United Kingdom · driving test
UK car driving-test waiting-time data updated for June 2026
GOV.UK’s car driving-test data now includes waiting-time and availability tables updated in July 2026.
The June 2026 waiting-time takeaway
This update is useful if you want to understand the driving-test backlog around your area, but it is not a live booking page. It helps you see patterns, not grab a slot today.
Learners comparing centres, regions, and real options
Learner drivers, parents helping learners, instructors, and anyone comparing driving-test waits by region or test centre in Great Britain.
What the July DVSA data release added
- GOV.UK's official car driving-test statistics include downloadable waiting-time and availability tables by country, region, and test centre. The link is in the official source section at the bottom of this page.
- The July update covers data to June 2026.
- These official tables can help separate national backlog headlines from what is happening at the test centres you could realistically use.
Dataset details behind the June figures
GOV.UK says the car driving-test waiting-time and availability tables are updated on the second Wednesday of each month.
The July 8, 2026 update covers data to June 2026.
Table DRT121G covers country and region data from January 2019 to date.
Table DRT122F covers driving-test-centre data from January 2019 to date.
June 2026 DVSA tables in plain language
June 2026 data, published July 8, 2026
The July 8, 2026 GOV.UK car driving-test spreadsheets include June 2026 rows for Great Britain, countries, regions, and test centres. The main figures are summarized here so you can understand the update without leaving this page.
Great Britain availability wait
20.9 weeks
Weeks until at least 10% of weekly appointments were still available to book.
Great Britain middle actual wait
10.7 weeks
The middle wait between booking and taking the test for people who completed a test in June 2026.
Standard slots made available
721,994
Standard car test slots made available within the booking window across Great Britain.
Slots still available
85,637
Standard slots still available to book within the booking window when DVSA measured the month.
| Area | Availability wait | Middle actual wait |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 20.9 weeks | 10.7 weeks |
| England | 21.5 weeks | 10.7 weeks |
| Scotland | 21.6 weeks | 14.4 weeks |
| Wales | 13.0 weeks | 7.7 weeks |
| London | 23.8 weeks | 15.4 weeks |
| East of England | 23.4 weeks | 11.4 weeks |
| South West | 18.0 weeks | 7.0 weeks |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 18.3 weeks | 9.1 weeks |
The backlog signals that matter most
- London had the longest regional availability wait in the June 2026 table at 23.8 weeks.
- Wales had a much shorter country-level availability wait than England or Scotland at 13.0 weeks.
- The centre-level table contains 313 open driving-test centres for June 2026. Some centres showed the booking-window ceiling of 24.0 weeks, while examples such as Llanelli, Bridgend, and Barrow In Furness showed under 6 weeks to 10%+ weekly availability.
DVSA tables summarized
- DRT121G: country and region waiting-time and availability table
- DRT122F: driving-test-centre waiting-time and availability table
Monthly statistics are not live slots
- Availability wait and middle actual wait are different measures. Availability wait describes future booking availability; middle actual wait describes people who already took a test.
- A 24.0-week centre value should be read as the booking-window ceiling in this dataset, not proof that the true wait cannot be longer.
- These figures are monthly official statistics. They are useful for planning and comparison, but they are not live slot availability.
If your centre, region, or booking feels stuck
You need a test soon
Use the table to identify realistic nearby centres under pressure, but remember it is not live availability. Check the official booking system for actual slots and only choose centres you can attend.
Your centre shows 24 weeks
Read 24 weeks as the top of the booking-window measure in this dataset. It signals heavy pressure, but it does not tell you the exact day a new slot will appear.
Your region looks better than your centre
Trust centre-level detail more than a broad regional average when choosing where to monitor. A regional number can hide very different local experiences.
You feel stuck and behind
The backlog is a system issue, not a judgment on you as a learner. Keep practising, choose realistic centres, and avoid panic-booking a slot you cannot safely use.
Driving-test wait worries, answered
Does this mean I can book a test today?
No. This is monthly statistics, not the live booking system. Use it to understand which areas and centres tend to be under pressure, then check the official booking service for actual slots.
Should I switch to another test centre?
Maybe, but only if you can realistically travel there and take the test there. A nearby centre with shorter waits may help, but a centre that is hard to reach can create more stress than it solves.
Should I use a cancellation app or third-party booking tool?
Be careful. DVSA changed booking rules in 2026, and unofficial tools can cause problems. Read the official booking-rule guidance first, and avoid anything that manages your booking in a way DVSA does not allow.
What should I do if I feel stuck?
Start with small practical steps: check your realistic nearby centres, choose dates you can actually attend, keep practising, and avoid panic-booking a slot you are not ready for. The statistics can guide planning, but they are not a judgment on your progress.
How learners can use the June data
If your nearest centre looks unusually busy, it may be worth checking nearby centres that you could realistically attend.
A regional average can make the backlog look simpler than it is; two centres in the same region can still feel very different to learners.
The data is best used together with official booking rules, especially before using cancellation tactics or moving a booking.
Use the tables without panic-booking
- Open the official GOV.UK statistics link at the bottom of this page if you want to see the source tables yourself.
- Use the country and regional table to understand the wider backlog around you.
- Use the test-centre table when deciding which centres are realistic for you to monitor.
- Do not treat the monthly data as live slot availability; it is a published statistical dataset.
- Read the 2026 booking-rule guidance before relying on cancellation tactics or moving a booking.
Plan with the data, book with the live system
Use country and regional data to understand the wider backlog, then use test-centre data for decisions that affect where you might actually take a test.
Because the data goes back to January 2019, it can show whether today's wait is unusual or part of a longer trend.
Monthly statistics are good for planning, but they should not replace checking the official booking service when you are ready to book.
What the June tables cannot show
- The dataset is monthly and retrospective, so it cannot tell a learner what slot is available today.
- A regional average can hide large centre-level differences.
- Official statistics and public user reports should stay separate because they answer different questions.
Help improve the wait data
Share your DVSA practical driving test application date
If this update matters to your DVSA practical driving test wait, add your application date so other readers can compare real timelines. It takes about a minute, and submissions are reviewed before they affect public wait numbers.
Official citation
Published July 8, 2026. Original source: GOV.UK driving test statistics.