What are the consequences of not attending the scheduled Subject 3 driving test?
3 Answers
If you miss the test without canceling, it will be recorded as a failure. You only have five chances to schedule the Subject 3 test, and exceeding this limit will invalidate all previous test results. If you cancel the Subject 3 test appointment, it will not affect your next scheduling attempt. Generally, canceled test appointments are not counted toward the limit. A successfully canceled appointment does not impact future scheduling, as canceling is equivalent to not taking the test and does not count toward the five-attempt limit. However, each subject can only be canceled up to three times. If the rescheduling is not due to a failed test, you can immediately rebook the test. If you have only submitted a successful appointment request, you can cancel it online. If the appointment has been confirmed and you have received an SMS notification, you must bring your ID to the vehicle management office to cancel the appointment. Note that this must be done before the day before the test. Failing to cancel on time or not canceling at all will be treated as a no-show. The vehicle management office uses an online test scheduling system to process test appointment requests for registered applicants. The process and specific details are as follows: Based on the test schedule, the office accepts test appointment applications and stops accepting them five days before the test date. If the test slots are not fully booked, the acceptance period may be extended until three days before the test. The system compiles test appointment information and automatically ranks applicants according to the following rules: For first-time Subject 3 test appointments, ranking is based on the time of driver's license application acceptance. For non-first-time Subject 3 test appointments or appointments for other subjects, ranking is based on the date of the last test taken. For applicants who cancel or miss a successfully scheduled test due to personal reasons, ranking is based on the cancellation or no-show time. If both the second and third conditions apply, ranking is based on the most recent time. Based on the test schedule and applicant ranking, the system determines the test appointment results, notifies applicants via SMS, and publishes the results online for applicants to check and download the appointment confirmation. Cancellation requests submitted on or before the test scheduling deadline are processed directly (only once). For requests submitted after the deadline, applicants must visit the city vehicle management office's service counter in person to cancel the test.
Last time one of my students did this, and the system directly marked the exam as a failure! It was recorded as a fail in the 12123 system, and they couldn’t reschedule for the next 10 days. The worst part was having to complete another 24 hours of training for the retake, plus paying the exam and insurance fees again. Even worse, the instructor told me that skipping the exam without a valid reason counts as disrupting exam order, and stricter exam centers might suspend the entire driving test record for three months. If you really have an issue, you must cancel at the DMV at least two days in advance—otherwise, disappearing like this is a huge loss.
Last month, three unlucky students from our driving school didn't show up for their exams, not only wasting one exam opportunity but also having to pay the full retake fee. The instructor was so angry that he yelled in the group chat, saying that exam slots are already tight, and such no-shows could lower the entire driving school's exam scheduling priority. The most frustrating part is having to queue up again for a new appointment—nowadays, booking for Subject 3 often means waiting over a month. I see them coming to the driving school every day for extra practice, terrified of messing up again on their second attempt. Their psychological stress is even greater than those who failed.