The Bottom Line
- PLAB 1 is a <strong>180-question</strong> SBA paper completed in <strong>3 hours</strong>—book via <strong>GMC Online</strong> only.
- You cannot “swap” dates: you typically <strong>cancel first</strong>, then re-book any alternative place you’re eligible for.
- The <strong>42-day rule</strong> matters: cancellations <strong>42 days or less</strong> can cost <strong>100%</strong> of the fee.
- If you’re seeing rumours about “agents”, bots, or paid booking services: treat it as a <strong>risk to your account and future registration</strong>.
Most booking problems are not “study problems”—they’re process problems. The goal is to secure a PLAB 1 slot early, then plan backwards. PLAB 1 is a written exam of 180 multiple choice questions (single best answer style) completed within three hours.
Do not outsource your booking
Book through your own GMC Online account. Avoid third parties, automated tools, or anyone asking for your login details. Even if the motive is “just to secure a seat”, it creates real risk (account security, misconduct processes, and downstream registration complications).
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Step 1 — Create your GMC Online account early
Do this well before you want to sit the exam. You want to be ready the moment you’re eligible to book, rather than losing weeks to admin delays.
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Step 2 — Use the PLAB booking service to compare locations and dates
Choose your preferred centre and date based on your timeline, travel constraints, and realistic revision runway. Lock your exam date first; optimise everything else later.
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Step 3 — Confirm what “changing dates” actually means
In practice, you typically cancel your existing booking if you want an alternative slot, then book another place you’re eligible for. Read the booking guidance carefully before you click—this is where candidates make expensive mistakes.
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Step 4 — Treat cancellations like a financial decision
The amount you lose depends on how close you are to the exam date. If you’re anywhere near the 42-day threshold, pause and check the fee table before acting.
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Step 5 — Build your ‘exam day admin’ checklist
Keep your booking confirmation and centre details to hand, plan travel conservatively, and remove preventable failure modes (wrong centre, wrong ID, late arrival, or last-minute cancellations).
The 42-day cancellation rule (why candidates get caught out)
Cancellation fees are tiered by how many days remain before your test. If you cancel 42 days or less before PLAB 1, you can be charged 100% of the test fee. Always verify the current figures before cancelling.
Practice
Test your knowledge
Apply this concept immediately with a high-yield question block from the iatroX Q-Bank.
SourceGMC: A guide to the PLAB test (format overview)
Open Link SourceGMC: Information on booking a PLAB 1 place (swapping dates)
Open Link SourceGMC: How to cancel your PLAB 1 booking (process + disruptions)
Open Link SourceGMC: Fees for doctors (PLAB fees + cancellation fee table; effective dates)
Open Link