UK driving test delays exceed four months for half of learners

Learner drivers across the United Kingdom are facing significant delays in booking and taking their practical driving tests, with new data showing half of candidates wait more than four months between booking and sitting for their exam. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's latest statistics for June 2026 reveal a median waiting time of 17.3 weeks across Britain, a figure that has prompted frustration among motoring organizations and learners alike.

The delays are particularly acute in major cities and certain regions. In Glasgow, the Anniesland test centre has the longest wait in the Greater Glasgow area, with an average of 23 weeks. Other centres in the region, including Bishopbriggs and East Kilbride, also report waits of approximately 20 weeks. The longest average wait time in the UK was recorded at a test centre serving Forfar in Angus, Scotland, where learners face a median delay of 29.7 weeks, or nearly seven months. In contrast, some centres, such as Greenock, have significantly shorter waits of just over seven and a half weeks.

The current situation falls far short of a government target set for the DVSA. The agency missed its initial goal of reducing the median...