Driving test wait time target will not be met until autumn next year
Summary
The wait time for booking a driving test in the UK is currently about 22 weeks and is not expected to drop to the government’s target of seven weeks until autumn 2025. The government has introduced new rules to stop test reselling and fake bookings, but high demand and staffing shortages continue to cause delays.Key Facts
- In April, the average wait time to book a driving test was nearly 22 weeks.
- Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the wait was about five weeks.
- The target is to reduce waits to seven weeks by autumn 2025, later than originally planned.
- New rules mean only learners can book tests themselves, limiting changes to booked slots and restricting test swaps to nearby centers.
- Test swaps have dropped by 70% since the new rules started in May and June.
- There were 147 more driving examiners employed in the year to May.
- Some learners have paid high prices to get test slots from resellers, who sometimes use driving instructors’ login details illegally.
- The government plans to publish more detailed wait time data broken down by test center location.
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