can to ensure you have a smooth run!