Driving lessons in London

Tips for learning to drive in London

Master driving in the capital and you can enjoy driving anywhere

1. Don’t let the traffic put you off

London’s heavy traffic might seem daunting, but it means the average speed here is really slow. So the plus side is you’ll have a little bit more time to prepare for upcoming hazards.

2. Avoid the Congestion Charge

This is a fee you have to pay if you’re travelling through the centre of London at certain times of day. The charge doesn’t apply in the evenings and at weekends, so these are the best times to practise in the Congestion Charge zone.

3. Take a motorway driving lesson

Consider asking your instructor for a motorway lesson. You won’t get assessed on motorways in your test, but you’re likely to use them lots when you pass - the M1 and M11 are common routes out of the city, and the M25 is handy for travelling from one side of London to the other.

4. Pick a local driving test centre

You’ll be much more confident in your driving test if you’re familiar with the roads you’re driving on, so if you can take your test locally then that’s always a good move.

Choosing your test centre

When the time’s right, your instructor will help you to choose a test centre and introduce you to the areas that could come up in your test.

Whether you're based in East London, North London, North West London, South East London, South West London or West London there’s sure to be plenty of choice near you.

Take a look at the DVSA website to find your closest, or browse our list of test centres by area:

East London

Barking (Tanner Street): 84 Tanner Street, Barking, Essex, Greater London, IG11 8QF

Barking (Town Quay): Unit 9 Town Quay Wharf, Barking, Essex, Greater London, IG11 7BZ

Chingford: Doric House, 128 Station Road, Chingford, Greater London, E4 6AD

Goodmayes: 98 Goodmayes Road, Ilford, Greater London, IG3 9UZ

Wanstead: 2 Devon House, Hermon Hill, Wanstead, Greater London, E11 2AW

North London

Barnet: Raydean House, 15 - 17 Western Parade, Barnet, Greater London, EN5 1AD

Enfield: Solar Way, Innova Park Business Centre, Enfield, Greater London, EN3 7XY

Tottenham: Tottenham Annex Building, Selby Centre, Selby Road, Tottenham, Greater London, N17 8JL

Wood Green: The Gatehouse, Woodhall House, Lordship Lane, Wood Green, Greater London, N22 5JW

North West London

Hendon: 3 Aviation Drive, Beaufort Park, Hendon, Greater London, NW9 5TZ

Mill Hill: Unit 9, Grannard Business Centre, Bunns Lane, Mill Hill, Greater London, NW7 2DQ

South East London

Croydon: 111 Canterbury Road, Croydon, Greater London, CR0 3HH

Hither Green: 42-44 Ennersdale Road, Hither Green, Greater London, SE13 6JD

South West London

Ashford: 18/19 Fir Tree Place, Church Road, Ashford, Greater London, TW15 2PJ

Tolworth: Douglas House, 1B Douglas Road, Tolworth, Greater London, KT6 7R

West London

Isleworth: Worton Hall, Worton Road, Isleworth, Greater London, TW7 6ER

Southall: 295 Allenby Road, Southall, Greater London, UB1 2HD

Booking your driving test

Ready to book your driving test? Book on the DVSA website or call them on 0300 200 1122.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your test, you’ll just need to give three working days’ notice. That way, you can get a full refund or reschedule at no extra cost.

If you’re not sure if you’re ready to book your test, just ask your instructor and they’ll be able to help.

How much does the driving test cost?

We know you want your discounteddom. It does cost, but it’s so worth it.

The practical driving test costs £62 on weekdays before 4.30 pm, or £75 during the evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

You’ll also need to pay for the use of your instructor’s car, and most instructors also encourage you to take a lesson right before your test.

But don’t worry - at Get Driving we use a credit system, so we’ll reserve some lesson credits for your test day rather than charge extra fees.

Wherever you are in London, we’ve got you covered

Some of our popular areas include:

Barking, Bromley, Croydon, Dagenham, Dartford, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Harrow, Hayes, Hounslow, Islington, Kingston upon Thames, Romford, Southall, Sutton, Tottenham, Twickenham, Uxbridge, Walthamstow, Watford, Wembley.

We also offer lessons across the UK. Just enter your postcode to see driving lesson pricing near you.