Learner drivers are experiencing an average 20-week wait to book a practical driving test, according to new figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for August. This represents only a slight improvement from 20.2 weeks in July.
The average wait time between booking a test and actually sitting it remains unchanged at 11.1 weeks. The DVSA had initially aimed to reduce the average booking wait time to seven weeks by the end of last year. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander later pushed this target to summer 2026, but subsequently stated it would not be achievable.
Earlier this year, the DVSA implemented changes to its booking system. These changes include restricting test bookings to the learner driver themselves, limiting bookings to their three local test centres, and capping the number of times a test date can be swapped.
The DVSA reported that more than 2.13 million practical driving tests were conducted in the 12 months leading up to August 2026, marking the highest rolling 12-month figure on record. DVSA chief executive Beverley Warmington stated, "There's more to do and we're not going to stop until every learner can get a fair test slot when they need one but today's figures show our plan is working."