Wait times for driving tests in the capital are longer than ever.
Current driving test waiting times as of September 2025 show that driving test availability at most centres is severely limited, with waits stretching to around four to six months.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has a target to reduce the national average waiting time for a driving test to seven weeks by December 2025 but current figures show that all test centres in London currently have longer waiting times than this.
Official stats show that most London test centres have the maximum possible waiting time of 24 weeks.
There are currently 25 open test centres across London offering practical driving tests – which all new drivers must pass to obtain a licence, after first having passed a theory test.
But where is the quickest if you are raring to get behind the wheel?
Here is all we know:
Which driving centres have the shortest waiting times?
For those eager to pass their driving test, having to wait months for a test is incredibly frustrating. Thankfully, data reveals that there are major disparities in wait times, so you might be able to book yourself a test faster in a different area.
At present, the lowest wait time is in Erith in South East London which has a wait time of around 11 weeks and a pass rate of 49 per cent.
Close behind this is Southall and Greenwood, which has a current wait time of around 12 weeks.
Next up is Hornchurch with 22 weeks, Enfield with 23 weeks and then all of the others in London have a wait time of 24 weeks.
These are:
- Tottenham
- Wood Green
- Chingford
- Wanstead
- Goodmayes
- Barking
- Belvedere
- Sidcup
- Bromley
- West Wickham
- Mitcham
- Morden
- Tolworth
- Isleworth
- Yeading
- Uxbridge
- Pinner
- Hendon
- Mill Hill
- Barnet
Why are wait times for driving tests so long?
There are several reasons why the wait times for driving tests are so long. The pandemic caused a backlog of people waiting for tests. In 2022, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carried out 1.8 million tests, which was 6 per cent more than pre-pandemic levels.
By the end of May 2023, the DVSA had received 800,000 new bookings, indicating a 7 per cent increase in demand for driving tests compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another factor for long driving test wait times is the 2022 and 2023 strike action by the Public and Commerical Services (PCS) Union over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms. Some driving examiners are members of PCS and took part in the strikes. It resulted in around 25,000 driving tests being canceled and rebooked.
The dwindling number of driving instructors (ADIs) has also impacted driving test wait times. In 2023, there were 39,195 ADIs on the DVSA's register, equating to 1 ADI per every 1,627 Great Britain residents. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has struggled to recruit more examiners, leading to 113,000 canceled tests.
There is also a limited number of driving test centres. There are only 24 across the whole of London.
What is being done to improve wait times?
In December 2024, the government launched a seven-point plan to reduce waiting times, which they are still trying to implement now.
Ideas for change include:
Hiring more ADIs
The DVSA intends to hire and train 450 new driving examiners.
Improving the test booking system
Another step will be improving the usability and efficiency of the test booking system.
Stricter booking conditions
The DVSA will also introduce stricter terms and conditions for booking driving tests so that only instructors or businesses that employ driving instructors will be able to book them.
The new rules also stop driving instructors and businesses from using a learner driver’s details to book a test that they do not intend that driver to take.
Longer wait times in specific circumstances
The DVSA will consider increasing the time certain individuals must wait to book another test. This includes learner drivers who have made several serious or dangerous errors during their driving test, who physically or verbally assaulted their driving examiner or who failed to attend their driving test without telling the DVSA.
Longer notice for booking changes or cancellation
From April 8, learner drivers will need to give ten full working days’ notice to change or cancel their car driving test without losing their test fee to avoid appointments going unused.
Booking in advance
The DVSA will also consider changing how far ahead driving tests can be booked (it’s currently 24 weeks).
Better preparation
Finally, the DVSA will encourage learner drivers to be better prepared for their test before taking it. Research from DVSA reveals that around 23 per cent of learner drivers take their first driving test within one month of starting driving lessons.
The DVSA hopes that these actions will help provide 1.95 million car driving tests between April 2024 and March 2025 and cut the wait time to just 7 weeks by December.
