What will happen during the driving test

Your examiner will assess your skills in several areas as you drive. This guide covers what actually happens during the NTSA practical driving test and what you need to know when you arrive at the test center. Before your test you must bring:

• Your provisional driving licence
• Your NTSA test booking confirmation (SMS or printout)
• The test fee receipt (if not paid via M-Pesa in advance)
• A roadworthy vehicle with valid insurance and current inspection certificate
• L-plates displayed front and rear

The vehicle must be the class you are testing for — Class B (saloon/light commercial), Class C (heavy commercial), etc. You cannot test in a vehicle with mechanical defects.

Nervous about your test?

It is very common to be nervous. If you feel anxious, tell your examiner before you start. They will explain the route and what they expect. A brief chat often settles nerves.

Arriving at the test center

Arrive at least 30 minutes early. Report to the NTSA desk or your assigned waiting area. The examiner will call your name when it is time.The examiner will check your documents and inspect the vehicle before you begin. If the vehicle fails inspection, the test is cancelled and you forfeit the fee.

Part 1: The oral test

Before you drive, the examiner asks questions on:

• Road signs — name and meaning of 5–10 signs shown on cards or a board
• The model town board — identify parts, explain right of way, describe a route
• Vehicle checks — what you would inspect before a journey and why

You must answer correctly to proceed to the practical test. This is where many candidates fail — not from bad driving, but from poor preparation on signs and the model town board.

Part 2: The practical driving test

The examiner joins you in the vehicle. A second examiner may sit in the back if they are undergoing training — this does not affect your result.The test covers:

Moving off and stopping

You must move off smoothly from the roadside, checking mirrors and blind spots, signalling correctly, and joining traffic safely. You will also be asked to stop at the roadside under normal and emergency conditions.

Reversing You will reverse either:

• Into a parking bay (angle or flush, depending on the test centre layout)
• Around a corner for a set distance, keeping close to the kerb without mounting it

The examiner specifies where to reverse and watches your observation, control, and positioning.

Three-point turn

You must turn the vehicle around in a narrow road using forward and reverse gears, typically within three moves. Observation is critical — check all around before each movement.

Parallel parking (flush parking)

Park behind a stationary vehicle, close to and parallel with the kerb, leaving safe clearance. You must use correct observation throughout.

Hill start

On an uphill or downhill slope, you must move off without rolling back. Use the handbrake or footbrake as appropriate, engage first gear, find the biting point, check mirrors and blind spots, signal if needed, then move off smoothly.

Driving in traffic

The examiner directs you through a route covering:

• Urban roads with varying speed limits (typically 30–50 km/h in built-up areas)
• Junctions — T-junctions, crossroads, roundabouts
• Pedestrian crossings — zebra crossings, signal-controlled crossings
• One-way streets
• Dual carriageways where available (speed limits up to 80 km/h)
• Gravel or murram roads where the test centre route includes them

The examiner watches:

• Your speed choice — appropriate for conditions, not just the limit
• Road positioning — lane discipline, clearance from parked vehicles
• Mirror use — before signalling, changing speed, or direction
• Signalling — timing, correctness, cancellation
• Observation at junctions and crossings
• Interaction with other road users — matatus, bodabodas, pedestrians, cyclists
• Anticipation and hazard perception

Emergency stop

The examiner may ask you to stop the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible. Do not check mirrors — brake firmly, keep both hands on the wheel, clutch down just before stopping to avoid stalling. Once stopped, apply the handbrake and check mirrors before moving off.

Common failure points

• Inadequate observation at junctions — not looking right-left-right before emerging
• Rolling back on hill starts
• Incorrect positioning at roundabouts — cutting across lanes or failing to signal exit
• Incomplete stops at stop signs — creeping forward without a full halt
• Speed inappropriate for conditions — too fast on murram, too slow on clear main roads
• Mirror checks only before manoeuvres, not as a continuous habit
• Poor clutch control — jerky moves, stalling, coasting with clutch down
• Failing to give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings
• Dangerous overtaking or passing too close to parked vehicles

After the test

The examiner tells you the result immediately. If you pass:

• You receive a pass certificate
• Your provisional licence is endorsed
• You may apply for a full driving licence (or a PSV endorsement if testing for commercial categories)

If you fail:

• The examiner explains the faults that caused the failure
• You must book a retest — there is a mandatory waiting period (typically 21 days)
• You pay the full test fee again.

There is no partial credit. You must demonstrate competence in all areas to pass.

Tips from examiners

• Drive as you were taught, not as you see others drive on the road
• Matatus and bodabodas are unpredictable — expect them to do the unexpected
• On murram roads, reduce speed and increase following distance
• Check your mirrors every 5–8 seconds in normal driving, more often in heavy traffic
• If you make a mistake, recover calmly. One error does not fail you unless it is dangerous.