Driving test waits fall to two-year low - but still average 20 weeks
Waiting times for practical driving tests in the UK have dropped to an average of 19.7 weeks, the lowest in two years, but remain significantly longer than the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's (DVSA) target.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
Despite a slight improvement, learner drivers still face average waits of nearly five months for a practical test, a backlog largely attributed to the Covid pandemic. The DVSA has made changes to the booking system to combat reselling and increased examiner numbers, yet a driving instructor notes that demand continues to outstrip supply, leading to ongoing frustration for learners.
Imagine you want to learn to ride a bike, but you need a special test to prove you can do it safely. Lots of kids want to take this test, but there aren't enough people to give the tests, so you have to wait a really, really long time—like five months! Even though the wait is a little shorter now than it used to be, it's still super long, making it hard for people to get their license and do things like get to a job or school.
Analysis
19.7 weeks
Official figures reveal that the average waiting time for a practical driving test in the UK has decreased to 19.7 weeks, marking the lowest point since November 2024. This reduction, while modest, represents a slight easing of the significant backlog that accumulated during the Covid pandemic, which began in 2020. However, this average still translates to nearly five months, far exceeding the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's (DVSA) initial goal of a seven-week wait by the end of last year.
The persistent lengthy waits continue to pose substantial challenges for learner drivers across the country. Many aspiring motorists find their freedom, educational pursuits, and job prospects constrained by the inability to secure a test slot in a timely manner. The current average, despite being a two-year low, underscores the ongoing struggle to return to pre-pandemic service levels and meet the sustained high demand for driving tests.
Sophie Stuchfield
Sophie Stuchfield, a driving instructor based in Watford, offers a critical perspective on the DVSA's reported progress, stating that the slight fall in waiting times is "nothing to boast about." While she acknowledges the positive impact of the DVSA's changes to the booking system, which have largely stopped the reselling of test slots by third-party providers using automated bots, she highlights persistent issues.
Stuchfield points out that in many areas, the actual wait for a driving test when booking is still around 21 weeks, exceeding the national average. She describes the frustration experienced by her students who wake up early on booking days only to find tests snatched up before they can complete their details. This situation often leads to learners booking tests five months in advance, even before starting lessons, creating immense pressure on both students and instructors.
Summer 2026
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has faced considerable challenges in meeting its targets for reducing driving test waiting times. Initially, the agency aimed to bring the average wait down to seven weeks by the end of the previous year. However, this target was subsequently pushed back by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to summer 2026, and even that revised goal was later deemed unattainable, with expectations now set for next autumn.
Despite these setbacks, the DVSA asserts its commitment to reducing waiting times and reports that examiner numbers are at their highest level since November 2017. The agency conducted 191,682 practical driving tests in September, with over half resulting in a pass. While these efforts demonstrate a concerted push to address the backlog, the repeated adjustments to target dates indicate the scale of the challenge in aligning supply with the enduring demand for driving tests.
Key points
- Average driving test waiting times have fallen to 19.7 weeks, a two-year low.
- This average still equates to nearly five months, far exceeding the DVSA's target of seven weeks.
- The backlog originated during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
- Changes to the booking system have largely stopped the reselling of test slots by bots.
- The DVSA reports examiner numbers are at their highest since November 2017, but demand still outstrips supply.
The DVSA has successfully implemented changes to stop third-party reselling of test slots, a significant positive step that levels the playing field for learners. Furthermore, examiner numbers are at their highest level since 2017, indicating a sustained effort to increase capacity and gradually reduce the backlog, offering hope for continued improvement in waiting times.
Despite recent improvements, waiting times remain excessively long, averaging nearly five months, and the DVSA has repeatedly missed its own targets for reduction. The persistent imbalance between demand and examiner availability means many learners continue to face significant delays, impacting their personal and professional lives.
