Can you take the UK driving theory test in Punjabi?

No. DVSA runs the theory test in English and Welsh only. You can ask for the questions to be read to you through headphones, but the voiceover is available in those two languages — not Punjabi. Foreign-language voiceovers and on-the-day interpreters were withdrawn in 2014 and have not returned.

If Punjabi is your first language, that does not stop you passing. It changes what you should be doing to prepare.

What languages is the theory test available in?

Three forms of support are available, and none of them is a translation:

  • English voiceover — questions and answers read aloud through headphones, repeatable as often as you need.
  • Welsh voiceover — the same, in Welsh.
  • British Sign Language — a BSL video alongside the questions, plus the option of a BSL interpreter, for deaf candidates.

You can also ask for extra time, or for a member of staff to reword a question. They can reorder a sentence or swap a non-technical word, but they cannot change the technical terms you are being tested on — and they cannot translate.

What this means if Punjabi is your first language

You will sit the test in English. So the goal of revision is not only to learn the rules — it is to know them well enough in English that the wording on the day is not what catches you out.

That is a different problem from learning to drive, and it is the one most people underestimate. You can know exactly what to do at a junction and still lose a mark because a question turns on a phrase like "dual carriageway" or "nearside".

The way through it is to learn each rule in the language you think in, then meet the same rule in the English you will be tested in.

Revising for the theory test in Punjabi

Nothing official exists in Punjabi. DVSA publishes no Punjabi materials, and there is no Punjabi edition of the official theory test book.

Pakka Pass was built for exactly this gap. Every question appears in Gurmukhi, in romanised Punjabi for people who speak Punjabi but do not read the script, and in English — so you can check your understanding in one language and confirm it in the one you will be tested in.

It runs entirely on your phone, with no account and no tracking.

View Pakka Pass on App Store

Hazard perception when English is not your first language

The hazard perception part of the test consists of video clips showing everyday road scenes. You click your mouse as soon as you see a developing hazard — something that would cause a driver to take action, such as changing speed or direction.

Scoring is based strictly on your timing and reaction speed. There is no voiceover or audio commentary in any language on this section, meaning your performance does not depend on reading speed or spoken language comprehension.

Common questions

Can you do the theory test in Punjabi?

No. English and Welsh are the only voiceover languages.

Can I do my theory test in another language?

Not since 2014. Foreign-language voiceovers and interpreters were withdrawn then and have not returned.

Is there a theory test book in Punjabi?

No official one. The DVSA books are published in English and Welsh.

Can I take an interpreter into the theory test?

Only a BSL interpreter, and only if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

What help can I get if English is not my first language?

The English voiceover, extra time, and rewording of non-technical phrasing. All must be requested when you book.