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DVSA Announces Plan to Reduce Driving Test Waiting Times

20/12/2024January 22nd, 2025

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced a comprehensive plan to reduce driving test waiting times, aiming to make the system fairer and more accessible for learners. This 7-point plan addresses key challenges such as long waits, booking system issues, and fairness in test access, offering hope for learners eager to hit the road.

Stopping Learners from Being Exploited

Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, shared her thoughts on the new measures:

“Passing your driving test is a life-changing opportunity for millions – but sky-high waiting times for tests in recent years have denied that opportunity to too many people.

No one should have to wait six months when they’re ready to pass, travel to the other side of the country to take a driving test, or be ripped off by unscrupulous websites just because they can’t afford to wait.

The scale of the backlog we have inherited is huge, but today’s measures are a crucial step to tackle the long driving test waiting times, protect learner drivers from being exploited, and support more people to hit the road.”

These measures aim to reduce wait times, improve fairness in test booking, and stop learners from being taken advantage of by unethical practices.

1

Recruit and Train 450 Driving Examiners

To address staff shortages, the DVSA is recruiting and training 450 additional driving examiners across Great Britain. Recruitment campaigns were held in June, July, September, and October 2024, and successful candidates from earlier phases are already in training. These examiners will begin conducting tests in the coming months, helping to ease pressure at test centres nationwide.
2

Review and Improve the Rules for Booking Driving Tests

The DVSA is working to improve the booking system so learners can book tests more efficiently. This process includes:

  • Launching a call for evidence to gather feedback on the current system (open until 11:59 pm, 11 February 2025).
  • Analyzing the evidence to develop proposals for improvements.
  • Running a consultation on these proposals.
  • Implementing the changes, which may involve legal updates.

These steps aim to make the system more transparent and user-friendly, ultimately benefiting learners and instructors.

3

Tougher Terms and Conditions for the Service Driving Instructors Use to Book and Manage Car Driving Tests for Pupils

From 6 January 2025, new terms and conditions will apply to the service driving instructors use to book and manage tests for learners. These rules are designed to stop unfair practices, such as:

  • Booking tests for learners they do not teach.
  • Using learner details to book “placeholder” tests to swap later.

Driving instructors or businesses breaking these rules could face penalties, including warnings, account suspensions, or closures.

4

Extending the Wait Time for Rebooking Tests

The DVSA plans to extend the time learners must wait to rebook a test in certain situations. Currently, learners must wait 10 working days after failing a test, but this could increase for those who:

  • Make multiple serious or dangerous faults.
  • Fail to attend their test without notice.
  • Physically or verbally assault examiners.

A consultation will soon gather views on these proposals, including the possibility of introducing penalty charges for missed tests.

5

Increasing the Cancellation Notice Period

From spring 2025, the DVSA will increase the notice period required to cancel or reschedule a test without losing the fee from 3 working days to 10 working days. This change aims to:

  • Encourage learners to cancel sooner if they’re not ready.
  • Free up test slots for others.

Exceptions will remain for illness, bereavement, and other valid reasons. The DVSA will continue to compensate learners if it cancels a test with fewer than three days’ notice.

6

Reviewing the 24 Week Booking Limit

Currently, tests can only be booked up to 24 weeks in advance. The DVSA is exploring whether changes to this limit could improve access and better match test demand with availability at individual centres.
7

Promoting the ‘Ready to Pass?’ Campaign

The DVSA’s ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign helps learners prepare for their driving test and encourages them to only book when they are ready. With 95% of users rating the campaign as helpful, it provides practical advice on:

  • Understanding the skills needed to pass.
  • Managing test-day nerves.
  • Taking a realistic mock test.
  • Knowing when to reschedule if they’re not fully prepared.

The Ready to Pass campaign aims to reduce the number of failed tests and prevent unnecessary delays.

What Does This Mean for Learners?

These measures are expected to make a significant impact on current driving test waiting times, with the DVSA planning to deliver 1.95 million driving tests between April 2024 and March 2025. The ultimate goal is to reduce driving test waiting times to just 7 weeks by December 2025—a huge improvement for learners and instructors alike.

While these changes will take time to roll out, they represent a crucial step forward in tackling the challenges learners face when trying to book their driving tests.

Your experience of booking and managing car driving tests

Share your experience and views of booking and managing car driving tests to help DVSA develop proposals to improve the rules and processes.

The call for evidence closes at 11:59pm on 11 February 2025.

Experience of booking and managing car driving tests.

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