Starting Friday, drivers who ditch their road test or cancel less than 24 hours before could be charged up to $40. 

People who cancel their test 24 to 72 hours before the test will be fined $20.

Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) officials say it's all about decreasing missed appointments and making sure others have access to open spots. 

A policy first put in place in 2021 charged $20 for no-shows, and in 2024, funding was provided by the legislature for 30 additional examiners to allow for more appointments.

Yet Jody-Kay Peterson, the DVS program director, says no-show rates are still high. One in five road test appointments goes unused because people don't show up or cancel too late.

"As we see the no-show increasing, we definitely saw, well, something needs to be done," Peterson said. 

In 2024, more than 48,000 people didn't show up for their road test appointments. So far this year, 24,000 road tests have been missed. Between July 8 and July 24, 273 slots were wasted. 

"When you cancel within due time, that is going to give your neighbor, friend, family member, relative that chance to get that appointment," Peterson said.

The fee is collected when the customer applies for their driver's license.

Officials hope this will lead to zero no-shows going forward. 

To schedule, cancel or change an appointment online, click here.