I wrote this for another forum I use, but thought it may serve purpose here as there is nothing much about the test and what to expect from it. I have jotted down my experience of the BARS and a rough indication of costs and the order things happen.

I hold an MSA Rally Licence...so most people ask costs and how to do it, here is my experiences:

First you pay £60 for a ''Go Rally pack'' from Demontweeks/MSA

It contains a green form you need to spend a further £180 booking the driving/test element. Most rally schools offer a major discout of test if you book a rally experience/training beforehand, I opted to do only test as I have extensive track experience

Before you arrive to rally school learn section R of blue book...in go rally pack

For reference, I did my test at - silverstonerallyschool (I'd recommend these guys, really helpful and friendly and the stage is more like a rally stage than on an airfield perimeter or car park)

I had choice of Subaru Impreza Sport or a FWD car:



I chose the FWD option...in this:


(Quote caption- I feel the need, the need, for speed)

So anyway, the driving element...Put helmet on and get into car, drive 10+mins around a stage. This checks your ability to be safe driving a rally car and to check you can actually drive, you don't need to be a speed king, and one spin equals an instant fail, be warned!

My test experience, lashing of rain, darting of mud, low visibility, window steaming up, mud going in all directions, keeping in straight line, well tail was swinging like a pendulum, 90 secs later...out car, you can clearly drive! hehe
£180 to drive a 1.3 Ka for a minute and a half, value of the century!

Anyway, moving onto theory test (20 mins)...this is where you learn things from the MSA Blue Book.

There are two parts, Section 1, ten questions, must get ALL correct. Section 2 11 questions, you are allowed one wrong answer in 2.

Ok so my experience of theory test...I'll try and remember questions I had...all multiple choice, so answer is there and so are two bogus remarks!!! Here is roughly the content questions/answers etc I can remember as I did it a while back...

Which sign would you see entering a special stage control area (yellow circle/stopwatch in middle)

What is first sign you see after flying finish (Countdown marker boards, it is a trick question as there are 3 signs and they ask which ''sign'' do you see, be smart)

If you over run stage time control stop, do NOT reverse kick co driver out as a faster car could rear end you

If you drop a helmet bin it, your life depends on it

First aid kit is recommended in the MSA blue book (on test answer this) and Regs for rally make it requirement. It is mentioned as advisiory in blue book as the MSA can be sued but it is mentioned as a requirement in rally event regs as they can't be sued operating under charity status some.

Red Flag on stage means stop at side and do not move. Move as close to side to allow emergency veichles to pass

What does a RED SOS sign showing mean? Stop and give help. Also if you have accident display OK sign where it is visible as if not the following rally car must stop regardless. Sometimes co-driver jump out and driver continues to Radio point

Warning triangle, must be place MORE than 50 metres from car...common sense, in drivers sight, and maybe further away on FAST sections as 50mph at 140mph is nothing! Usually position it where the driver door is to make it visible as a rally stage is curved at the road side it may be missed

Arrows gate pointing are mandetory, but do not treat them as gospel, some fans move them for accidents, trust co-driver

Arrow gate pointing are 50m from juntion/corner

Rally cars driving on road sections are to set an average speed of 30mph, due to noise as these cars are loud

An explanation mark sign on stage, means hazard such as cattle grid/logs etc. Usually its a single explanation mark in co drivers notes but double/triple explanation mark on sign

Understeer definition, what does it mean? Simple the back is drifting lol lol lol no on my question it said the front end wouldnt steer and another answer steering too much, so read carefully as it may not be 100% obvious under test conditions

If you overshoot a junction in a single venue lapped venue, you must continue that lap and accept you were a plum for not listening to co driver as all deviations from set route can result in penalty/exclusion

Using pacenotes which include cheating, mean you will be excluded from event...also you will potentially have your rally licence revoked

If you are late into time control after road section the penalty you get is 30 seconds/1 mins (cant remember sorry my bad)

There are a few others about signs/flags which I've forgotten.

Ok that is all I can really remember, I wrote them down directly after test...but you get idea of what to expect, they are worded to make you think. I completed test in 2 mins dead, and that included checking over and understanding what I answered to make sure I hadn't been too haste!

So once you are told your result (you fail you'll be allowed another shot to sit theory) you are then given a leacture/debrief, I've included part of my debrief in italics with my answers

Stamped...passed with flying colours.



Sent off with a payment of £56 and recorded delivery cost rising lol

So within a week (thanks to priority processing) you will get one of these...I love my edit skills :-) with your name on it!



All in all cost £400 ish quid if you count fuel/expenses related to taking test

OK so now I have rally licence...time to ruin my immaculate Impreza STI and build a competition car capiable of finishing an event :-P

I hope this has helped how to get a rally licence as when I first went for it I was bamboozled and clueless and google didn't answer me at all so I thought I'd share my experience and give you an idea what to expect!

Comments welcomed