Driving test booking waiting times have been a growing issue in UK. If you’ve recently attempted to schedule a practical driving test, you’ve most likely encountered one of the most significant challenges that learner drivers in the UK face today: limited driving test booking dates. In fact, the current national average for driving test booking waiting times is 22 weeks. That’s over five months of waiting just to sit the test.
So, what’s causing these delays? And what should you do while you wait? Let’s take a closer look.
Why Do Driving Test Booking Dates Take So Long?
After lockdowns began in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of tests were cancelled. Test centres were closed, and demand piled up. Four years later, many pupils are still stuck in the queue.
Carly Brookfield, CEO of the Driving Instructors Association (DIA), recently shared:
“Trainers, pupils and parents are utterly hacked off by the test waiting times issue and booking system problems… Waiting times have actually gone up from 15 weeks on a 7-week target, immediately post-lockdown, to a current UK national average of 22 weeks.”
Despite the DVSA’s 7-Point Plan to improve the system, driving test booking remain a top concern for learners, instructors, and parents alike.
📘 Want to learn more about what the DVSA is doing? Visit the Ready to Pass? – How to pass your driving test.
What Driving Test Booking Mean for Learners
When driving test booking stretch into months, they create more than just delays. They also impact:
- Your ability to stay confident behind the wheel
- How much extra time and money you’ll need for more lessons
- Your chances of passing, especially if you book too early or forget key skills
- How long it will take to get back on the list if you don’t pass
Some learners even feel pressured to book a test just to get a date—only to find they aren’t fully ready when the time comes.
💡 Remember that the longer the driving test booking wait time, the more important it is to be fully prepared prior to booking. Failure and rebooking only add to the delay.
✅ Be Test-Ready: Pass Your Driving Test with Confidence
Will Driving Test Booking Improve?
The DVSA has introduced its 7-Point Plan to reduce driving test booking wait time. This includes hiring more examiners and extending test centre hours. While these are steps in the right direction, many in the industry believe they’re not enough.
“Measures being PR’d now as fixes… should arguably have been implemented earlier,” Brookfield said.
Until real changes take hold, driving test booking wait times are likely to remain high for the near future.
That means learner drivers need strong, consistent support—and smart strategies for staying ready.
How to Handle Driving Test Booking Delays
At En Route Driving Ltd, we understand how frustrating it is to deal with long driving test booking delays. That’s why we now offer free driving test booking for our pupils — so you don’t have to spend weeks or months searching for an available test date yourself.
By letting us handle the booking, you can:
- Avoid wasting time checking the DVSA website every day
- Reduce stress by having your instructor find the best available slot
- Get ahead of the queue and test sooner
- Focus your energy on learning, not logistics
💡 This service is completely free when you train with us. It’s one more way we help you get on the road faster and with confidence.
In the meantime, here are more ways to stay test-ready while waiting for your driving test booking:
- Continue taking regular lessons to keep your skills fresh
- Practise mock tests with your instructor to simulate the real thing
- Work on independent driving and safe decision-making
- Track your progress using the DVSA’s 27 skills checklist
- Ask your instructor for clear feedback on when you’re ready to pass
📘 Want help preparing for your test? Learn how En Route supports learners from their first lesson to their test day — including free test booking.
Final Thoughts
Driving test booking delays can feel discouraging—but they don’t have to slow you down. With strong preparation and the right support, you can still be confident and ready when your test day arrives.
At En Route, we support learners every step of the way—from their first lesson to their test day and beyond. And now, we’re making it easier than ever by offering free driving test booking to help you avoid the long delays.
🚗 Want to get ahead without the stress of finding a test date? Explore our lesson packages and book with a local expert today.