As you will know, we've made some big changes to the driving test booking system this year. We brought these in to tackle exploitation, improve fairness and give more control to learner drivers, because genuine learners deserve a fair shot at getting a test slot.
This month marks 3 months since the last of these measures came into force and we're beginning to see the impact of the changes. We promised we'd update you at this point to tell you what the data is saying, so that's what I'm going to do.
Better data is giving us a clearer picture of demand
As our Chief Executive, Beverley Warmington, highlighted in a previous blog post, we're now publishing median waiting times data alongside our existing waiting-time measure. This follows a recommendation from the National Audit Office (NAO) to provide a fuller picture of learners’ actual experiences.
We are also publishing 2 related, but distinct, measures.
The first is slot availability. This shows the proportion of appointments within the 24-week booking window that are still available to book at a particular point in time. We publish this data at national, regional and test centre level, providing transparency on where capacity is available and helping us identify areas where demand continues to outstrip supply.
At the start of September, 11.86% of appointments across Great Britain were available to book. This was the joint-highest level since November 2024. On 1 September 2026, there were also around 50,000 more available tests than on 1 September 2025.
The second measure looks back at the tests completed during each month and shows the number and proportion that were booked and taken within different 7-week bands. It ranges from tests booked and taken within 7 weeks to those where more than 24 weeks passed between booking and the test taking place.
This is not a measure of how many slots were available on one particular day. It tells us about the actual experience of learners who took their test during that month. Publishing it nationally, regionally and by test centre helps show how experiences differ across Great Britain and how those patterns change over time.
No single measure tells the whole story. Looking at waiting times, current slot availability and learners’ completed-test experiences together give us a more rounded picture of demand and capacity. Better data does not reduce waiting times by itself, but it helps us target examiner recruitment, deployment and other interventions where they can make the greatest difference.
More tests are being conducted
Although we are not yet where we want to be, there is clear progress in our testing capacity.
We conducted 165,449 car driving tests in August, the highest number conducted in any August since records began in 2007. This brought the total number of tests conducted during the last 12 months to August to more than 2.13 million, the highest rolling 12-month total on record. Between April 2026 and August 2026, we have conducted over 906,000 tests, 15.5% more than during the same period last year.
This increased delivery has been supported by growth in our examiner workforce. In August, we had 1,605 full-time equivalent driving examiners able to deliver tests. That was 160 more than in August 2025, an increase of 11.1%, and our highest examiner capacity since November 2017.
Recruitment is only part of the picture. The increase in tests reflects the combined effect of recruitment and training, overtime working, improved workforce planning and targeted operational activity. We are increasingly using demand and capacity information at test-centre level to decide where recruitment and deployment will have the greatest impact.
The guidance on eyesight checks during driving tests is also being updated, meaning tests can now be booked during periods of poor natural light, as long as suitable artificial lighting is available for the learner to complete the eyesight check fairly. The legal eyesight requirement hasn't changed.
Improving pass rates
The latest figures also show that the pass rate remained above 50% for a ninth consecutive month. Thank you for the work you do to help pupils prepare properly and choose the right time to take their test.
What else we’re doing
We're also testing additional ways to help learners make the most of their appointments. This includes trialling reminder messages aimed at reducing avoidable non-attendance and ensuring valuable test slots are used effectively.
Alongside our existing workforce planning activity, we continue to explore targeted deployments of examiner resource into areas experiencing the greatest demand pressures. This supports our aim of achieving the greatest reduction in waiting times possible with the resource available.
Learners' behaviour is beginning to change
One of the aims of the booking changes was to make booking patterns reflect genuine learner demand more closely. Previously, some appointments were booked at test centres where the learner did not intend to take the test and were then moved elsewhere. This made it harder to understand local demand and could reduce access for learners who genuinely wanted to use those centres.
It is still early and we need to monitor the evidence over a longer period before drawing firm conclusions. However, we are seeing signs consistent with the intended direction of travel. Test availability has increased, including around 50,000 more appointments being available on 1 September 2026 than a year earlier. Availability is also becoming more visible outside the areas where demand was previously concentrated, although the position remains uneven across Great Britain.
The changes have reduced the scope for speculative movement by restricting learners to 2 booking changes, giving learners control of booking and managing their own test and limiting the locations to which an appointment can be moved. These controls are intended to reduce placeholder bookings and make the location of booked tests a better reflection of where learners genuinely intend to take them. This will give us a clearer view of which areas have the highest demand, allowing us to better manage and focus driving examiner resources.
We should be clear about what the evidence can and cannot yet show. Increased availability will also reflect the higher number of tests being provided, so it cannot be attributed solely to changed booking behaviour. We will continue to assess booking movements, changes, swaps and local availability before reaching firmer conclusions about the long-term behavioural effect of the reforms.
Making sure tests reach genuine learners
Fairness remains at the heart of the changes. Most learners use the booking system appropriately, but where there is evidence that an individual or organisation is trying to gain an unfair advantage or manage tests outside the rules, we will act.
Since the learner-only booking rules were introduced, we have been identifying and cancelling tests booked or managed in breach of those rules. More than 1,300 tests have been cancelled to date. We are also continuing to restrict online booking access where activity appears inconsistent with genuine personal use of the service.
Enforcement is not just about the number of accounts restricted or tests cancelled. Its purpose is to deter misuse, make automated and bulk activity harder to operate at scale and protect fair access for genuine learners. Where we have evidence that bookings breach the law or our terms and conditions, we will take appropriate action.
Keeping up the momentum
Three months is still early and waiting times remain higher than we want. Learners’ experiences also continue to vary considerably between locations. But the direction of travel is encouraging: we are conducting more tests, have more examiner capacity, are seeing greater appointment availability and now have better evidence to target our work.
We will continue publishing the data and being open about where progress is being made and where challenges remain. Our focus remains on reducing waiting times and creating a booking service that works fairly for genuine learners and the instructors supporting them.
38 comments
Comment by Simon Doyle posted on
Are you going to equip test centres with full staffing quotas? Mine is Pontefract which I believe can situate 6 examiners but only have 3????
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We're continuing to recruit and train more driving examiners, and examiner capacity is now at its highest level since 2017. However, recruitment and training take time, and demand varies significantly between locations. We are increasingly using local demand and capacity data to target recruitment and deployment decisions where they can have the greatest impact on waiting times.
Comment by Peter davenport posted on
40 yrs as an ADI .Just get loads more examined we know this you also should. Increase the test fee to pay for them. It's much cheaper than a 24week wait .when you force ADI s
To have to guess they might be ready .
It was a4 to 5 week wait for a test when I started in the late 70s. And 100% pass rate was my normal. Oh well I will retire soon and feel sorry for your customers and ADIs.
With a smile Pete Davenport 94028
Comment by Lucy posted on
Driving examiners play a vital role in helping people gain a licence safely, and we recognise the commitment and professionalism they bring to the role. Alongside recruitment, training and workforce planning activity, we're continuing to focus on increasing testing capacity to help reduce waiting times.
Comment by Franco Bettini posted on
Increase the fee for the test and pay examiners better. They deserve better financial reward
Comment by Lucy posted on
Driving examiners play a vital role in helping people gain a licence safely, and we recognise the commitment and professionalism they bring to the role. Alongside recruitment, training and workforce planning activity, we're continuing to focus on increasing testing capacity to help reduce waiting times.
Comment by Craig mckinlay posted on
Smoke and mirrors. In my area Monday mornings at 0600 is the only relevant time to try to book and that is for min 22 weeks ahead. People have no capacity to refresh scroll the site hoping for an earlier test to pop up. Medians ans 7 week figures give impression it is improving. Ask the people trying to book
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We understand why it can feel that way if you're struggling to find a suitable test. The new measures are designed to show different aspects of the picture. Waiting time data, slot availability and completed-test data all measure different things. No single figure tells the whole story, which is why we're now publishing more information than before. The aim is to be transparent about both the progress being made and the challenges that remain.
Comment by Jeremy Hindley posted on
Test availability has not improved in my area Norwich, pupils are booking test for February/ march because that is the earliest available, the cancellation system is a shambles for instructor's as cancellations or swap opportunities seem to come out sporadically with loads available soon, so pupils tend to book them because they don't want to wait
Then they only have 2 attempts to swap their test. Also increasing the cut off point to 10 working days has made the job an awful lot harder. It's good that more tests have been conducted as they need to be, but it hasn't impacted availability as well as your trying to portray, figures are just that and can be used in any way you want. The simple fact is the test situation is not fit for purpose, and the changes made were a knee jerk reaction. That instructors on the ground haven't seen the great improvement you're trying to project.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for sharing your experience. We recognise that waiting times remain too high in some parts of Great Britain and that progress is not yet being felt everywhere. The purpose of publishing additional data is not to suggest the problem has been solved, but to provide a fuller picture of what is happening nationally, regionally and at test centre level. While some areas are showing encouraging signs, others continue to face significant demand pressures and that's where we're focusing recruitment and operational activity. Reducing waiting times remains our priority.
Comment by Batman posted on
The biggest thing which negatively impacts waiting times was changing the cancellation period from 3 working days to 10 working days.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We recognise that views differ on the change to the notice period. The intention is to provide sufficient time for cancelled appointments to be offered to other learners and for operational planning to take place. We continue to monitor performance data and customer feedback as part of our wider work to improve the booking service.
Comment by Mark Norman posted on
Learners deserve the certainty of being able to secure a test slot within a few months, not just, to quote your blog, a fair shot of getting a test. To understand demand DVSA need to make more than 22 weeks of tests available. Demand for the new batch of tests released each Monday is much greater than supply. Look how quickly they sell out on a Monday morning.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. The booking service currently operates using a 24-week booking window. Publishing availability within that window provides a consistent measure of capacity across the country and helps us understand where demand exceeds supply. Our focus remains on increasing the volume of appointments available within that booking window and reducing overall waiting times.
Comment by Lorraine powell posted on
There is no improvement in Macclesfield with a wait for new dates at 24 weeks it’s not fair to genuine learners to have to wait 24 weeks to get a second test when failed first and it nigh impose to find cancellations
Comment by Lucy posted on
We recognise that learners needing a second test can face long waits in some areas. That's one of the reasons we're continuing to increase testing capacity through recruitment, training and overtime. While we are seeing record levels of testing nationally, we know that not every location is benefiting at the same rate yet, and we're using test-centre-level data to help target our efforts where demand remains highest.
Comment by Gary Fossey posted on
Something I am very aware of since the changes are more test candidates ringing round looking for “some” lessons and most definitely use of the instructors car for a test in 2-4 weeks time. Quite often these people are from elsewhere in the country and looking to meet at a railway station. I think this is also reflected in the significantly high number of “no shows” on test days when they can’t secure a car and realise they’ve lost their test fee so can’t be bothered to cancel it so someone else can benefit from it. Has the DVSA considered changing the cancellation time without losing the test fee to 5 days?
Comment by Lucy posted on
We recognise that views differ on the change to the notice period. The intention is to provide sufficient time for cancelled appointments to be offered to other learners and for operational planning to take place. We continue to monitor performance data and customer feedback as part of our wider work to improve the booking service.
Comment by Michael Moore posted on
Still 24 weeks in my area, its also decimated my prime income area of intensive courses as I am no longer able to book a test to complete the course, so thanks for that !!!!
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for sharing your experience. We recognise that waiting times remain too high in some parts of Great Britain and that progress is not yet being felt everywhere. The purpose of publishing additional data is not to suggest the problem has been solved, but to provide a fuller picture of what is happening nationally, regionally and at test centre level. While some areas are showing encouraging signs, others continue to face significant demand pressures and that's where we're focusing recruitment and operational activity. Reducing waiting times remains our priority.
Comment by Martin Matthews posted on
Well…I’ve read all of the above and in all honesty, it makes absolutely no sense to me at all. The Stats are meaningless as in my working world, my local test centre is still at 24 weeks waiting. That’s if you are extremely lucky in getting a test there at all. Currently only two, of my fourteen customers who have a test booked, have a test at our local test centre. So, please excuse me for being a cynic with the DVSA’s self appraisal.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We understand why it can feel that way if you're struggling to find a suitable test. The new measures are designed to show different aspects of the picture. Waiting time data, slot availability and completed-test data all measure different things. No single figure tells the whole story, which is why we're now publishing more information than before. The aim is to be transparent about both the progress being made and the challenges that remain.
Comment by Bev Cavanagh posted on
The booking of tests is not the issue..the issue is adis not being part of that system, not even being able to see available test dates…and the ridiculous carry on when pupils want to swap…
And turning adis into villains if we dare to get involved!!!
Comment by Lucy posted on
We recognise the important role that ADIs play in helping learners prepare for their test. The decision to make bookings learner-only was introduced following consultation as part of wider changes designed to reduce exploitation of the booking system and ensure appointments are controlled by the person taking the test. The changes were not intended to diminish the role of driving instructors and we continue to engage with the driver training industry as the reforms bed in.
Comment by Coralie Prossor posted on
Its a shame that as ADIs we do not have access to the booking system at all. It would have been nice to be able to get a general idea of waiting times. Also really unhelpful now that we don't have a list of our pupils tests booked under our PRN. I used to find that 'overall view' very helpful particularly to double check details
Comment by Lucy posted on
We understand that some instructors preferred previous ways of working. However, the changes were introduced because appointments were increasingly being managed in ways that distorted the true picture of demand and created opportunities for misuse of the system. Our focus is on making sure appointments are available fairly to genuine learners while giving us a clearer understanding of where demand exists. We will continue monitoring the impact of the changes.
Comment by Andrew De-Giorgio posted on
If the DVSA provided a service similar to Testi, whereby a candidate could sign up to receive notification of potentially suitable test slots becoming available, then I could once again advise my clients only to book tests when they are ready. With the current waiting times and no easy way to search for short notice tests, this is simply not feasible.
Comment by Lucy posted on
We're always interested in ideas that could help learners make the best use of available appointments. At present, our focus is on improving fairness, increasing testing capacity and ensuring appointments reach genuine learners. We'll continue to consider customer feedback as we develop the service further.
Comment by David Hamilton ADI posted on
I feel there is no improvement in my area and now when someone fails they are waiting 5 to 6 months to get a resit. Due to the cost of lessons which pupils then have to give up and try later which leaves no consistency to learning process. In this area the resits process seems to have got worse rather than better. Glasgow and Bishopbriggs areas
Comment by Lucy posted on
We recognise that learners needing a second test can face long waits in some areas. That's one of the reasons we're continuing to increase testing capacity through recruitment, training and overtime. While we are seeing record levels of testing nationally, we know that not every location is benefiting at the same rate yet, and we're using test-centre-level data to help target our efforts where demand remains highest.
Comment by Michael Barry posted on
As an instructor, I now have little influence and no control over when my student can get a test. This makes the estimating of when a student will be ready to take a test and the realistic prospect of them booking a test for the right time almost impossible thanks to your new system. The idea that this is fair is ridiculous, and I feel powerless to help. It means more of my students are now failing as a direct result. The swapping system is cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. I just want to give up!!!
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We recognise the important role that ADIs play in helping learners prepare for their test. The decision to make bookings learner-only was introduced following consultation as part of wider changes designed to reduce exploitation of the booking system and ensure appointments are controlled by the person taking the test. The changes were not intended to diminish the role of driving instructors and we continue to engage with the driver training industry as the reforms bed in.
Comment by Jim Robinson posted on
As a driving instructor I now find it very difficult for my pupils to get a test at a suitable time or get cancellations. When I managed tests via OBS it was never an issue. If a pupil failed I always got them a test within 4 weeks now they are having to wait 20 plus weeks and are going for their next test less well prepared due to financial restraints
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. We understand that some instructors preferred previous ways of working. However, the changes were introduced because appointments were increasingly being managed in ways that distorted the true picture of demand and created opportunities for misuse of the system. Our focus is on making sure appointments are available fairly to genuine learners while giving us a clearer understanding of where demand exists. We will continue monitoring the impact of the changes.
Comment by Chris Tomkinson posted on
Some of the changes I welcome such as limiting the test centres. However your wish to "give more control to learner drivers" has eliminated us professionals (who YOU demand we pay a fee for the priveledge of instruction) have been excluding from ALL decision making for the test. A pupil (but probably their parents) will always think that they are ready for a test and will always book when they are not ready. We, as professionals, know when a pupil is best able to secure a first time pass. and yet we are punished for YOUR faiilure to tackle to organised criminal bots, dodgy green badge companies and national driving schools. Why? because its easier to say we dont trust any of you enough to have ANY control over our pupils tests.
The whole system and department needs root and branch reform. You need to take a long hard look at YOUR actions and take some responsibility for YOUR failings instead of blaming us instructors.
In fact, I dont know why I'm bothering to write this missive. Maybe in some vain hope that someone will actually read it. I doubt it very much, or even if it is, it will even be considered.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thanks for your comment. Most instructors do a fantastic job supporting learners and use the booking system appropriately. The changes were never intended to target professional ADIs. They were introduced to address activity that was preventing fair access to tests and to help ensure appointments reach genuine learners. We recognise the valuable contribution instructors make in helping learners prepare and pass.
Comment by Sam A posted on
Still impossible to book a test especially in London. I think you need to add another restriction. Suggest you either ask for payment prior to searching for available slots (or at least verification of bank card to be used for payment - the way some hotel bookings are reserved). And making it certain 1 bank card can only be used for 1 driver license number.
Comment by Lucy posted on
Thank you for your comment. Demand for driving tests remains particularly high in parts of London and waiting times there continue to be challenging. The booking system changes were intended to help ensure appointments are being used by learners who genuinely want to take their test in a particular area, while also giving us a clearer understanding of local demand. That information is helping us make more informed decisions about examiner deployment and recruitment.