The theory test has two parts, taken back to back on a computer in one sitting: 50 multiple-choice questions, then the hazard perception clips. You need to pass both on the same visit.
Once your theory's passed, Intensive Driving Courses Wales run 1-to-1 crash courses across South & West Wales, manual or automatic.
See intensive courses →Leave plenty of time for travel and parking. Theory and practical tests are often at different sites, so double-check you're heading to the theory test centre, not the practical one.
Aim to arrive about 15 minutes early. Staff will check your licence and photo. Phones, smartwatches and anything you can't fully switch off have to go in a locker or a clear box outside the test room — you can't take them in. Then you're shown to a computer in a quiet, exam-style room.
If you arranged support when booking — such as extra time, an on-screen voiceover, or a reader — it'll be set up for you. The English or Welsh voiceover is available to anyone and needs no evidence; arrange it in advance when you book.
You get 50 questions in 57 minutes, and you need 43 correct to pass. There's an on-screen tutorial first, so the clock doesn't start until you're ready. You can flag questions you're unsure about and come back to them, and you can review all your answers before you finish. Most people finish with time to spare — read each question carefully rather than rushing.
After this section you can choose to take a short break of up to three minutes before the next part.
You'll watch 14 video clips of everyday driving filmed from a car. Your job is to click the moment you spot a developing hazard — something that would make a real driver slow down or change direction. There are 15 scoring hazards across the clips (one clip has two).
You score up to 5 points per hazard, and the earlier you spot it as it develops, the more you score. Don't click randomly or in a steady rhythm, though — the system detects that and gives you zero for that clip. The pass mark here is 44 out of 75.
Click once when the hazard starts to develop, then again as it becomes more serious, to be safe. One well-timed genuine click beats a burst of nervous clicking. Because the real test uses a mouse, practise hazard perception on a computer rather than a phone — see our study guide.
You must pass both parts on the same day. If you pass one and fail the other, you have to retake the whole test. Your result is printed and given to you before you leave, usually within a few minutes. A pass certificate is valid for two years — you must pass your practical driving test within that window, or you'll need to sit the theory again.
If it doesn't go your way, you can rebook (the earliest is usually a few working days later) and you pay the fee again. Use the result to see what to brush up on before you go back.
The single best way to feel calm on the day is to have already done it — many times — at home. Take timed mock tests until 45+ feels normal.
