New driving test rules to come into force for 2025 announced by DVSA
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The DVSA has revealed a its plan to cut waiting times for driving tests. New rules for driving tests have been set out by the DVSA under its plan to reduce waiting times and help drivers get on the road. The agency says it will review and improve the rules for booking driving tests, aiming to make the system more efficient and easier to use.
![[Learners in England can expect a wait of nearly five months for a driving test (Andrew Matthews/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/16/12/27d49e80d343f13b0fa612dffcf0bdfeY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM0NDM1NzEw-2.77335791.jpg)
The average waiting time in England currently stands at 21 weeks, or just under five months – but can often reach six months or more. The change is just one part of a seven-step plan to bring improvements to the current system. The DVSA has also announced that it will be recruiting 450 driving examiners across the country to improve the availability of tests.
Figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT) earlier this year indicated that the number of tests taken reached a record level in the 12 months to the end of March, at 1.9 million. The measures will also see an increase to the period for changing or cancelling a test without losing money, in a bid to discourage late cancellations. This period will rise from three to ten working days.
This will come alongside changes to the system used by driving instructors to book tests in an attempt to free up more slots, as well as a call for evidence to examine how to prevent candidates being ripped off by third parties buying up slots. Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said: “Passing your driving test is a life changing opportunity for millions – but sky-high waiting times for tests in recent years have denied that opportunity to too many people.
