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Driving test waiting times fall to a two-year low averaging 19.7 weeks
Overview
Official figures show that waiting times for practical driving tests have dropped below 20 weeks for the first time since November 2024, averaging 19.7 weeks in September. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been working to clear a backlog originating from the Covid pandemic. Although changes to the booking system have successfully stopped third-party resellers from exploiting bot-bookings, driving instructors note that shortages of examiners and high demand continue to cause severe delays.
Key points
- Average practical driving test waiting times fell to 19.7 weeks in September.
- The DVSA originally aimed for a seven-week waiting time, but targets have been pushed back to next autumn.
- Changes to the booking system earlier this year stopped third-party resellers from using bots to block-book and resell tests.
- Driving instructors argue that despite the drop, waiting times of around five months remain too high due to a shortage of examiners.
- The DVSA stated that examiner numbers are at their highest level since November 2017 and it remains committed to reducing waiting times further.