Driving test waits ease, but learners still face 20 weeks
The average wait has fallen to its lowest level in two years, but remains close to five months.
Learners in Great Britain are still waiting an average of about 20 weeks for a practical driving test, despite a small improvement in the latest figures. The data, reported by BBC News, show that the backlog remains far above the government’s earlier ambition to reduce waits to seven weeks.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s latest release covers September 2026 data and was published on Wednesday. BBC News reported that the average wait had fallen from 20.2 weeks in July to about 20 weeks in the latest figures, making it the lowest level for two years but still leaving roughly five months between booking and taking a test.
The national average should not be confused with the median waiting time. DVSA guidance says half of the learners who took a test in August waited no more than 11.1 weeks. The two measures describe different parts of the system: one reflects the booking position, while the other records how long recent test-takers actually waited.
Test capacity has been rising. BBC News reported that more than 2.13 million practical car tests took place in the 12 months to August, the highest rolling 12-month total on record. That increase has helped reduce the queue, but demand for appointments and uneven availability between test centres continue to leave many learners waiting considerably longer than the median.
The government has previously aimed to bring the average wait down to seven weeks. The target has been delayed after earlier deadlines were missed, and the latest figures show that the service remains well short of that level. The long waits can also mean extra lessons and repeated timetable changes, and can make it harder for people who need a licence to plan work or study.
DVSA releases a new week of appointments at 6am every Monday, with those slots generally 24 weeks ahead. Earlier appointments can appear during the week when someone cancels or changes a booking, or when the agency adds examiner availability. The agency says there is no single best time to search for a cancellation.
Most test centres do not operate a formal waiting or cancellation list. Learners who already have a booking are instead advised to use the online service to look for an earlier appointment. DVSA warns that repeatedly searching over a short period can trigger limits on access to the service.
The published guidance applies to England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland uses a separate driving-test service, so the figures reported here are for Great Britain rather than the whole United Kingdom.
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The article’s figures and booking rules are supported by DVSA guidance and the BBC’s report on the latest data. It clearly distinguishes the reported average wait from DVSA’s separate median measure and limits the figures to Great Britain.
- confirmed DVSA published updated car driving-test data on 14 October 2026. — The DVSA statistical-data page records the 14 October update with data for September 2026. source
- confirmed The average wait was about 20 weeks, down slightly from 20.2 weeks in July. — BBC News reports these figures from DVSA data. source
- confirmed Half of learners who took a test in August waited no more than 11.1 weeks. — The figure appears in current DVSA guidance. source
- confirmed More than 2.13 million practical car tests took place in the 12 months to August. — BBC News reports the rolling 12-month total from DVSA figures. source
- confirmed New appointment slots are generally released 24 weeks ahead on Mondays. — DVSA guidance specifies the Monday release schedule and 24-week booking window. source
- confirmed The guidance applies to England, Scotland and Wales, while Northern Ireland uses a separate service. — The relevant GOV.UK pages specify both arrangements. source
Editor's note
The 20-week average and two-year comparison are reported by BBC News from DVSA figures, while DVSA confirms the latest publication and separately reports an 11.1-week median for August. The figures cover Great Britain; Northern Ireland has a separate testing system.Sources
- Learner drivers still forced to wait months to book tests — BBC News
- Driving test and theory test data: cars — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
- Driving test appointments: release dates and finding earlier tests — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
- Book your driving test — GOV.UK
More on this in other media
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