Learner drivers are facing record delays across the country, with the number of test centres showing the maximum 24-week waiting time soaring by 60 per cent since January.

New figures obtained by the AA Driving School through a Freedom of Information request to the DVSA show that, as of May 5, more than 80 per cent of test centres (258 out of 319) had reached the maximum allowable wait time of 24 weeks. That’s up from 161 centres at the start of the year.

Average waits for a driving test have also hit a new high, with learners now waiting around 21.9 weeks.

However, changes introduced by the DVSA in April to tackle the backlog may be starting to take effect.

There were 122,000 more test bookings in June 2025 compared to June 2024. While this doesn’t immediately reduce waiting times, it indicates growing capacity that could help ease delays in the near future.

In a further sign of progress, 5,487 more driving tests were carried out in June 2025 than in June 2024 – the first monthly increase this year compared to the previous year.

Emma Bush, managing director of AA Driving School, said: “With the vast majority of driving test centres now showing waits at the maximum the system will allow the situation cannot get much worse.

“New measures designed to start bringing down waiting times were implemented at the start of April by the DVSA.

“There are signs of recovery though, putting both the industry and learners on tenterhooks for more signs of improvement in the coming months.

“While we would expect these changes to take a few months to show a positive impact, it is still disappointing to see that learners are continuing to face an uphill battle when it comes to booking their driving test.”