Driving test backlog ‘cannot get much worse’
The long wait learner drivers face to book their test
- Learner drivers in Britain face significant delays, with 81 per cent of test centres (258 locations) reporting the maximum 24-week waiting time for driving tests as of 5 May.
- The average waiting time across all test centres has increased to 22 weeks, up from 14 weeks in February 2024.
- The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) attributes the backlog to increased demand and early bookings, prompting an investigation by the National Audit Office.
- The government aims to reduce the average waiting time to seven weeks by summer 2026 and has consulted on measures to prevent bots from mass-booking and reselling test slots.
- Efforts to tackle the backlog include offering additional overtime payments to examiners and doubling the number of permanent trainers for new examiners.