Driving licences and tests - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Learner drivers face 24-week wait as backlog continues for two more years

Learner drivers face months of delays booking practical tests because a backlog will not be cleared until November 2027, a watchdog has warned.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said there was a backlog of 1.1 million tests that were not carried out in the 2020/21 financial year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and around 360,000 of these had still not been booked. The average waiting time was 22 weeks in September, but at 70% of test centres the wait has hit 24 weeks – the maximum allowed.

The Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) said it was "taking decisive action to address the backlog", including employing military driving examiners.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) had planned to cut waiting times to seven weeks by the end of 2025.

The NAO's inquiry found delays have led to people paying third parties to secure tests, some of whom were "paying significantly inflated prices of up to £500" - nearly eight times the official DVSA fee of £62 for a weekday slot.

It said the DVSA struggled to "understand the real demand for tests" because third party websites quickly book available slots using automated programs known as bots. "These delays can have a serious impact on learner drivers' income and the economy, with 30% of respondents to a DVSA survey saying they need to be able to drive for their jobs," the watchdog said.

The NAO also reported a lack of examiners and found many were leaving "due to uncompetitive pay and safety concerns". Despite running 19 recruitment campaigns since 2021, DVSA has only hired 83 extra examiners, far short of its 400 target. In the 2023/24 financial year, DVSA had a total of 220 staff at its 240 test centres who were qualified examiners.

(BBC article continues)

[TonyK]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Driving test touts offer instructors £250 monthly kickbacks

Driving instructors are being offered kickbacks of up to £250 a month to sell their official test-booking login details to touts, a BBC investigation has found.

Touts use these login details to book driving tests in bulk and sell them to learners on WhatsApp and Facebook, charging as much as £500 for tests that should cost no more than £75. This makes it harder for learners to book through legitimate routes and adds to already lengthy waiting times.

The BBC has also uncovered evidence that the outgoing head of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Loveday Ryder, was told about these operations in February - yet some sellers reported to the DVSA are still operating. In response, the DVSA said it does not comment on specific complaints but has zero tolerance for those exploiting learner drivers.

We have identified touts operating in London, Birmingham, Manchester and the Home Counties. Posing as driving instructors, we approached them on WhatsApp and were offered monthly payments in exchange for login details to the DVSA's system, where instructors can book tests.

One tout boasted he worked with more than 1,000 instructors - while another, Anil Ahmed, who goes by the name "Ahadeen", said he signed up two instructors every week. We could not independently verify either of these claims. When we later confronted Mr Ahmed in person he denied any involvement, but we have found significant evidence implicating him.

The BBC has not been able to identify specific driving instructors selling their details but our conversations with these touts, the sheer volume of tests they are selling, and images of test-booking systems shared on WhatsApp suggest hundreds of rogue instructors might be involved.

Separately, 30 instructors we spoke to across Great Britain - England, Scotland and Wales - said they had heard of test slots being sold at huge mark-ups. Ten of them told us they had been approached by touts or had spoken to other instructors who had been.

At the end of October, 642,000 learners in Great Britain were waiting to take a test, with an average wait time of 21 weeks, DVSA data shows. There is a separate system in Northern Ireland.

Waits can be as long as six months, according to learners we spoke to - some say they are turning to touts out of desperation. A recent DVSA survey suggested about one in three learners had used "third parties" to book their driving tests.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently announced plans to change driving test rules, which it is hoped will stop touts and reduce the backlog. From the spring, only learners - not instructors - will be able to book test slots.

Instructors we spoke to welcomed the Department of Transport's (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) proposals, but also said they had been raising these issues for some time and now want to know whether the government will root out rogue teachers. Tests have been bulk-booked and resold for profit for years, but these instructors say it is now getting much worse.


(BBC article continues)

Having spent some time in the investigation of fraud, I have learned that any opportunity to exploit a good idea from the government will indeed be exploited by the ruthless. At the dawn of tax credits, my colleagues and I were given a presentation on how it would work, and immediately pointed out the most glaring gaps in security that would soon be picked up on. We were told not they wouldn't, and as it was another government department, we wouldn't be involved. It took a matter of days for us to notice our prophecy coming to fulfilment, and another year of pointing this out and trying to refer things we spotted before suddenly, a huge programme of tightening up and trying to get the cash back began, along with training staff to deal with the fraud we were so confidently told wouldn't happen.

Years later, the Covid PPE^▸ (Personal Protective Equipment - safety wear), emergency rules for Universal Credit, bounce-back loans, furlough support etc, etc, suggested that lessons had not been learned, and this driving test fiasco is nothing but the latest initiative to be used for the wrong reason. When I first heard of third parties selling driving tests a couple of years ago, the remedy was obvious to me. It seems that DVSA has now twigged. It looks like it is going to take a long time to sort out. The first step should be to stop tests being booked without the driver number from a provisional licence, with no option to hand the test booking to anyone else. A fair cancellation policy will help sell that to the schools. All instructors who book on behalf of students should be required to reset passwords, and any that abuse the system should face consequences. I'll come out of retirement for a few months to help if need be. I have a clean licence.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Learners causing 'chaos' in Welsh village where test centre offers 'easier' test

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Miskin has seen high numbers of people learning to drive in recent years amid long wait times across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)

The number of learner drivers using roads around a village is causing "chaos" due to people believing it to be easier to book a slot and pass their test there, locals say.

Miskin, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has seen high numbers of people learning to drive in recent years with long waiting times at test centres in parts of the UK.

"Everyone's got to learn but it seems everyone wants to learn here," said one resident.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said average test volumes at Llantrisant Driving Test Centre "have not risen since 2018." The centre was previously used for lorry exams but started issuing driving licences in 2018.

Local resident Alun Fellows described it as "chaos".

"You've got learner drivers sometimes spending five to ten minutes reversing into a parking spot," he said, adding that pupils were taken out "early in the morning till late in the evening".

"I also think the learner drivers are making it dangerous not just for the people living here, but also for cyclists and dog walkers."

Ash Hallwood works as a deep-sea diver, and said when he is home in Miskin he sees many L plates on cars. "There is a lot of learner drivers from eight in the morning, and it always seems to be on the school run. Everyone's got to learn but it seems everyone wants to learn here."

(BBC article continues)

[TonyK]

^^^ It used to be Minehead. Not only was there only one roundabout in the town, but if you were lucky enough to have a test that coincided with the end of an long weekend event at Butlins, you probably wouldn't have to do the test at more than 3 mph. The test centre closed when it got out of hand, with learners from distant Scottish islands booking there.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Learner drivers may have to wait six months before taking test

Learner drivers in England and Wales could face a minimum learning period of up to six months before sitting their practical test, the BBC can reveal.

The government will unveil the measure, which will be subject to consultation, as part of its wider road safety strategy launched on Wednesday.

The shake-up of driving laws is aimed at reducing the number of people killed or badly injured on Britain's roads by 65% over the next decade, and by 70% for children under 16.

Around a fifth of all deaths or serious injuries from crashes involved a young car driver in 2024.

The government believes a minimum period between sitting the theory test and the practical test would help learner drivers develop their skills, including driving in different conditions.

The Department for Transport will consult on three or six months for the minimum learning period.

It would include any informal learning they may do with parents or guardians as well as formal lessons with a driving instructor.

Evidence from other countries suggests minimum learning periods could reduce collisions by up to 32%. Currently, learner drivers can take lessons from 17 and book a practical test as soon as they have passed a theory exam.

The majority of driving tests in Britain are taken by under-25s. In 2024-25, about 55% of tests were taken by drivers aged 17-24.

Learner drivers currently face a waiting time of around six months to take their practical tests anyway, due to a backlog from the Covid pandemic. The backlog is expected to last until late 2027.

The proposed changes could see an end to teenagers passing their tests days after turning 17, meaning the youngest drivers would be at least 17 and a half.

(BBC article continues)

[ChrisB]

Better to require a set number of hours learning, No? Else you might have one lesson every 3 months?

[Timmer]

That would end the week long intense courses of driving lessons followed by the driving test, though I would imagine trying to book a test to match when you’d have a week of lessons may be tricky these days.

[ellendune]

That would end the week long intense courses of driving lessons followed by the driving test, though I would imagine trying to book a test to match when you’d have a week of lessons may be tricky these days.

Yes the end of driving instructors being able to book tests must be ending those anyway. 

[TonyK]

Better to require a set number of hours learning, No? Else you might have one lesson every 3 months?

That's required for a pilot's licence, although it is a minimum number. There are multiple skills to learn, some people take longer to master each bit than others. Learning to drive a car is similar in that the pace of learning varies with the student. Some pick up a tricky concept immediately, others take a while to master something fundamental but then pick up the rest easily. I don't think a set number of hours would work in driving -  practice makes perfect, or if not perfect then acceptable.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Driving test cheating soars as candidates turn to Bluetooth headsets and impersonators

Cheating cases during practical and theory driving tests rose by nearly 50 per cent last year in England, Scotland and Wales, new figures show.

The cheating methods varied, according to freedom of information data from the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), with more than 1,100 cases involving the use of Bluetooth headsets.

Overall, nearly 100 offenders were prosecuted for trying to cheat themselves or for impersonating driving test candidates.

Industry leaders blamed the increase on the nationwide shortage of tests and drivers' desperation to pass, while the DVSA blamed a general rise in cheating and improved detection.

A Press Association News Agency freedom information request revealed 2,844 attempts to cheat during driving tests in the year to September 2025, 47% higher than the previous year. Of those, more than a third (1,113) involved the use of technology, such as an earpiece connected via Bluetooth to a concealed phone, to try to cheat at a theory test.

Meanwhile people attempted 1,084 times to try to take theory tests while impersonating the registered candidate. And in 647 incidents, people pretended to be the registered candidate for a practical test.

Dr Rasha Kassem, leader of the Fraud Research Group at Aston University, warned of the dangers of people passing tests illegally without actually knowing how to drive. "It means that there will be more accidents, collisions, insurance issues as well, damage to the car, and damage to human beings, injuries, and in some cases, death," she said. "There has to be public awareness, because this is a serious crime, from my perspective, and also in the eyes of the law. It is fraud."

Impersonators, and those who use them, face punishments ranging from driving bans to prison sentences. They can also be ordered to carry out unpaid work or made to pay court costs.

Ninety-six people were prosecuted for attempting to cheat on driving tests or impersonate candidates in the 12 months to September last year.

Steps taken to try and prevent fraud including matching a practical test candidate's face with their photo ID, as well as asking theory candidates to roll up their sleeves and show their pockets are empty.

Examples of people prosecuted last year, reported by the Press Association News Agency, include 23-year-old Qounain Khan, who was handed an eight-month prison sentence in June 2025 after pleading guilty to impersonating learners at theory test centres 12 times. The court heard impersonators could be paid up to £2,000 for passing a test.

Sorina-Ana Turcitu, 42, admitted attempting to take a practical driving test on behalf of someone else. She was sentenced to 12 weeks' imprisonment suspended for 18 months in September 2025.

And Ali Rasul, 22, was handed a two-year prison sentence in November 2025 after being caught repeatedly trying to cheat the theory test over an eight-month period either by using a hidden earpiece or an impersonator.

The rise in reported cheating comes as learner drivers face persistently long waits for practical tests slots. The DVSA said it had no evidence cheating was linked to waiting times.

However, Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, told the BBC she was not surprised that fraud was on the rise in this context. "It almost seems inevitable in an era of lots of demand, but very little consistent supply, that you are going to get people engaging in risky behaviours, like using a cheat service to try and pass." She said people who "don't want to risk going on the torturous merry-go-round and trying to get another slot...might take the risk, unfortunately, of cheating."

Dr Kassem also believed long wait times to book a slot was likely to be a factor, with some people resorting to fraud for reasons such as needing to get a licence quickly for a job.

In December, the National Audit Office warned that the driving test backlog would not be cleared until November 2027. Causes include poor recruitment and retention of examiners and third-party websites booking up slots using automated programs known as bots.

The Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) previously announced more action to try to get the backlog down, including employing military driving examiners and only allowing learner drivers to book and manage their practical driving tests from the coming Spring.

Marian Kitson, the DVSA's director of enforcement services, said the organisation was committed to tackling practical and theory test fraud, and had increased its detection capabilities. "It is essential that all drivers demonstrate they have the right skills, knowledge, and attitude to drive safely. People who attempt to cheat driving tests put all road users at risk by trying to obtain a driving licence fraudulently," she said. "Our counter-fraud team carries out robust investigations into suspected fraud, working with the police to bring fraudsters to justice and keep Britain's roads safe."

[Chris from Nailsea]

Again, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), and related to my previous post:

Basingstoke MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) calls for urgent review after man refused driving test

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Yin Cheong William Shen was told he did not match the photo on his provisional driving licence

An MP has written to the Transport Secretary and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) after a learner driver was turned away on the day of his test because the examiner said his face did not match the photo on his provisional licence.

Yin Cheong William Shen, who was born in Hong Kong, waited eight months for a driving test near his home in Basingstoke, Hampshire, before being prevented from taking it. The agency has upheld the decision and refused to give a refund.

The Labour MP for Basingstoke, Luke Murphy, called for an "urgent review", and said the incident raised concerns around potential unconscious bias.

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Shen said he had never had problems with the photo before

Shen said the examiner's refusal left him perplexed. "He said: 'Your face does not match my ID.' After that he decided that my test has been terminated and walked away."

"I feel confused. I've been using my ID with no issues before in the past, especially for my theory test. It's the same photo as my passport, which caused no issues when I travelled this year."

His instructor Stephen Lambert said the examiner's decision in November was an "insult".

"I said to the examiner: 'No, these are his eyes, his ears, his mouth. It looks like him to me.'"

In his letter to Secretary of State Heidi Alexander, Murphy said while his constituent "emphasised that he does not allege intentional discrimination", research showed facial recognition errors "can disproportionally affect individuals from certain ethnic backgrounds". He said Shen now faced a delay of about six months before the next test, "causing considerable practical and financial hardship".

The MP said the incident reflected "wider public concern about the consistency and fairness of identity checks at test centres". He also asked the DVSA to conduct a full review of the decision made on the day and its handling of the complaint, and said Shen should be offered a free rescheduled test as soon as possible.

The DVSA previously said it had investigated the incident and would not offer a refund or a free retest. In a letter to Shen, it wrote: "The law requires that a test candidate must produce suitable identification to the examiner at the start of the test. The examiner must refuse the test if they are not completely satisfied with the identification provided."

[Chris from Nailsea]

Another update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Free test for driver candidate after photo refusal

A learner driver, who was refused a driving test because the examiner said his face did not match the photo on his provisional licence, has been offered a free retest.

Yin Cheong William Shen, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, raised concerns about unconscious bias in identity checks following the examiner's decision in November.

His case was supported by his driving instructor and by Basingstoke MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Luke Murphy.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which has not acknowledged any error, said it would offer Shen a free retest this week.

Shen previously said the examiner's refusal left him "confused". He said: "It's the same photo as my passport, which caused no issues when I travelled this year."

His instructor Stephen Lambert said the examiner's decision was an "insult".

In a letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Murphy said research showed facial recognition errors "can disproportionally affect individuals from certain ethnic backgrounds". The Labour MP said the incident reflected "wider public concern about the consistency and fairness of identity checks at test centres".

In a letter shown to the BBC by Shen's brother, a DVSA complaints officer said: "We do not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour including bias. We must take any threat of fraud through impersonation very seriously. It is clear that you feel you have not received the level of customer service you have every right to expect, and... on this occasion I am authorising a free retest for you."

Looking at those published images, I'm comfortable that they are all pictures of the same person - Yin Cheong William Shen.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I have noted that many large organisations - including State ones - tend to step back and distance themselves from their own previous 'official decision' when the BBC get hold of a story.  Here, "The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which has not acknowledged any error, said it would offer Shen a free retest this week."  So, while maintaining that they were not at fault, they've nevertheless effectively paid out.

That's my personal opinion, by the way, not the official view of the Coffee Shop forum. I wish Yin Cheong William Shen well in his belated driving test. CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[TonyK]

Hoprfilly, the driving examiner will have already inked the "PASS" stamp, so long as William doesn't run anybody over.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

'I'm losing my job due to driving test backlog'

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Patrick Pinfield, 31, has called the system "incredibly frustrating"

A man who faces losing his job because he cannot book a driving test in time has said he is "gutted".

Patrick Pinfield from Redditch has been learning to drive for 18 months and first started trying to book a test in January, with the earliest available slot in June. The 31-year-old is a refuse collector at Redditch Borough Council, but his contract will end next month because he has been unable to pass his test within 12 months of his employment starting.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it was taking steps to make more tests available to tackle the backlog, adding: "We know  there's still more to be done."

In December, the National Audit Office warned that learner drivers faced months of delays in booking practical tests because of a longstanding backlog that was unlikely to be cleared before 2027.

Redditch MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Chris Bloore said it had become a particular problem in the town, with the DVSA telling him part of the issue was down to bots booking tests in order to sell them on at inflated prices.

Pinfield said: "It was a year-and-a-half ago when I started learning to drive - I had my theory test done in January. I've been ready for a long time, but I've not been able to get a test booked. So now my work contract will terminate at the start of May. It's really going to impact my family. I've just had my first child and I feel like it's taking food from her mouth, purely because the online system wouldn't let me book a test in time." He said it was a requirement of his employer that all crew members had to be able to drive.

The BBC has been contacted by other learner drivers in the town expressing similar frustration.

Rich Lewis, a youth worker, said: "Every Monday morning I'm up at 5am trying to book a test online. I end up sat in a queue of 20,000 people and by the time I get to the front all the slots are gone. I go through this process every week. Actually getting a slot seems as rare as a unicorn."

Bloore said he had spoken to the DVSA chief executive Beverley Warmington to express his concerns. "I've heard from many people who are trying to get on with their lives but just can't get a test booked," he said. "Most people who have contacted me seem to be having to wait six months, it's still a huge issue and is costing people jobs and opportunities in life."

A spokesperson for the DVSA said they "promised more tests" several months ago and were delivering on that. "Since we introduced the additional test allowance scheme in June 2025, DVSA has seen an increase of 149,532 tests when compared to the same period in the previous year," they said. "But we know there's still more to be done. That's why we're making changes to the way driving tests are booked, making the process fairer and clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices."

A spokesman for Redditch Borough Council said: "We fully recognise how difficult this situation has become for Patrick, and the impact the national backlog in driving tests is having on individuals, their families, and employers alike. We regret that these problems persist and have contributed to this situation."