More than 64,500 practical driving test appointments went unused across the UK last year, prompting the introduction of new measures aimed at reducing lengthy waiting times for learner drivers.
New restrictions introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) mean that learner drivers can now only swap a driving test booking to one of the three test centres closest to their original booking location.
The changes are designed to tackle widespread problems within the booking system, where learners have been securing test dates at centres far from home before repeatedly changing them in an attempt to obtain an earlier appointment closer to where they live.
Driving test waiting times remain at historically high levels across much of Britain. Latest figures show the average wait for a practical driving test is more than five months. In April 2026, average waiting times stood at 22.7 weeks in England, 22.9 weeks in Scotland and 17.3 weeks in Wales.
DVSA data shows that almost two million practical driving tests were booked during 2025, but around 64,500 appointments were missed because candidates failed to attend. This represented approximately 3.2 per cent of all bookings and marked an increase from the previous year.
The agency believes some of the unused appointments may have been linked to third-party booking services and automated software that secured test slots which were later left unused.
The long waits have caused frustration for learners across the country, with many struggling to secure tests at their local centres. In some cases, candidates have booked appointments hundreds of miles away simply to obtain an earlier test date before attempting to move it to a more convenient location.
Driving instructors have also reported difficulties obtaining local test slots for their pupils, with some centres experiencing severe shortages of available appointments.
The DVSA hopes the new restrictions will discourage speculative bookings and ensure that appointments are reserved for learners who genuinely intend to take their test at the chosen location.
The agency has been working to increase testing capacity in an effort to reduce waiting times. Between June 2025 and April 2026, more than 217,000 additional driving tests were made available, including through the use of specially trained military driving examiners.
Officials say the latest changes form part of wider efforts to improve access to driving tests and reduce the backlog that has built up in recent years.
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