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PLAB 1 Booking: Dates, Centres, Reschedules & Cancellations

A practical, step-by-step PLAB 1 booking guide: exam format, choosing a test centre, swapping dates safely, and the 42-day cancellation rule.

Review date
Jan 2026
Reading time
8 min read
Author
Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MSt MRCGP
On this page
IMG pathwayThis guide is updated for 2026 regulations (UK/US/Aus/Can). Always verify with official bodies.

Key points

  • 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).
1

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.
2

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.
3

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.
4

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.
5

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.
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
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  • 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.

    Return to this section

  • 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.

    Return to this section

  • 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.

    Return to this section

  • 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.

    Return to this section

  • 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).

    Return to this section

United Kingdom · Exams · Article 2 of 6