Booking a driving theory test - any tips or inside knowledge

[omniflow]

I'm currently "helping" my daughter book her driving theory test - what an absolute nightmare.

Reasonably happy to travel, but would like to book it either during university holidays or reading week. I've checked about 15 different test centres and availability is DIRE. They all seem to have availability on 1st - 3rd July - which is no use, but then nothing for the rest of July. Also nothing for the 5 week Easter holiday, or the first week of June. Don't want to book anything during the rest of June as that's when exams will be and she doesn't have dates yet.

The booking site thought I was a "Bot", which was somewhat frustrating.

Are there any rules, like test slots are released 90 days in advance?
Is there some kind of sniping service you can pay for that will trawl the availability for you?

[towser44]

We struggled last year for the OH and luckily she got a cancellation with 1 weeks notice (and passed). She's now had 3 driving tests cancelled though and next one is currently booked for end of April, fingers crossed.

[omniflow]

towser44 said:

We struggled last year for the OH and luckily she got a cancellation with 1 weeks notice (and passed). She's now had 3 driving tests cancelled though and next one is currently booked for end of April, fingers crossed.

Thanks - how does the cancellation work - how do you sign up to hear about them?

[towser44]

omniflow said:

towser44 said:

We struggled last year for the OH and luckily she got a cancellation with 1 weeks notice (and passed). She's now had 3 driving tests cancelled though and next one is currently booked for end of April, fingers crossed.

Thanks - how does the cancellation work - how do you sign up to hear about them?

I'll ask the OH when she gets in as I can't recall now. Whether she was just lucky and happened to be in the system at the right time I am not sure, but it was prime corona time so could have been cancellations due to self-isolation. I remember when she booked it, there was 1 test slot available for the very next day (but she wanted time to cram!) and then the one the following week.