Overwhelming Driving Test Backlog Topps 600,000: What's Hindering DVSA from Clearing the Growing Line of Aspiring Drivers?
Unpacking the UK's Record-Breaking Driving Test Queue
Britain's driving test backlog has reached an all-time high, with nearly 600,000 learners waiting for their practical tests, as per recent statistics [PA]. That's a 16% jump from the same period last year.
Despite the grueling wait, conducted tests over the first four months of this year are 15% lower compared to 2025 [PA]. The Government has introduced various measures to minimize the frustrating delays—however, they predict it will take eight months longer than anticipated to eradicate the 600,000-long queue [PA].
Origins of the Backlog
The pandemic is responsible for the lengthy wait times for driving tests. As test centers shuttered and driving instructors were incapacitated, the number of drivers waiting for their tests quadrupled during the Covid-19 lockdowns [PA].
By the end of August 2020, learners awaiting a test slot totaled 147,716. However, by August 2021, the numbers mounted to 592,987. Despite significant efforts, the DVSA has had limited success in addressing this issue [PA].
The only dip recorded was between October 2023 and March 2024, which was due to an above-average volume of tests being taken. During this period, the agency deployed all eligible staff from other roles to function as examiners as part of an assortment of measures to combat the backlog [PA].
A few other steps taken include:
- Bringing back retired driving test examiners
- Extending test availability to weekends
- Utilizing HGV test centers for passenger car tests
A Bright Side
April's pass rates increased to 50.2%, representing the highest rate since August 2021 (50.3%) [PA]. The DVSA previously attributed the backlog to an increase in demand and a change in customers' booking behavior [PA].
Cheating and scams have also emerged, with fraudsters booking test slots and attempting to sell them at exorbitant prices [PA]. Over 2,000 instances of cheating, including impersonators, were recorded in 2023-24 [PA].
The Government assures that the backlog will be cleared by summer 2026. Increased tests will be offered monthly to alleviate the burdens on learners [PA]. They anticipate reducing the average waiting time for driving tests to seven weeks during that period [PA].
In conclusion, the driving test backlog burdening Britain is a result of pandemic-induced closures and heightened demand, with fraud intertwining the issue further. The Government intends to tackle the problem by offering additional tests and amending the booking system to prevent scams [PA].
- The UK Government's efforts to combat the driving test backlog, an issue primarily caused by the pandemic and exacerbated by increased demand, include policies like bringing back retired driving test examiners, utilizing HGV test centers for passenger car tests, and extending test availability to weekends.
- Amidst the ongoing debate and politics surrounding the UK's policy-and-legislation, the recent surge in driving test scams, where fraudsters sell test slots at inflated prices, has emerged as a troubling general-news issue, with over 2,000 instances recorded in 2023-24.
