How Long Does It Take to Receive a Notification After Booking the Subject 3 Test?
4 Answers
Generally, you will receive an SMS notification within 1 to 3 days after booking the Subject 3 test. However, delays may occur due to regional or system-related reasons. The latest you should receive the SMS is typically 5 to 10 days before the scheduled test date. Students can directly call the local vehicle management office to confirm whether the test booking was successful. Additionally, students can check the booking status on transportation websites such as 12123, where information is updated more quickly. Subject 3 includes the road driving skills test and the safety and civilized driving knowledge test, which are part of the motor vehicle driver's license assessment. It is the abbreviated term for the road driving skills and safety and civilized driving knowledge test subjects in the motor vehicle driver's test. The content of the road driving skills test varies depending on the type of vehicle you are licensed to drive.
Last week I accompanied my younger brother through the driver's license test process. After booking the Subject 3 exam, you typically receive an SMS notification within 3 days. The exact timing depends on exam schedules and traffic management system processing speed—during peak holiday periods with high applicant volumes, waiting up to 5 days is normal. Remember to have him screenshot and save the successful booking confirmation page; if no SMS arrives, manually refresh the status in the 'Exam Booking' section of the 12123 app. Additionally, many test center official accounts push exam session arrangements two days in advance—monitoring both channels provides double assurance. If there's still no update after 5 days, immediately contact the driving school's academic office to check backend systems, don't just wait and risk delaying the next booking opportunity.
As someone who's been through it, the driving test (Subject 3) booking result came faster than expected. In my case, I submitted the application on Tuesday and got the notification during lunch on Thursday. The key is to check the submission time: applications submitted before 9 AM on weekdays usually get results by evening the same day; if you apply on Friday afternoon, it might drag until Monday. Don't panic if you don't receive an SMS—just open the 12123 APP. If the exam booking page shows 'Booking Successful,' you can ignore the SMS. However, if neither the APP nor SMS shows any update for over 4 days, it's likely the system missed your application, and that's when you should ask your instructor to check with the DMV.
I heard from a driving school instructor that the speed of receiving text messages is related to the test center's capacity. The test center I applied for only releases 200 slots every week. Students who successfully grab a slot on Wednesday morning usually receive notifications by 4 PM the same day. For batches that fill up by Wednesday afternoon, processing might take overnight. A friend who took the test in a mountainous area mentioned they had to wait a whole week, so don’t just stare at your phone—check the APP status actively three days before the test. Also, when filling out the reservation, make sure the phone number is correct. Last year, someone in our driving school missed the notification because they entered the wrong number.
