How long it now takes to book a driving test in the UK

The UK’s driving test backlog continues to frustrate learner drivers, with the national average waiting time for a car practical test reaching 21.2 weeks as of January 2026, according to the latest government figures.

In a written parliamentary question tabled on 3 March 2026, Labour MP Peter Swallow (Bracknell) asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress the Department has made on reducing waiting times for driving test appointments.

Simon Lightwood, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Transport, responding on Monday (9 March), outlined ongoing efforts by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to tackle the issue while maintaining road safety standards.

The response highlighted this as part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change” to improve access to opportunities.

Key details from the government’s answer include:

The DVSA is ramping up recruitment of driving examiners nationwide. A full-time driving examiner typically delivers around 1,200 tests per year.
Examiner capacity has grown: From April 2025 to January 2026, full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners increased from 1,413 to 1,546 – a net gain of 130 FTE.
In the financial year to January 31, 2026, the DVSA conducted 1,623,925 car practical tests.
The additional test allowance scheme, introduced in June 2025, contributed to 123,320 more tests compared to the same period the previous year.

These measures build on earlier initiatives, including recruitment drives, expanded test slots such as weekends and bank holidays in some cases, and crackdowns on third-party resellers and bots that exploit the system by hoarding and reselling slots at inflated prices (sometimes up to £500 versus the official £62 fee).

Despite the progress, waiting times remain significantly elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels (around 5–6 weeks in early 2020). Earlier forecasts from the DVSA and National Audit Office (NAO) had targeted a reduction to seven weeks by the end of 2025 or summer 2026, but revised modelling pushed that goal to late 2027 in some assessments.

Recent regional data shows variation: some test centres offer waits as short as four weeks, while many, particularly in high-demand urban areas like parts of London and northern England, still approach or hit the 24-week maximum.

Changes to booking

The government is also implementing booking system reforms to make the process fairer:

Only the learner driver (using their own provisional licence details) can book and manage car practical tests—no third parties or bots.
Limits on changes: Learners can typically reschedule or swap a test only twice, with restrictions on how far the new location can be.

These changes aim to curb abuse, free up more legitimate slots, and deliver thousands of additional tests annually.

Learner drivers and instructors continue to express frustration over the delays, which can stall job opportunities, independence, and training progress.

For the most up-to-date availability, learners should check the official GOV.UK driving test booking service, though many report limited slots at popular centres.

The Department for Transport said it continues to monitor progress and adjust plans as examiner numbers and test volumes increase.