Checked against DVSA guidance on GOV.UK in October 2026.
The three types of fault
GOV.UK sets out the three types of fault you can make on the car driving test:
- A dangerous fault involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property.
- A serious fault is something potentially dangerous.
- A driving fault is not potentially dangerous, but if you keep making the same one it could become a serious fault.
Instructors and learners often call driving faults "minors" and serious or dangerous faults "majors". You pass with no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults. Our guide to how many driving faults fail you covers the pass mark in detail.
How examiners decide how serious a fault is
The DVSA publishes the guide to assessment and marking that examiners use. It explains that the same mistake can be marked at different levels depending on what happened around it. Its example for observation at junctions shows the scale clearly:
- Driving fault: you look before emerging but misjudge the speed of an approaching vehicle. Nobody's safety is put at risk.
- Serious fault: you don't take effective observation before emerging and pull out into the path of other vehicles.
- Dangerous fault: the lack of observation causes actual danger, for example the examiner has to act to avoid a collision.
Examiners also ask themselves one question about every possible fail: if the drive had been perfect before and after this fault, would this fault alone justify failing the test? That keeps the focus on the fault itself rather than on how the rest of the drive went.
Breaking the law, such as driving through a red light, ignoring a stop sign or driving well above the speed limit, is treated as a serious fault.
Not every slip is a fault
The marking guide describes some deviations as "not worthy" of recording because they don't affect safety. Its examples include dry steering (turning the wheel while the car is stationary), sequential gear changes and not pressing the button on the handbrake when applying it.
Each mistake is also marked only once. Examiners are told not to double-mark a single error, and to wait until the event has finished before deciding how to record it.
When small faults add up
One driving fault in a particular skill won't fail you. Making the same driving fault again and again can. The marking guide says a candidate who habitually commits a driving fault in one aspect of driving can't be regarded as competent, and the repeated fault can then be assessed as serious. Its example is a driver who habitually fails to check the mirrors when they should.
So two driving faults for mirrors might be fine, but missing mirror checks at most junctions on the drive could become a serious fault, even if your total is well under 15.
When the examiner takes action
If the examiner had to tell you to do something, or take control of the car to avoid an incident, your result shows "examiner took action". That's explained in the DVSA's guide to understanding your driving test result, which also lists the most common faults for each skill and how to improve.
Myths about faults
The DVSA's Ready to Pass? campaign tackles some common driving test myths:
- Stalling. If you stall once and keep control, you won't automatically fail. Stalling and rolling back a considerable distance, or stalling repeatedly, will fail you.
- Crossing your hands on the wheel. Examiners assess whether your steering is smooth, safe and under control. They won't mark a fault just because you crossed your hands.
- Exaggerated head movements. You don't need to make a show of checking your mirrors. Examiners are trained to spot proper observation.
Reading your result
Faults are recorded against named skills, such as "Junctions - Observation", "Use of mirrors - Change direction" or "Move off - Safety". The examiner tells you about any faults at the end of the test, and you also get your result by email. If you didn't pass, the faults show where to focus your lessons before you rebook.
How the simulator marks faults
Driving Test Simulator records driving, serious and dangerous faults under the same skill headings and pins each one to the map where it happened, so you can replay the drive. What counts as a fault, and how serious, is the simulator's own reading of the examiner guidance. It's an independent practice aid, not a DVSA examiner, but it shows you which habits to work on.
Questions
What is the difference between a minor and a major on the driving test?
A minor is a driving fault: not potentially dangerous on its own, and you can make up to 15. A major is a serious or dangerous fault: potentially or actually dangerous, and one of them means you fail.
Is stalling an automatic fail?
No. The DVSA says that if you stall once and keep control of the car, you will not automatically fail. You will fail if you stall and roll back a considerable distance, or if you stall repeatedly.