Posted 21.01.2021

On the 19th January 2021, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon announced that customers with theory test pass certificates due to expire will be given priority access to the booking system by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) when practical driving tests are able to resume. 

Read the full announcement here

Angela Hutchison, Disability Action's Mobility Centre Manager, comments on the announcement:

Whilst this is a good plan to start working through the backlog of people waiting to sit a practical driving test, disabled people should also be contacted to sit their practical driving tests in phase 1 and 2 of the system opening.  The impact of not being able to drive for disabled people can have a greater impact on their personal independence and means a greater reliance on public transport to access essential services which could increase their chances of contracting COVID-19. For a person with either a physical or learning disability it can take much longer to be able to pass their theory and practical test and some allowance to further extend their theory test pass certificates should be given.