DVSA issue driving test warning as wait times reach ‘new high’

The average waiting time to book a practical test was 20 weeks in February, up from 14 weeks a year earlier

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DVSA issue driving test warning following record wait times. (Getty Images)(Image: Getty Images)

The DVSA have issued a warning to anyone looking to book their driving test in the coming weeks, as waiting times at test centres across the country have hit a ‘new high’.

New figures, released by AA Driving School earlier this week, have revealed that the number of test centres with 24 week waits has doubled compared to this time last year.

As of February, only 14 centres had waiting times at or below seven weeks, which is the DVSA’s nationwide target for the end of 2025.

The data, which came from a Freedom of Information request to the DVSA, also showed that the average waiting time to book a practical test was 20 weeks in February, up from 14 weeks a year earlier.

Driving licence holding among young people has fallen, with the most recent data showing 29% of 17-to-20-year-olds hold a licence, compared to 35% pre-pandemic.

Amid this, the Office for National Statistics reports that the number of young people not in employment or education has risen by 26,000 on the year from October to December 2023 – hinting at a connection between the two statistics.

As part of it’s strategy to tackle the backlog, the DVSA are bringing in a new rule which will require anyone who has booked a driving test to give 10 full working days’ notice in order to change or cancel.

This is a major change from the current requirement of three days, which the DVSA believes is a contributing factor to the record wait times.

This new rule will come into effect from Tuesday, 8 April.

The government agency also recently announced a campaign to recruit and train up to 450 new driving examiners – another measure which should greatly reduce the pile-up.

Emma Bush, Managing Director of AA Driving School, said: “We are pleased the DVSA has laid out its plans to reach an average waiting time of 7 weeks by December 2025 and wholeheartedly support their goal. It is crucial efforts to meet this target are effective and result in this significant reduction.

“There are rising numbers of young people who are registered as economically inactive. Bringing down driving test waiting times is vital to ensure a lack of driving licence does not become an ongoing barrier for young people trying to access education and employment.

“The most effective way to ensure waiting times are brought down is to increase the number of test slots available by increasing the overall number of driving test examiners.”

Driving test centres with a 24 week wait as of 03 February 2025: