Before Covid-19 came along, the average waiting time for a driving test in the UK was around 4-6 weeks in most areas.
Unfortunately, most areas across the UK are now experiencing long waiting times, to the point where you can log on to the DVSA website and no tests are available. The DVSA only release driving tests up to 20 weeks in advance. It is estimated learners taking their driving lessons in London would have a waiting time of around 9 months, if the DVSA released tests for the full year.
Why can’t I book a test?
The biggest trigger was the pandemic, which prevented many tests from going ahead and started a huge backlog. The DVSA has said that the backlog is now failing to go down because unprepared learners are taking their driving test early in the hopes they will be ready without the proper training. They have also found learners are travelling further to test centres; for example, learner drivers taking driving lessons in Hinckley are travelling all the way to Northwich or Macclesfield driving test centres as they can have shorter waiting times. This then means people fail and have to retake as they are not familiar with the area they are taking their test in.
How do I book a driving test sooner?
There are a few methods you can try to get an earlier driving test, such as:
- Keep checking the DVSA’s website for a cancellation to pop up. They release appointments up to 24 weeks in advance and someone may cancel their driving test during this timeframe. You will have to be quick off the bat as there will be many other people who are also doing the same thing.
- Try using a test cancellation app. There are many out there that promise to get you an earlier slot, though often these have mixed reviews. Some are free but most you will need to pay for.
- Use the gov.uk website to try to change your appointment to an earlier slot, should one be available when you check. You can change your appointment slot up to 6 times. After that, you will have to cancel your test and then rebook it from scratch.
- Choose a different driving test centre. However, if you do this, it is important to pick a test centre that yourdriving instructor knows and can take you to. Then you can have some driving lessons there before your test to familiarise yourself with the test routes. Our driving instructor in London, Nish Parmar, said, ‘If you want to book your test but can only get one for another location it is a sensible idea to hold out. Your driving test is stressful enough; if you add a strange surrounding to that, the pressure can be immeasurable. I would always advise a learner to hold out, but if you are desperate to pass and can take lessons where your test is, then you may be able to make yourself feel more at ease.’
What is being done to reduce driving test wait times?
Things got so bad that the government ran a consultation on improving driving test availability. On 30th March 2023, they made several suggestions to try to improve the situation, including reducing how many tests were being wasted and encouraging learners to be better prepared before taking their tests.
The DVSA have similarly tried to improve things. Its Chief Executive, Loveday Ryder, has made several updates on how the DVSA is trying to reduce driving test waiting times, including ‘asking more manager and admin colleagues with a driving test warrant card to do driving tests full time from October 2023’.
However, waiting times are still increasing. The average wait time in February 2024 was 14.8 weeks, whilst the average wait time in May 2024 had gone up to 17.8 weeks. So it doesn’t look like the situation will be getting better any time soon.
Make sure you pass first time!
It can feel really stressful trying to book a test with such high demand and limited supply of tests. With that in mind, we would always advise that you follow your instructor’s guidance. Don’t take a test that is sooner if your instructor does not think you are ready yet.
At driveJohnson’s, our instructors will prepare you to pass by showing you all the test routes and tricky areas, as well as doing mock tests. Our instructors have been trained so well, they even know the test routes which you will go at certain times of the day. If you have to wait longer for a test centre that they can give you their expert teaching on, then wait. Of course, they will teach you safe driving for life, but knowing where you will be going on your test is another advantage and reason to choose to driveJohnson’s. It’s far better to wait and pass than fail, knock your confidence and have to wait anyway.
