Britain’s driving test backlog has reached a new high of more than 630,000.
Some 631,472 future practical driving tests were booked as of the end of May, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures.
That is up from 527,368 a year ago.
Learners can only have one test booked at a time.
Despite the growing demand, the number of tests conducted during the first five months of this year is 14 percent lower than the same period in 2024.
There were 757,867 tests taken between January and May, down from 877,387 a year earlier.
The number of tests taken between October 2023 and March 2024 was higher than normal because the DVSA temporarily deployed all eligible staff from other roles to act as examiners.
Learners appear to be heeding calls to wait until they are confident they can pass before taking a test.
May’s pass rate matched the figure for April at 50.2 percent, up from 48.9 percent in May 2024 and the highest monthly figure since August 2021 (50.3 percent).
The DVSA previously attributed the backlog to “an increase in demand and a change in customers’ booking behaviour.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in April the Labour government “inherited an enormous backlog” but was “acting fast” to tackle the issue, with at least 10,000 extra tests to be available each month.
She told the Commons’ Transport Select Committee her department aimed to reduce the average waiting time for driving tests in Britain to seven weeks by summer 2026.
Analysis by the AA Driving School showed the average waiting time was 20 weeks in February.
The government last month launched a consultation on amending the driving test booking system, in an attempt to stop bots mass-booking new slots so they can be resold on the black market for inflated prices.
This will be conducted over eight weeks instead of the usual 12 to enable changes to be made sooner.
Other measures in response to the backlog include instructing the DVSA to offer additional overtime payments to incentivise instructors to conduct more tests.
Staff at the agency qualified to conduct tests are being asked to voluntarily return to the front line, while the number of permanent trainers for new examiners is being doubled.
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “While congratulations are due to those candidates who passed their driving test and helped nudge the overall pass rate over 50 percent, there’s little cause for celebration for applicants anxious to book a test slot anytime soon.
“We’re not even at midsummer, yet learner drivers are already competing for test slots in November.
“We can only hope that the package of measures the government announced will start to bite soon, alongside a sustained improvement in the pass rate as candidates make the most of the delays to ensure they are match-fit when their test day arrives.”
A DVSA spokesperson said: “We know that many learners are still struggling to book driving tests, and we’re working tirelessly to reduce waiting times and help more people get on the road.
“Despite this, there are currently over 630,000 learners who have a future test date secured—which is the highest number of test slots that we’ve ever seen booked.
“As we continue to make more tests available, the number of learners with a slot booked will continue to rise, providing more people with the opportunity to continue their learning journey.”
