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Driving test waits average about 20 weeks in latest DVSA figures
DVSA said average wait time to book and sit a practical test remained 11.1 weeks, even as the average booking delay edged down slightly from July to August.
Learner drivers in the UK face an average wait of around five months before they can book a practical driving test, according to new figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. BBC Business reports the August average wait time was about 20 weeks, only a marginal improvement from 20.2 weeks in July, while the average time between booking and sitting the test stayed at 11.1 weeks.
The DVSA had initially aimed to cut average waiting times to seven weeks by the end of last year, but the transport secretary later pushed the target to summer 2026 and then acknowledged it would not be achievable. The agency said it made changes earlier this year to the booking system, including limiting bookings to the learner driver and restricting where tests can be booked.
BBC Business also reports learners can only book at one of their three local test centres, rather than looking across the country for availability, and restrictions were placed on how many times a test date can be swapped. For some learners, the long delays translate into intense effort to secure a slot, with one 19-year-old describing repeated early morning attempts to book a test.
Despite the ongoing pressure, the DVSA said more than 2.13 million practical driving tests took place over the 12 months to August 2026, the highest rolling figure on record. The Driving Instructors Association said this is progress, but it argued learners and instructors still face real constraints in accessing the testing service when needed.