Learner drivers across the UK are facing unprecedented delays and mounting frustrations as the backlog for practical driving tests, created during the Covid-19 pandemic, shows little sign of abating. According to a December 17, 2025, report from the National Audit Office (NAO) cited by the BBC, a staggering 1.1 million tests were not carried out in the 2020/21 financial year due to pandemic restrictions, and around 360,000 of these still remain unbooked nearly five years later. The ripple effects of this backlog are being felt nationwide, with some regions reporting waiting times of up to eight months and a surge in third-party profiteering.
For many, the road to a driving license has become a test of patience and resilience. In September 2025, the average waiting time for a driving test stood at 22 weeks, but at 70% of test centres, that wait reached the maximum allowed—24 weeks. This is a far cry from the pre-pandemic norm of about seven weeks, and the Department for Transport (DfT) has acknowledged it will likely take until November 2027 to clear the backlog and return to target wait times.
The consequences of these delays extend beyond mere inconvenience. According to the NAO report referenced by The Mirror, nearly one in three learners have resorted to paying third-party sellers—sometimes up to £500 per slot, almost eight times the official Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) fee of £62. These third parties use automated bots to snap up available test slots, making it nearly impossible for ordinary learners to book directly through the official system. The DVSA, as the NAO points out, has struggled to "understand the real demand for tests" because of these bots, further complicating efforts to allocate resources effectively.
The impact is not just financial. For many, the delays are affecting livelihoods and family life. Shiromi Gaughan, a small business owner from London, told the BBC, "It's really unfair and I'm extremely frustrated. As a small business owner from London, I've been really struggling over time. People like us are just so desperate." Gaughan, who has been trying to book a test for eight months after passing her theory exam two years ago, was shocked to find third-party sellers charging £350 for a single slot. "Now I'm having to retake my theory test and spend more money so I'm extremely disappointed," she added, urging the government to overhaul the system.
For others, the stakes are equally high. Martha Machiek, a single parent from Stockport, faces the prospect of her theory test certificate expiring at the end of December 2025. "The system is not being fair on people like us," she said. "I don't have money to book another one." Like many, Machiek needs a license to save time and money transporting her children to school and activities.
To circumvent the backlog, some learners are booking tests far from home—sometimes hundreds of miles away. The NAO reports that in September 2025, the average distance between the Inverness test centre in Scotland and a learner's home postcode was 133 kilometers (83 miles), with hundreds of tests booked by candidates from southern Scotland and England. Alan Sinclair, a driving instructor in Inverness, told BBC Scotland, "I receive several calls every week from people as far away as London asking to use my car and for me to accompany them to a test in Inverness. I refuse these requests. I do not know their driving ability, and in the interests of road safety, I will only present pupils for test when they have reached the standard set by the DVSA."
Sinclair said this influx of out-of-region candidates is pushing local learners to the back of the queue, a sentiment echoed across the UK. "Because of the national backlog, cancellation apps have turned booking a test into a finger on the buzzer situation, where whoever grabs the slot gets it first, regardless of location," he explained. This has led to increased anxiety and financial pressures for learners, especially those who fail a test and must wait months for another chance. Lewis McKie, a Glasgow learner, described his situation: "I failed the test on 1 August and the next one is booked for 19 January, so a proper long waiting time. I feel like I'm in limbo. I could have passed my test months ago but had to pay for more lessons as I don't have access to a car to practise."
The situation is particularly dire in regions like the East Midlands, London, and Scunthorpe, where some learners are unable to book tests at all. Carly Brookfield, Chief Executive of the Driving Instructors Association, told The Mirror, "We’ve had delays of six months for pupils and I’ve also heard of people waiting up to eight months for a driving test. It puts a huge amount of pressure on instructors and their pupils and this is a situation that has been occurring and getting worse since lockdown." Brookfield attributes much of the problem to examiner recruitment and retention. Despite 19 recruitment campaigns since 2021, the DVSA has only hired 83 extra examiners out of a target of 400, and exit rates remain high due to "perceived uncompetitive pay and safety concerns." In the 2023/24 financial year, the DVSA had just 220 qualified examiners for 240 test centres.
The government has acknowledged the scale of the problem. A DfT spokesperson admitted to inheriting a "frustrating system with learner drivers left in limbo," and highlighted measures being taken to address the backlog. These include deploying military driving examiners and, from spring 2026, restricting test bookings to only learner drivers and limiting the number of moves or swaps allowed. The goal is to prevent third-party exploitation and make the process more transparent. "The DVSA has already carried out 74,847 extra tests between June and November this year compared to 2024, and these new measures will deliver thousands more extra tests over the next year," the spokesperson said.
Yet, despite these efforts, the NAO remains critical of the current system. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, summed up the situation: "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. Our report recommends that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Department for Transport take decisive action to restore a fit-for-purpose driving test service."
As the government and DVSA roll out new measures, learners and instructors alike are hoping for real change. For now, the journey to a driving license in the UK remains fraught with obstacles, high costs, and long waits—testing not just driving skills, but perseverance and patience as well.
