Driving Test Faults Explained: Driving, Serious and Dangerous Faults
Last updated 1 November 2026
Driving, serious and dangerous faults explained, plus the pass mark: no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous fault.
"How many minors can I get?" is one of the first questions learners ask, and it is a sensible one — but it is only half the story. The type of fault matters just as much as the number, and one fault of the wrong type is enough to fail, however well the rest of the drive went.
The three types of fault
GOV.UK describes three types:
- A dangerous fault — this involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property.
- A serious fault — something potentially dangerous.
- A driving fault — this is not potentially dangerous, but if you keep making the same fault, it could become a serious fault.
Driving faults are sometimes called "minors" and serious or dangerous faults are sometimes called "majors". The official terms above are the ones your examiner will use on your feedback.
The pass mark
You will pass your driving test if you make:
- no more than 15 driving faults, and
- no serious or dangerous faults.
That means 15 driving faults is the maximum, not a target. A clean drive with a handful of small faults is a pass. A drive with 16 driving faults fails, even if none of them was dangerous on its own. And a drive with one serious fault fails, even if you made no other faults at all.
What each type looks like in practice
These are general examples to help you understand the definitions, not a list of guaranteed markings — grading always depends on context.
Driving fault examples: a slightly late signal, a momentary lapse in mirror checks that causes no risk, a slightly wide position that you correct promptly. On their own, these are not dangerous.
Serious fault examples: pulling out at a junction without proper observation, when another driver has to slow down; missing a clear observation at a roundabout; failing to respond to a traffic light or road sign in a way that could have put someone at risk. The key word is "potentially" — nobody was actually endangered, but they could have been.
Dangerous fault examples: a manoeuvre or decision that creates actual danger — for example, changing lanes into the path of another vehicle so that driver has to brake or swerve, or proceeding when a pedestrian is already crossing in front of you. The examiner may also intervene, verbally or physically, to prevent danger. That intervention itself usually means a dangerous fault has been recorded.
The repeat rule: if you keep making the same driving fault — for example, repeatedly missing the same mirror check — the examiner can mark it as a serious fault, because a pattern shows a gap in your driving rather than a one-off slip.
What happens after the test
At the end, the examiner will tell you what faults you made, if any. If you pass, you will get a pass certificate and be asked if you want your full licence sent automatically — give them your provisional licence if you want that. You can start driving straight away; you do not need to wait for the full licence to arrive.
If you do not pass, the examiner will explain the faults. That feedback is the most useful thing you will take away from a failed test, because it tells you and your instructor exactly what to work on. See our guide to failing and retaking for what happens next.
How to use this in lessons
Do not aim for "15 minors and a pass". Aim for a drive where faults are rare, because the margin disappears quickly if nerves add a few more on the day. Ask your instructor for a mock test marked in the same three categories, so you learn to hear the difference between "that was a small slip, keep going" and "that could have been serious".
And if something goes wrong during your test, keep driving as well as you can. One fault does not automatically mean you have failed, and a calm recovery can be the difference between a driving fault and a serious one.
Fault definitions and the pass mark are taken from GOV.UK. Check GOV.UK before your test, as the format can change.
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