DVSA driving test backlog pushed to 2027 as learners face waits of up to two years for vital travel rights

Before the Covid pandemic, the wait was typically just five weeks. The DVSA had promised to reduce waiting times to seven weeks by the end of this year.

But this target has now been pushed back by two years, raising serious questions about whether the system is fit for purpose.

Gareth Davies, head of the National Audit Office, which released the report, said the situation is failing learners across the country.

"The current system for providing driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales is not working satisfactorily, with long waiting times and exploitation of learner drivers by resellers of test slots," he said.

The backlog was originally sparked by the pandemic when lockdowns meant around 1.1 million driving tests could not take place during the 2020–21 financial year.

While many have since rebooked their tests, there still remain around 360,000 postponed tests missing from the system.

The shortage of available slots has created an opportunity for third-party sellers to profit. Nearly one in three learners now turns to these services to secure a test. Some are paying as much as £500 for a test that officially costs £62 on a weekday.

The NAO found that automated computer programmes, known as bots, are snapping up newly released appointments within seconds, leaving genuine learners unable to book directly.

Pressure on the DVSA booking system has soared. Web traffic increased fivefold between September 2024 and September 2025, with more than 94 million requests recorded on the busiest day.

At the same time, the DVSA has failed to recruit enough examiners. Since February 2021, the agency has launched 19 recruitment campaigns but has added just 83 examiners, far short of its target of 400.

Examiners have also been leaving at double the rate of the wider civil service. In 2024–25, the attrition rate stood at 14 per cent, compared with 7.1 per cent across government more broadly.

The NAO said this was due to "perceived uncompetitive pay and safety concerns". During the same period, there were 426 reported assaults on examiners, mostly verbal abuse. Recruitment has been especially difficult in London and the South East, where demand for tests is highest.

To try to retain staff, the DVSA has begun offering a one-off £5,000 payment to eligible examiners in 2026. For learners, the delays are causing real hardship.

Shiromi Gaughan, a small business owner in London, said she had been trying to book a test for eight months after passing her theory exam two years ago.

"I felt sick when I saw people selling tests for £350," she told the BBC. "It's really unfair, and I'm extremely frustrated. People like us are just so desperate." Her theory certificate has since expired, forcing her to retake the test and pay again.

Meanwhile, another learner driver faced the same problem, with her theory certificate expiring at the end of this month. "The system is not being fair to people like us," she said. "I don't have the money to book another one."

The Department for Transport said it is taking action to tackle what it described as an inherited crisis.

A spokesperson said: "We inherited a frustrating system with learner drivers left in limbo waiting for tests, a system ripe for rogue individuals to exploit."

Measures announced include using military driving examiners to test civilians and changing the booking system so that, from spring 2026, only learners — not instructors — can book test slots. New limits will also restrict how far a test can be moved from its original location.

The DVSA said it carried out nearly 75,000 extra tests between June and November this year compared with the same period in 2024.

The agency is also undergoing internal changes, with Beverley Warmington set to take over as DVSA chief executive on January 5. Roads minister Simon Lightwood said he has "every confidence she will grip the driving test backlog and robustly oversee the reforms needed".

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