How long is a B1 English test valid?
A B1 speaking and listening test result is generally valid for two years. For citizenship or settlement, the test normally has to have been taken or awarded within the two years before the date you apply. There are two exceptions where an older test still works, both depending on the test having been accepted in an earlier UK application.
The two-year rule
GOV.UK's page on Secure English Language Tests says your result must "have been awarded in the two years before the date of your application", and that "test results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded". The legal wording varies a little by application:
- Citizenship: the test must have been "taken no more than two years before the date of the application for naturalisation" (British Nationality (General) Regulations 2003, regulation 5A).
- Settlement under Appendix KoLL (partners and parents): taken "no more than two years before the date of application".
- Settlement under Appendix English Language (most other routes): passed "in the 2 years before the date of application".
The providers put it the same way. LANGUAGECERT says its B1 result is valid for UK visa applications "for 2 years from the test date". Pearson says PTE Home results "are valid for two years from your test date". Trinity says it has recommended to the Home Office that only certificates less than two years old are accepted.
Some wording refers to the test date and some to the award date. The safest plan is to count two years from the day you sat the test and apply well inside that.
When an older test still counts
For citizenship
If your successful application for indefinite leave to remain relied on an English test or qualification at B1 or above, you meet the citizenship requirement through that. GOV.UK says you can use a B1, B2, C1 or C2 qualification that's run out if it was accepted when you settled, and it doesn't matter if the test is no longer on the current list. You don't need another test. More on citizenship.
For settlement
GOV.UK says an expired B1, B2, C1 or C2 qualification can be used to settle if both of these are true:
- it's on the current list of approved tests, and
- it was accepted for another UK immigration application, for example when you got permission to enter.
It also has to be at the level your settlement application needs. For most routes, applications made on or after 26 March 2027 need B2, and the rules say an earlier grant only helps if it was made on the basis of B2. So an old B1 test won't meet a B2 requirement, however it was used before. See how the 2027 change works.
When to book your test
Work backwards from the date you expect to apply. Leave time for your result to arrive (anything from a couple of days to about nine days, depending on the test) and for a resit if you need one. Booking far ahead risks the result running out if your application is delayed. How and when each test sends results.
Common questions
My B1 test is three years old and I'm applying for citizenship. Do I need a new one?
Only if it wasn't accepted when you got settlement. If your ILR was granted on the basis of that B1 test, GOV.UK says you can still use it for citizenship.
My test was valid when I applied but expires before the decision. Is that a problem?
The rules measure the two years back from the date of your application, not the date of the decision. If your case is unusual, check with a regulated adviser.
Can I take a B1 test now and use it after 26 March 2027?
For citizenship, and for the routes that stay at B1, yes, if you apply within two years. For most other settlement routes, an application made from 26 March 2027 needs B2, so a B1 result won't meet it. B1 or B2: which do I need?
General information, not immigration advice. We're independent of the Home Office and the test providers. Sources: GOV.UK: Secure English Language Tests; GOV.UK: if your qualification has run out; reg 5A; Appendix KoLL (2.2); Appendix English Language (EL 3.1, EL 6.1); LANGUAGECERT B1; Pearson PTE Home B1; Trinity GESE Grade 5. Checked 20 October 2026.