- Government taking decisive action to reduce driving
test waiting times, deploying Defence Driving Examiners
across England over the next year.
- Up to 6,500 additional tests will be delivered over the next
year and will be based at driving test centres with the highest
demand, so learners can get on the road quickly.
- New measures also introduced to stamp out reselling of
tests, as Government remains committed to helping drivers
ditch their L plates as soon as they're ready.
Military driving examiners will help deliver up to 6,500 more
tests in tough new measures to tackle the driving test backlog,
the Government announced today.
There will also be a new limit on rearranging tests and a ban on
third parties booking on behalf of learners in order to make the
system fairer, Transport Secretary said.
The Department for Transport, working in partnership with the
Ministry of Defence, has announced 36 Defence Driving Examiners
(DDEs), made up of civilian
MoD personnel, will help conduct driving
tests one day a week for 12 months.
The extra personnel will be focusing primarily on car
driving tests but with flexibility to carry out vocational tests,
for bus and lorry drivers, if needed. They will be based at
the driving test centres with the highest demand near their MOD
base or home location.
Transport Secretary said:
“We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch
their L-Plates, who have been sadly forced to endure record
waiting times for their tests. Every learner should have an equal
and fair opportunity to take a test.
"We're taking decisive action, and these new measures will
deliver thousands of extra tests over the next year, helping
learners get on the road sooner. This will ease pressure on the
system, removing barriers to opportunity and supporting economic
growth as part of our Plan for Change."
Military driving examiners usually test service personnel,
covering cars as well as fuel tankers and armoured
carriers. The new arrangement will benefit both parties,
helping tackle the driving test backlog and keeping DDEs skills
sharp.
The Minister for the Armed Forces, , has authorised the deployment of military driving
examiners to help bring down the backlog, with no negative impact
on military operations.
Minister for the Armed Forces, said:
“The Armed Forces and civilians working within the Ministry of
Defence have always been ready to step up when the country needs
them – and this is another example of that commitment in action.
“Our military driving examiners bring skill and professionalism
from testing Service personnel to prepare them for some of the
toughest conditions imaginable.
“By supporting civilian testing, they're helping to get more
learners on the road, keep Britain moving, and deliver for the
public.”
Alongside military support, the Government is introducing new
rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots
and resellers to profit at learners' expense.
New rules will mean that:
- Learner drivers will only be able to make up to 2 changes to
the driving test in total - including moves, swaps and
location changes - before it must be cancelled and rebooked.
- Learner drivers will be restricted to a limited
number of test centres which are located close to the
original booking.
- Only learner drivers will be able to book their own test, and
not instructors on their behalf.
Limiting who can book a test and the number of changes made will
mean third-parties will no longer be able to resell tests at
inflated prices. Learners will only pay the actual fee DVSA
charges - £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank
holidays - giving them greater control and confidence when
booking a driving test.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation,
said:
"It is good to see steps being put in place to put a stop to
those touting tests to frustrated learners – candidates stuck in
the queue should at least be reassured that they aren't being
elbowed aside by those simply seeking to make a quick buck.
"What will really deter the touts and tackle the queues would be
a return to the more reasonable pre-covid waiting time for tests
which we hope the arrival of a platoon of military examiners
alongside the new DVSA recruits will help deliver."
The Government instructed the DVSA to take further measures this
year, and is now beginning to see early signs of improvement. We
saw an increase in the number of tests over summer 2025 compared
to the same period in 2024, and have nearly doubled the number of
trainers available to train new examiners, to help unlock more
tests..
The Government remains committed to breaking down barriers to
opportunity, particularly in rural areas where a driving licence
is vital for accessing jobs and training.
Notes to editors
- Partnership with MOD will see 36 Defence Driving Examiners
(DDEs) deliver thousands of additional tests over 12 months at an
estimated cost of £100,000.
- DDEs will work one day per week, primarily on car tests, with
flexibility for vocational tests.
- DDEs are not military personnel – they are civil servants
employed by the military.
- DVSA consultation ran from 28 May to 23 July 2025, with
102,224 responses
