The wait for a driving test has been a frustrating problem for many years, but it’s been at an extreme since lockdowns.
Now, despite the government making some efforts to recruit more examiners and free up more test slots, DVSA data shows an average 20-week wait.
February was the worst month so far, up from a 14-week average last year. Learners face rising costs to carry on maintenance lessons while they wait, or risk being unprepared when they get to test day.
The Department for Transport has announced that it will be increasing test slot cancellation notice from three working days to 10 working days from 8 April. This should mean more cancellation slots are available for other learners to take.
The DVSA is aiming for an average seven-week wait for a driving test but that goal seems unreachable at the moment, as only 14 centres out of nearly 400 are currently achieving it.
The longer the wait, the more a learner has to pay for lessons – or risk being unprepared for the road.
