Driving test backlog in Scotland won't be cleared until 2027 as learners wait more than 21 weeks

Learner drivers in Scotland are waiting an average of more than 21 weeks - four-and-a-half months - for a practical test compared to the target of seven weeks.

This is not now expected to be met until November 2027 rather than the end of this year, as ministers had pledged.

The SNP obtained the figures for November from a Freedom of Information request, which showed waits averaged 21.2 weeks but were at the maximum permitted 24 weeks - five-and-a-half months - at 70 per cent of Scottish test centres.

These included all three centres in Glasgow, two in the Edinburgh area and Dundee, Perth and Stirling. The shortest waits were in Ayr, where learners waited four weeks, Inverness (five) and Banff (six).

The Scottish average compared to 22.3 weeks across Britain.

A new report by National Audit Office (NAO), the public spending watchdog, said the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) had failed to appoint sufficient new examiners to enable it to increase test slots, despite several recruitment drives.

It said large numbers of examiners were quitting because of "perceived uncompetitive pay and safety concerns".

Only 83 more examiners are in place than in February 2021 - against a goal of 400 - despite 19 DVSA recruitment campaigns.

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The report also found that nearly one in three learners were paying third parties up to £500 to book a test because of the backlog, which has increased from an average of five weeks before the Covid pandemic in 2020.

A total of 1.1 million tests could not be carried out in the 2020-21 financial year because of coronavirus restrictions, and an estimated 360,000 of these have still not been booked.

The NAO said the DVSA has struggled to properly understand the demand for tests because third parties quickly booked slots using automated programmes, known as bots.

SNP MSP Bob Doris said: “These latest figures show Labour's abject failure to get a grip has resulted in waiting times spiralling under their control.

“The impact on learner drivers across Scotland cannot be understated – costing them money and denying them opportunities to access work, education and leisure.

Labour promised to fix this mess by the end of this year - but instead all we’ve had is dither, delay and excuses. Labour’s promise to fix the mess lies in tatters.”

A spokesperson for the UK Department for Transport said: "We inherited a frustrating system with learner drivers left in limbo waiting for tests, a system ripe for rogue individuals to exploit.

"That's why we're taking decisive action to address the backlog and seeing improvement - including deploying military driving examiners, and from Spring 2026, limiting test moves and swaps, and only allowing learner drivers to book tests.

READ MORE: Where is the easiest place to pass your driving test? Here are the 10 UK centres with the highest pass rates - with SIX in Scotland

"The DVSA has already carried out 74,847 extra tests between June and November this year compared to 2024, and these new measures will deliver thousands more extra tests over the next year."

Waiting times in weeks for car driving tests on 3 November

Aberdeen North 24

Aberdeen South (Cove) 8

Aberfeldy 24

Airdrie 24

Alness 19

Arbroath 7

Ayr 4

Ballater 24

Banff 6

Barra 24

Benbecula 24

Bishopbriggs 24

Brodick 24

Buckie24

Callander 24

Campbeltown 24

Castle Douglas 17

Crieff 17

Cumnock 10

Dumbarton 17

Dumfries 13

Dundee 24

Dunfermline (Vine) 24

Dunoon 24

Duns 20

East Kilbride 24

Edinburgh (Currie) 24

Edinburgh (Musselburgh) 24

Elgin 24

Forfar 24

Fort William 24

Fraserburgh 24

Gairloch 24

Galashiels 24

Girvan 24

Glasgow (Anniesland) 24

Glasgow (Baillieston) 24

Glasgow (Shieldhall) 24

Golspie 24

Grangemouth 24

Grantown-On-Spey 24

Greenock 24

Haddington 16

Hamilton 24

Hawick 21

Huntly 15

Inveraray 24

Inverness (Longman Drive) 5

Inverurie 24

Irvine 24

Islay 24

Mull 24

Portree 24

Tiree 24

Kelso 21

Kingussie 24

Kirkcaldy 24

Kyle of Lochalsh 24

Lanark 24

Lerwick 24

Livingston 24

Lochgilphead 24

Mallaig 20

Montrose 24

Newton Stewart 24

Oban 24

Orkney 16

Paisley 24

Peebles 24

Perth (Arran Road) 24

Peterhead 10

Pitlochry 17

Rothesay 16

Stirling 24

Stornoway 24

Stranraer 20

Thurso 24

Ullapool 24

Wick 24

Source: DVSA