Parallel Parking Step by Step

01What to expect on test day

Parallel parking is one of three manoeuvres you could be asked to perform. You will only be asked to do one, and there is no way to know in advance which it will be.

If you are asked to parallel park, the examiner will direct you to pull up on the left, ahead of a parked vehicle, then give you the following instruction:

🗣 What the examiner will say

"I'd like you to pull up on the left, just before the parked car. Then, when you're ready, reverse in behind it and try to park reasonably close to the kerb and within two car lengths of it."

The examiner will not coach you through it. From this point, the manoeuvre is entirely yours to manage.

Starting position — top-down view

Parked
car

Target space
≤ 2 car lengths

Your
car

Parked vehicle

Your car

Target space

Before you start — pull up correctly

Position yourself roughly parallel to the parked car with about a metre of lateral clearance and your bonnet roughly level with its bonnet. Signal left as you pull up if there is traffic behind you.

02The manoeuvre — step by step

The sequence below focuses on the principles and observation requirements that apply to all techniques — these are what the examiner marks.

👁

All-round observation before moving Observation

Before selecting reverse gear, carry out a full 360-degree check.

Complete before selecting reverse

Interior mirror — following traffic speed and distance
Left door mirror — nearside clearance and pavement
Right door mirror — approaching vehicles from behind
Right shoulder blind spot
Left shoulder blind spot — cyclists on the nearside

Select reverse, begin reversing slowly — straight back

Move back slowly and straight to begin with. Look mainly out of the rear window. Your speed should be very slow — walking pace or slower.

First steering point — turn towards the kerb

As your rear passes the back of the parked car, begin steering towards the kerb. Your instructor will have given you a specific reference point for this.

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Check for hazards as the angle develops Observation

As your car angles in, your front end swings out towards the centre of the road. This is when oncoming vehicles or cyclists are most at risk.

Check while angling in

Right door mirror — front of your car swinging out into road
Look right for oncoming traffic
Left door mirror — distance to kerb at the rear
Rear window — anything behind you in the space

Second steering point — straighten up

When your car reaches approximately 45 degrees to the kerb, begin steering away from the kerb to bring the car parallel.

Third steering point — final correction

Apply one final turn back towards the kerb to bring the wheels straight and the car parallel. Check the left mirror frequently — finish close to the kerb without touching it.

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Final stop and all-round check Observation

Stop smoothly. Apply the handbrake. Before moving off again, carry out a full all-round observation including blind spots over both shoulders.

03Observation — the part most learners under-prepare

Most learners practise the steering. Far fewer practise the observation to the same standard. On test, the examiner gives equal weight to both.

What the examiner is watching for

All-round observation before the manoeuvre begins
Regular mirror checks throughout — not just at the start
Appropriate response to hazards — stopping when something appears
Checking both door mirrors during the reversing phase
Looking out of the rear window while reversing
Full all-round check before moving off at the end

⚠ The observation fault examiners see most

Completing the full observation check at the start — then not looking again until the manoeuvre is finished. Observation must be continuous. Stopping and waiting when a hazard appears is exactly correct. Continuing regardless is a serious fault.

04What causes faults — and which ones fail you

What happened	Likely fault	Notes
Finished more than 2 car lengths from vehicle in front	Serious	The examiner's instruction was explicit.
Lightly touched the kerb at low speed	Context	A gentle brush may be minor. Any firm contact is likely serious.
Mounted the kerb	Serious	Automatic fail — loss of control.
Finished parallel but wide of the kerb	Minor	Reasonably close is the standard, not perfectly close.
Needed one or two shunts to correct position	No fault	Corrections are expected. Recheck all round before reversing again.
No observation before starting to reverse	Serious	Moving off without checking is serious regardless of circumstances.
Continued reversing while a pedestrian crossed behind	Serious	Failure to respond to a hazard. Examiner may intervene.
Front of car swung into oncoming lane	Serious	Caused an obstruction to other road users.

What happened

Likely fault

Notes

Finished more than 2 car lengths from vehicle in front

Serious

The examiner's instruction was explicit.

Lightly touched the kerb at low speed

Context

A gentle brush may be minor. Any firm contact is likely serious.

Mounted the kerb

Serious

Automatic fail — loss of control.

Finished parallel but wide of the kerb

Minor

Reasonably close is the standard, not perfectly close.

Needed one or two shunts to correct position

No fault

Corrections are expected. Recheck all round before reversing again.

No observation before starting to reverse

Serious

Moving off without checking is serious regardless of circumstances.

Continued reversing while a pedestrian crossed behind

Serious

Failure to respond to a hazard. Examiner may intervene.

Front of car swung into oncoming lane

Serious

Caused an obstruction to other road users.

05Common questions

Can I take as many shunts (forward corrections) as I need?

Yes — within reason. There is no fixed limit. What matters is that each time you move forward to correct, you carry out a proper all-round observation before reversing again. Corrections done safely are not faults.

Does it matter if my wheels are turned when I finish?

Yes — straighten your wheels before you stop. Leaving the car parked with full steering lock applied puts strain on the tyres and steering mechanism, and the examiner may note it.

What if another car parks in my space mid-manoeuvre?

Stop, wait to see whether the other driver moves on, and if the space is no longer usable, tell the examiner calmly. You will not be penalised for another driver's actions.

What if I feel like I am going to hit the kerb — should I stop?

Yes, immediately. Stop, apply the handbrake, check all around, then move forward to correct your position before reversing again. The correction itself does not cause the serious fault. Continuing to reverse when you can see you are going to strike the kerb does.

Parallelparking

01What to expect on test day

02The manoeuvre — step by step

03Observation — the part most learners under-prepare

04What causes faults — and which ones fail you

05Common questions

Parallel
parking