Across the UK, learner drivers are facing mounting frustration as waiting times for practical driving tests continue to stretch well beyond acceptable limits. The national backlog, worsened by pandemic-related disruptions and examiner shortages, has left many learners waiting up to six months—or even longer—to book a test.
In some areas, test centres are fully booked for the maximum advance window of 24 weeks, with few, if any, cancellations becoming available. For many, this isn’t just inconvenient—it’s disruptive to work, education, and daily life.
What’s Causing the Delays?
Several factors have contributed to the current crisis in the driving test system:
- COVID-19 Disruptions: During lockdowns, thousands of tests were cancelled. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has struggled to clear the backlog ever since.
- High Demand: As restrictions lifted, a surge of new learners entered the system, while thousands who had already started learning were eager to complete their tests.
- Examiner Shortages: The DVSA has faced recruitment challenges, with efforts ongoing to train and deploy more examiners across the country.
- Booking System Abuse: Bots and third-party agents have been exploiting the booking system to reserve slots in bulk, reselling them at inflated prices and limiting access for genuine learners.
These issues combined have created a bottleneck, leaving many learners unable to plan their driving journey with any certainty.
Government Response
The DVSA has acknowledged the severity of the delays and is actively implementing changes. Initiatives include:
- Recruiting hundreds of new driving examiners
- Offering overtime to increase testing capacity
- Doubling training capacity for examiner candidates
- Cracking down on booking system abuse and third-party resellers
- Extending the test cancellation notice period to help free up slots
Despite these efforts, the current average waiting time remains around 20 weeks, and officials now estimate that the backlog may not return to pre-pandemic levels until mid-2026.
The Impact on Learners
Many learners have shared their concerns about the delays, noting how it affects job opportunities, independence, and even mental health. Some resort to paying high prices for test slots via unofficial means, further fuelling the problem.
Others are stuck in limbo, having completed lessons and feeling test-ready, but unable to book a test for months. This waiting period can cause skills to fade and confidence to drop, requiring additional lessons just to stay sharp.
A Faster Route to the Road
For those who can’t afford to wait, there is another option: a Fast track driving test.
Fast Pass Driving Courses offers intensive courses combined with fast-track practical test booking. These packages are designed to help learners prepare efficiently and secure a driving test date in the shortest time possible. With nationwide coverage and DVSA-approved instructors, it’s an ideal solution for those who need their licence quickly and want to avoid the long queues.
