Minor, Serious, and Dangerous Driving Faults Explained

#The three fault categories

DVSA examiners record faults in three tiers. Each is marked on the standard test report with a clear definition. The category, not the action itself, determines the result.

#Driving (minor) faults

A driving fault is something that could become serious if repeated, but on its own does not endanger anyone or block traffic. You can accumulate up to 15 driving faults and still pass. A 16th fault means a fail.

• A late mirror check before changing lane
• Slightly hesitant pulling away at a quiet junction
• A clipped kerb on a bay-park manoeuvre
• Hovering over the brake during a smooth approach

#Serious faults

A serious fault is anything that could potentially be dangerous. One serious fault ends the test as a fail, regardless of how few minor faults you have.

• Pulling out at a junction without proper observation
• Failing to respond to a road sign such as a stop line
• Stalling on a busy roundabout
• Major positioning errors that affect other road users

#Dangerous faults

A dangerous fault is one that actually causes danger to the examiner, you, the public, or property. It usually involves the examiner intervening with the dual controls or verbal commands. One dangerous fault is an instant fail.

#Repeated minor faults become serious

If you make the same minor fault three or four times during the test, the examiner can upgrade it to a serious fault under the "habitual" rule. A learner with 12 separate minor faults can pass; a learner with 3 of the same minor fault may fail.

#The 15-fault myth

Many learners believe they have a budget of 15 minors to spend. In practice, the typical pass has 4 to 8 minors. Anything above 10 suggests inconsistency, and the chance of a serious fault rises with the minor-fault count.

#How to read your test report

After the test, the examiner gives you the marking sheet. Driving faults appear as ticks in the relevant box, serious faults as an "S", dangerous as a "D". Each fault category corresponds to a numbered area such as "Junctions: observation" or "Use of mirrors: signal". Reading this honestly is the start of preparing for a retake.