Driving test waiting times hit new high

Driving test waiting times hit new high

  • Number of test centres with 24 week waits doubles in a year
  • Most learners face waits of at least 20 weeks to book test
  • Full list of 24 week wait test centres available

31 March 2025

Average waiting times for a driving test have reached a new high, with learners typically facing waits of 20 weeks.

The number of driving test centres showing the maximum wait of 24 weeks has doubled in the last year from 94 in February 2024 to 183 in February 2025; more than half of test centres (57%).

Only 14 test centres had waits at or below the DVSA’s end-of-year-target of 7 weeks. This has fallen since February 2024 when 83 test centres had achieved a waiting time of less than 7 weeks.

The data, from a Freedom of Information* request to the DVSA by the AA Driving School, shows the average waiting time to book a driving test has steadily risen in the last year from 14.8 weeks in February 2024 to 20 weeks in February 2025.

“Bringing down driving test waiting times is vital to ensure a lack of driving licence does not become an ongoing barrier for young people trying to access education and employment.”
Emma Bush, Managing Director of AA Driving School

Driving licence holding among young people has fallen, with the most recent data showing 29% of 17-to-20-year-olds hold a licence, compared to 35% pre-pandemic**. Amid this, the number of young people not in employment or education has risen by 26,000 on the year from October to December 2023***.

Emma Bush, Managing Director of AA Driving School, said: “We are pleased the DVSA has laid out its plans to reach an average waiting time of 7 weeks by December 2025 and wholeheartedly support their goal. It is crucial efforts to meet this target are effective and result in this significant reduction.

“There are rising numbers of young people who are registered as economically inactive. Bringing down driving test waiting times is vital to ensure a lack of driving licence does not become an ongoing barrier for young people trying to access education and employment.

“The most effective way to ensure waiting times are brought down is to increase the number of test slots available by increasing the overall number of driving test examiners.”

As part of its strategy for the next year, DVSA has committed to recruiting 450 new driving test examiners. With an expected loss of 130 examiners, this would lead to an overall net gain of 320 examiners and will enable the DVSA to deliver around 590,000 additional driving tests annually.

At the end of 2024, there were 1627 people employed as driving test examiners by the DVSA. This figure remained relatively constant throughout 2024****.


*FOI 2502-067863 shows waiting times across all part and full-time test centres which conduct category B (practical car) tests. Historic waiting time data available here: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

**National Travel Survey table NTS0201 National Travel Survey: 2023 - GOV.UK

*** Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics


Driving Test Centres with 24 week wait as at 03 February 2025

Aberfeldy

Chichester

Islay Island

Redhill Aerodrome

Airdrie

Chingford (London)

Isle of Mull

Rhyl

Ashfield

Chippenham

Isle of Skye (Portree)

Rotherham

Ashford (Kent)

Colchester

Isleworth (Fleming Way)

Rothesay

Aylesbury

Coventry

Kelso

Rugby

Banbury

Crawley

Kettering

Sale (Manchester)

Bangor

Crieff

Lee On The Solent

Salisbury

Barking (Tanner Street)

Darlington

Leeds

Sevenoaks

Barnet (London)

Derby (Alvaston)

Leicester (Cannock Street)

Sheffield (Handsworth)

Barnsley

Doncaster

Leicester (Wigston)

Sheffield (Middlewood Road)

Barra

Dorchester

Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road)

Sidcup (London)

Basildon

Dudley

Lerwick

Slough (London)

Basingstoke

Durham

Letchworth

Southampton (Maybush)

Bedford

East Kilbride

Lichfield

Southend-on-Sea

Belvedere (London)

Eastbourne

Lincoln

St Albans

Benbecula Island

Edinburgh (Currie)

Lochgilphead

Steeton

Birmingham (Garretts Green)

Edinburgh (Musselburgh)

Loughborough

Stevenage

Birmingham (Kings Heath)

Enfield (Brancroft Way)

Loughton (London)

Stirling

Birmingham (Kingstanding)

Enfield (Innova Business Park)

Lowestoft(Mobbs Way)

Stoke-On-Trent (Cobridge)

Birmingham (Shirley)

Exeter

Luton

Stoke-on-Trent (Newcastle-Under-Lyme)

Birmingham (South Yardley)

Exeter LGV

Maidstone

Sunderland

Bishopbriggs

Farnborough

Mallaig

Swindon

Bishops Stortford

Folkestone

Malton

Taunton

Bletchley

Forfar

Melton Mowbray

Thurso

Bolton (Manchester)

Gillingham

Middlesbrough

Tilbury

Borehamwood (London)

Glasgow (Anniesland)

Mill Hill (London)

Tolworth (London)

Bradford (Heaton)

Glasgow (Shieldhall)

Mitcham (London)

Tottenham

Bradford (Thornbury)

Gloucester

Montrose

Trowbridge

Bredbury (Manchester)

Goodmayes (London)

Morden (London)

Tunbridge Wells

Brentwood (London)

Grantham (Somerby)

Newport (Gwent)

Uxbridge (London)

Bristol (Avonmouth)

Greenham

Newport (Isle of Wight)

Walton LGV

Bristol (Kingswood)

Guildford

Newton Abbot

Wanstead (London)

Bromley (London)

Halifax

Newtown

Warwick (Wedgenock House)

Burgess Hill

Hamilton

Northampton

Watford

Burton on Trent

Hartlepool

Norwich (Peachman Way)

West Didsbury (Manchester)

Bury (Manchester)

Hastings (Ore)

Nottingham (Chilwell)

West Wickham (London)

Bury St Edmunds

Heckmondwike

Nottingham (Colwick)

Weston-super-Mare

Camborne

Hendon (London)

Nuneaton

Wick

Cambridge (Brookmount Court)

Herne Bay

Oban

Winchester

Canterbury

Hexham

Oxford (Cowley)

Wood Green (London)

Cardiff (Llanishen)

High Wycombe

Peterborough

Worcester

Carlisle

Hinckley

Pinner (London)

Worksop

Cheetham Hill (Manchester)

Horsforth

Poole

Worthing

Chelmsford (Hanbury Road)

Huntly

Portsmouth

Yeading (London)

Chertsey (London)

Inveraray

Reading

Yeovil

Chesterfield

Ipswich

Redditch