UK Driving Test Waiting Times 2026
Compare DVSA waiting times across 242 test centres. The average wait is 14.8 weeks, ranging from 4.1 weeks (Cardigan) to 23.4 weeks (Bradford (Thornbury)).
242
Test Centres
14.8wk
Average Wait
3
Regions
Top 10 Shortest Wait
| # | Centre | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Cardigan
|
4.1wk |
| 2 |
Carmarthen
|
4.5wk |
| 3 |
Norwich (Jupiter Road)
|
4.9wk |
| 4 |
Watnall
|
5.0wk |
| 5 |
Macclesfield
|
6.0wk |
| 6 |
Inverness (Longman Drive)
|
6.0wk |
| 7 |
Llanelli
|
6.1wk |
| 8 |
Wrexham
|
6.2wk |
| 9 |
Newtown
|
6.5wk |
| 10 |
Elgin
|
6.5wk |
Top 10 Longest Wait
| # | Centre | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bradford (Thornbury)
|
23.4wk |
| 2 |
Bolton (Manchester)
|
23.3wk |
| 3 |
Hamilton
|
23.2wk |
| 4 |
Hendon (London)
|
23.1wk |
| 5 |
Glasgow (Shieldhall)
|
23.0wk |
| 6 |
Bishopbriggs
|
22.9wk |
| 7 |
Pinner (London)
|
22.5wk |
| 8 |
Steeton
|
22.5wk |
| 9 |
Glasgow (Baillieston)
|
22.5wk |
| 10 |
Wakefield
|
22.4wk |
All Centres by Region
| Centre | Wait | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich (Jupiter Road) | 4.9wk | 42.0% |
| Watnall | 5.0wk | 51.9% |
| Macclesfield | 6.0wk | 51.7% |
| Newtown | 6.5wk | 67.8% |
| Redhill Aerodrome | 7.2wk | 49.2% |
| Buxton | 7.7wk | 54.1% |
| Stafford | 7.7wk | 47.2% |
| Canterbury | 8.0wk | 51.4% |
| Stoke-On-Trent (Cobridge) | 8.1wk | 40.2% |
| Bury St Edmunds | 8.4wk | 43.9% |
| Yeading (London) | 8.4wk | 41.7% |
| Farnborough | 8.5wk | 57.8% |
| Grantham (Somerby) | 8.5wk | 53.3% |
| Launceston | 8.6wk | 41.6% |
| Boston | 8.9wk | 51.8% |
| Darlington | 9.0wk | 56.7% |
| Ipswich | 9.1wk | 60.8% |
| Newport (Isle of Wight) | 9.2wk | 49.8% |
| Ludlow | 9.3wk | 62.0% |
| Norwich (Peachman Way) | 9.3wk | 59.3% |
| Mitcham (London) | 9.9wk | 51.0% |
| Chertsey (London) | 10.2wk | 49.4% |
| Chichester | 10.2wk | 64.4% |
| Bodmin | 10.6wk | 41.9% |
| Rochdale (Manchester) | 10.6wk | 38.9% |
| Sale (Manchester) | 10.6wk | 49.9% |
| Salisbury | 10.7wk | 60.3% |
| Tunbridge Wells | 10.7wk | 61.1% |
| Upton | 10.7wk | 48.4% |
| Nuneaton | 10.8wk | 52.1% |
| Wallasey | 10.8wk | 41.2% |
| Atherton (Manchester) | 10.9wk | 46.2% |
| Chorley | 10.9wk | 57.0% |
| Dorchester | 10.9wk | 63.9% |
| Folkestone | 11.0wk | 41.7% |
| Basingstoke | 11.1wk | 61.3% |
| Hastings (Ore) | 11.1wk | 47.2% |
| Barrow In Furness | 11.2wk | 67.5% |
| Crewe | 11.2wk | 46.5% |
| Loughborough | 11.2wk | 42.0% |
| Banbury | 11.4wk | 40.6% |
| Hither Green (London) | 11.4wk | 53.5% |
| Bury (Manchester) | 11.5wk | 39.0% |
| Workington | 11.5wk | 56.2% |
| Burgess Hill | 11.6wk | 45.2% |
| Carlisle | 11.9wk | 69.0% |
| Carlisle LGV (Cars) | 11.9wk | 59.0% |
| Grimsby Coldwater | 11.9wk | 38.1% |
| Gateshead | 12.0wk | 42.3% |
| Guildford | 12.0wk | 45.4% |
| Basildon | 12.1wk | 47.7% |
| Nottingham (Chilwell) | 12.2wk | 40.6% |
| Tolworth (London) | 12.2wk | 51.7% |
| Maidstone | 12.3wk | 52.4% |
| Bedford | 12.4wk | 54.9% |
| Brentwood (London) | 12.4wk | 50.7% |
| Slough (London) | 12.4wk | 50.0% |
| Bridlington | 12.6wk | 61.2% |
| Isleworth (Fleming Way) | 12.6wk | 52.6% |
| Warwick (Wedgenock House) | 12.6wk | 46.2% |
| Kings Lynn | 12.7wk | 48.0% |
| Leicester (Cannock Street) | 12.7wk | 38.3% |
| Peterborough | 12.7wk | 48.4% |
| Uxbridge (London) | 12.7wk | 46.4% |
| Bristol (Avonmouth) | 13.0wk | 56.1% |
| Lincoln | 13.0wk | 49.1% |
| Loughton (London) | 13.0wk | 45.0% |
| Chadderton | 13.1wk | 44.5% |
| Barnet (London) | 13.2wk | 48.8% |
| Lowestoft (Mobbs Way) | 13.2wk | 46.9% |
| Eastbourne | 13.3wk | 49.1% |
| West Wickham (London) | 13.3wk | 48.3% |
| Newton Abbot | 13.7wk | 52.1% |
| Telford | 13.7wk | 45.1% |
| Hinckley | 13.8wk | 52.3% |
| Scunthorpe | 13.8wk | 41.5% |
| Greenford (Horsenden Lane) | 13.9wk | 40.7% |
| Widnes | 13.9wk | 44.0% |
| Exeter | 14.0wk | 48.4% |
| Crawley | 14.2wk | 38.6% |
| Redditch | 14.2wk | 45.6% |
| Nottingham (Colwick) | 14.3wk | 47.5% |
| Aylesbury | 14.4wk | 44.2% |
| Scarborough | 14.4wk | 51.7% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 14.7wk | 47.8% |
| Blyth | 14.7wk | 51.1% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 14.8wk | 50.8% |
| Birmingham (Shirley) | 14.9wk | 52.4% |
| Bromley (London) | 14.9wk | 51.5% |
| Leicester (Wigston) | 14.9wk | 45.2% |
| Sevenoaks | 14.9wk | 49.7% |
| Stoke-on-Trent (Newcastle-Under-Lyme) | 15.0wk | 44.0% |
| Ashford (Kent) | 15.1wk | 50.0% |
| Coventry | 15.1wk | 42.0% |
| Gillingham | 15.1wk | 57.7% |
| Pontefract | 15.1wk | 45.0% |
| Camborne | 15.2wk | 42.0% |
| Northallerton | 15.2wk | 49.9% |
| Oxford (Cowley) | 15.2wk | 43.6% |
| Winchester | 15.2wk | 49.1% |
| Reading | 15.3wk | 49.3% |
| Rugby | 15.3wk | 46.6% |
| Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | 15.4wk | 67.2% |
| Borehamwood (London) | 15.5wk | 48.9% |
| Burton on Trent | 15.5wk | 53.1% |
| Chesterfield | 15.5wk | 49.2% |
| Portsmouth | 15.5wk | 52.2% |
| Belvedere (London) | 15.6wk | 34.4% |
| Gosforth | 15.8wk | 45.2% |
| Kettering | 15.8wk | 49.4% |
| Shrewsbury | 15.8wk | 51.7% |
| Wanstead (London) | 15.8wk | 40.9% |
| Enfield (Innova Business Park) | 15.9wk | 51.1% |
| West Didsbury (Manchester) | 16.0wk | 51.7% |
| Morden (London) | 16.1wk | 46.5% |
| Chippenham | 16.2wk | 47.6% |
| Erith (London) | 16.2wk | 42.1% |
| Chester | 16.3wk | 45.4% |
| Tilbury | 16.3wk | 49.9% |
| Yeovil | 16.3wk | 60.6% |
| St Albans | 16.4wk | 43.1% |
| Wednesbury | 16.4wk | 36.9% |
| Weston-super-Mare | 16.4wk | 59.1% |
| Hereford | 16.5wk | 57.0% |
| Worcester | 16.5wk | 50.6% |
| Southall (London) | 16.6wk | 41.0% |
| Barking (Tanner Street) | 16.7wk | 40.3% |
| Lee On The Solent | 16.7wk | 59.2% |
| Doncaster | 16.8wk | 41.6% |
| Hartlepool | 16.8wk | 48.1% |
| Taunton | 16.9wk | 54.7% |
| Lichfield | 17.0wk | 47.5% |
| Plymouth | 17.0wk | 40.4% |
| Hornchurch (London) | 17.1wk | 53.0% |
| Huddersfield | 17.1wk | 50.6% |
| Gloucester | 17.2wk | 47.7% |
| Nelson | 17.2wk | 49.7% |
| Speke (Liverpool) | 17.2wk | 32.1% |
| Barnsley | 17.3wk | 55.9% |
| Clacton-on-Sea | 17.5wk | 52.8% |
| Rotherham | 17.5wk | 48.7% |
| Sidcup (London) | 17.5wk | 58.2% |
| Chingford (London) | 17.6wk | 37.2% |
| St Helens (Liverpool) | 17.6wk | 39.8% |
| Sunderland | 17.6wk | 47.0% |
| Tottenham | 17.6wk | 49.0% |
| Watford | 17.6wk | 49.4% |
| Bishops Stortford | 17.7wk | 48.7% |
| Dudley | 17.7wk | 43.0% |
| Herne Bay | 17.7wk | 56.7% |
| Halifax | 17.8wk | 43.2% |
| Luton | 17.9wk | 38.9% |
| Heysham | 18.0wk | 55.7% |
| Barnstaple | 18.1wk | 57.8% |
| Durham | 18.1wk | 50.0% |
| Knaresborough | 18.1wk | 57.8% |
| Preston | 18.1wk | 57.9% |
| Horsforth | 18.3wk | 50.0% |
| Middlesbrough | 18.3wk | 51.0% |
| Leeds | 18.4wk | 49.4% |
| Letchworth | 18.6wk | 55.4% |
| Wood Green (London) | 18.6wk | 43.7% |
| Birmingham (Kingstanding) | 18.7wk | 43.7% |
| Chelmsford (Hanbury Road) | 18.7wk | 49.4% |
| Bredbury (Manchester) | 18.8wk | 54.0% |
| Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road) | 18.8wk | 48.7% |
| Southport (Liverpool) | 18.9wk | 57.2% |
| Heckmondwike | 19.0wk | 48.5% |
| York | 19.0wk | 52.5% |
| Poole | 19.2wk | 48.6% |
| Stevenage | 19.2wk | 43.5% |
| Bradford (Heaton) | 19.3wk | 53.8% |
| Swindon | 19.4wk | 47.6% |
| Northampton | 19.5wk | 50.4% |
| Cheltenham | 19.6wk | 46.0% |
| Hull | 19.7wk | 50.6% |
| Birmingham (Garretts Green) | 19.8wk | 40.6% |
| Norris Green (Liverpool) | 19.8wk | 37.0% |
| Wolverhampton | 19.9wk | 33.1% |
| Skipton | 20.0wk | 51.2% |
| Southampton (Maybush) | 20.0wk | 44.2% |
| Birmingham (Kings Heath) | 20.1wk | 44.5% |
| Cambridge (Brookmount Court) | 20.2wk | 51.8% |
| Sheffield (Handsworth) | 20.2wk | 45.5% |
| Bristol (Kingswood) | 20.3wk | 55.8% |
| Bletchley | 20.4wk | 47.2% |
| Colchester | 20.5wk | 45.6% |
| Derby (Alvaston) | 20.5wk | 48.9% |
| Featherstone | 20.8wk | 33.4% |
| Birmingham (South Yardley) | 21.2wk | 40.9% |
| Mill Hill (London) | 21.5wk | 44.7% |
| Worksop | 21.5wk | 59.0% |
| Warrington | 21.6wk | 54.4% |
| Cheetham Hill (Manchester) | 21.9wk | 42.9% |
| Goodmayes (London) | 21.9wk | 45.1% |
| Ashfield | 22.1wk | 53.2% |
| Sheffield (Middlewood Road) | 22.2wk | 43.6% |
| Wakefield | 22.4wk | 50.4% |
| Pinner (London) | 22.5wk | 51.1% |
| Steeton | 22.5wk | 50.8% |
| Hendon (London) | 23.1wk | 47.1% |
| Bolton (Manchester) | 23.3wk | 56.1% |
| Bradford (Thornbury) | 23.4wk | 52.1% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average waiting time for a UK driving test?
The average waiting time across 242 DVSA test centres is approximately 14.8 weeks. However, waiting times vary significantly — the shortest is 4.1 weeks at Cardigan and the longest is 23.4 weeks at Bradford (Thornbury).
How can I get an earlier driving test date?
You can check for cancellations by logging into your DVSA booking account and looking for earlier dates. Consider centres with shorter waiting times, even if they're further from home. Third-party cancellation alert services also exist, though DVSA's new booking rules from March 2026 may affect these.
Why are driving test waiting times so long in the UK?
High demand for test slots, particularly at popular urban centres, combined with limited examiner availability creates long waits. Automated booking bots and commercial resellers have also contributed to the shortage. DVSA is implementing new booking rules in 2026 to address these issues.
Data source: DVSA waiting times data. Waiting times are approximate and may vary by day and time of year. Last updated: 2026.
Check gov.uk for the most current availability.