If you have dyslexia, another reading difficulty, a disability or a health condition, you can get help with the theory test. Plenty of people use it, and it doesn't change the questions or the pass mark. It just makes the test fair. The key thing to know is that most support has to be requested when you book, so read this before you book.
What support is available
| Support | What it means | Needs proof? |
|---|---|---|
| Voiceover | Listen to the questions and answers through headphones, in English or Welsh, as many times as you need | No |
| Extra time | More time for the multiple-choice questions | Yes |
| Reader and recorder | A member of staff reads the instructions and questions to you and records your answers | Yes |
| Someone to reword questions | A member of staff can put a question into simpler words, but can't change the technical terms. You still choose the answer yourself. | Yes |
| British Sign Language | Take the test with a BSL video shown alongside the questions and answers | No |
| BSL interpreter | Bring your own interpreter, at no extra fee | Arrange in advance |
| Lip speaker or hearing loop | A lip speaker at no extra fee, or a listening aid | Arrange in advance |
For anything not listed, such as a medical device you need in the test room, contact the DVSA before you book so it can be agreed.
What counts as proof
For extra time, a reader or rewording, you'll need to send proof of your reading difficulty. The DVSA accepts things like a report or letter from a teacher, a doctor or an occupational therapist, or the result of an online dyslexia screening. You'll be told how to send it when you book. Gather it before you start booking, so you're not chasing a letter afterwards.
How to ask for it
- Book your test on GOV.UK in the usual way.
- When asked, say that you have a reading difficulty, disability or health condition.
- Choose the support you need and follow the instructions for sending proof.
- If something is unclear, or you need help that isn't listed, contact the DVSA before your test date rather than on the day.
Medical devices are a special case: if you bring one that wasn't approved when you booked, you won't be able to take it in. If you realise late, you can cancel and rebook with a full refund as long as you give at least 3 working days' notice.
Revising with dyslexia
The support on the day helps, but so does choosing ways of revising that suit you. A few approaches that tend to work well:
- Listen as well as read. Having questions read aloud takes the pressure off decoding the words, so you can concentrate on the meaning. If you'll use voiceover in the test, practise with audio too, so it feels familiar.
- Keep sessions short. Twenty minutes with a break is often more productive than an hour of reading.
- Learn from pictures. Road signs, markings and situations make up a big part of the test and are visual by nature. Our road signs guide explains the patterns behind them.
- Watch for small words. Questions sometimes hinge on "not", "first" or "must". Some people find it helps to say the question back in their own words before choosing.
- Give hazard perception its own practice. It's a video test with no reading at all, and practice makes a big difference. See how hazard perception is scored.
Accessibility in our app
Zee Theory Center can read every question and answer aloud, lets you answer by voice, and has a Voice Learning Mode that reads each new question automatically and tells you whether you were right. It works with VoiceOver and TalkBack, describes every question picture for screen reader users, and follows your phone's text size. You can also make text easier to read with extra letter, word and line spacing, a coloured background tint, and a slower or faster reading voice.
Support options and rules from the DVSA's guidance on GOV.UK. Check gov.uk/theory-test for the latest details before you book.
Sources
Rules and fees can change. If anything here differs from GOV.UK, GOV.UK is right. How we write our guides.