Updated monthly from DVSA figures
Driving test waiting times
The average (median) wait between booking a practical test and taking it, for every centre DVSA publish figures for - latest month September 2026. Across the 315 test centres reporting in September 2026, the average median wait is 12.8 weeks.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
average across 315 centres
12.8 wks
longest wait - Arbroath
29.9 wks
Trend
The national picture, month by month
Mean of every centre reporting in each month - not weighted by test volume, because DVSA publish none.
October 2024September 2026
Movers
Biggest changes this month
Month-on-month change in the median wait, to September 2026.
Rising
- Slough (London)22.1 wks (+16.1)
- Tolworth (London)23.1 wks (+12.8)
- Loughton (London)20.9 wks (+11.5)
- Mallaig22 wks (+11.1)
- Southend-on-Sea17.6 wks (+10.1)
Falling
- Bedford3.3 wks (-23.8)
- Enfield (Innova Business Park)2.4 wks (-17.6)
- Airdrie7.1 wks (-13.8)
- Loughborough10.5 wks (-12.5)
- Northwich7.3 wks (-11.8)
Regions
Average wait by region
Across centres reporting in September 2026.
Scotland16.6 wks · 74 centres
North East14.7 wks · 11 centres
London13.4 wks · 25 centres
East of England12.5 wks · 24 centres
West Midlands12.4 wks · 26 centres
North West11.9 wks · 32 centres
East Midlands11.9 wks · 20 centres
Yorkshire and The Humber11.7 wks · 27 centres
South East11.1 wks · 33 centres
South West9.8 wks · 22 centres
Wales8.5 wks · 21 centres
Every centre
Waiting times at every test centre
Longest first. Each figure is shown with the month DVSA published it for.
| Test centre | Region | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| Arbroath | Scotland | 29.9 wks |
| Callander | Scotland | 29.7 wks |
| Crieff | Scotland | 29 wks |
| Forfar | Scotland | 28.2 wks |
| Campbeltown | Scotland | 25.7 wks |
| Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road) | East of England | 25.1 wks |
| Kelso | Scotland | 24.7 wks |
| Cambridge (Brookmount Court) | East of England | 24.3 wks |
| Peebles | Scotland | 24.1 wks |
| Brodick (Isle of Arran) | Scotland | 23.9 wks |
| Haddington | Scotland | 23.9 wks |
| Inveraray | Scotland | 23.3 wks |
| Lochgilphead | Scotland | 23.1 wks |
| Pinner (London) | London | 23.1 wks |
| Tolworth (London) | London | 23.1 wks |
| Cumnock | Scotland | 23 wks |
| East Kilbride | Scotland | 23 wks |
| Sidcup (London) | London | 23 wks |
| Aberfeldy | Scotland | 22.6 wks |
| Hornchurch (London) | London | 22.3 wks |
| Berwick-On-Tweed | North East | 22.1 wks |
| Slough (London) | South East | 22.1 wks |
| Mallaig | Scotland | 22 wks |
| Dunoon | Scotland | 21.9 wks |
| Grangemouth | Scotland | 21.9 wks |
| Chertsey (London) | South East | 21.7 wks |
| Duns | Scotland | 21.7 wks |
| Rothesay | Scotland | 21.7 wks |
| Doncaster | Yorkshire and The Humber | 21.6 wks |
| Glasgow (Anniesland) | Scotland | 21.6 wks |
| Isle of Mull | Scotland | 21.6 wks |
| Ashford (London Middlesex) | South East | 21.4 wks |
| Gosforth | North East | 21.1 wks |
| Hendon (London) | London | 21.1 wks |
| Bishopbriggs | Scotland | 21 wks |
| Letchworth | East of England | 21 wks |
| Ballater | Scotland | 20.9 wks |
| Chelmsford (Hanbury Road) | East of England | 20.9 wks |
| Isleworth (Fleming Way) | London | 20.9 wks |
| Loughton (London) | East of England | 20.9 wks |
| Lanark | Scotland | 20.4 wks |
| Edinburgh (Currie) | Scotland | 20.3 wks |
| Stranraer | Scotland | 20.3 wks |
| Glasgow (Baillieston) | Scotland | 20 wks |
| Melton Mowbray | East Midlands | 20 wks |
| Pitlochry | Scotland | 19.9 wks |
| West Didsbury (Manchester) | North West | 19.9 wks |
| Edinburgh (Musselburgh) | Scotland | 19.7 wks |
| Farnborough | South East | 19.6 wks |
| Hamilton | Scotland | 19.3 wks |
| Barnet (London) | London | 19.1 wks |
| Morden (London) | London | 19.1 wks |
| Stoke on Trent (Newcastle under Lyme) | West Midlands | 19.1 wks |
| Birmingham (Shirley) | West Midlands | 19 wks |
| Golspie | Scotland | 18.9 wks |
| Grantown-On-Spey | Scotland | 18.9 wks |
| Lee On The Solent | South East | 18.9 wks |
| Montrose | Scotland | 18.9 wks |
| Nelson | North West | 18.9 wks |
| Grantham (Somerby) | East Midlands | 18.4 wks |
| Greenford (London) | London | 18.4 wks |
| Lowestoft (Mobbs Way) | East of England | 18.4 wks |
| Heysham | North West | 18.3 wks |
| Sale (Manchester) | North West | 18.3 wks |
| Newton Stewart | Scotland | 18.1 wks |
| Paisley | Scotland | 18.1 wks |
| Dudley | West Midlands | 18 wks |
| Glasgow (Shieldhall) | Scotland | 18 wks |
| Norris Green (Liverpool) | North West | 18 wks |
| Oban | Scotland | 18 wks |
| Southport (Liverpool) | North West | 18 wks |
| Wellingborough | East Midlands | 18 wks |
| Hexham | North East | 17.9 wks |
| Skegness | East Midlands | 17.9 wks |
| Crawley | South East | 17.8 wks |
| Irvine | Scotland | 17.6 wks |
| Southend-on-Sea | East of England | 17.6 wks |
| Buxton | East Midlands | 17.4 wks |
| Sheffield (Middlewood Road) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 17.3 wks |
| Castle Douglas | Scotland | 17.1 wks |
| Hastings (Ore) | South East | 17.1 wks |
| Warrington | North West | 17.1 wks |
| Cheltenham | South West | 17 wks |
| Lichfield | West Midlands | 17 wks |
| Aberdeen North | Scotland | 16.5 wks |
| Macclesfield | North West | 16.4 wks |
| Mill Hill (London) | London | 16.4 wks |
| Dumfries | Scotland | 16.3 wks |
| Pwllheli | Wales | 16.3 wks |
| Uxbridge (London) | London | 16.3 wks |
| York | Yorkshire and The Humber | 16.3 wks |
| Gloucester | South West | 16.2 wks |
| Stafford | West Midlands | 16.2 wks |
| Bala | Wales | 16.1 wks |
| Birmingham (Kingstanding) | West Midlands | 16.1 wks |
| Bredbury (Manchester) | North West | 16.1 wks |
| Chadderton | North West | 16.1 wks |
| Mitcham (London) | London | 16.1 wks |
| Portsmouth | South East | 16.1 wks |
| Fraserburgh | Scotland | 16 wks |
| Kings Lynn | East of England | 16 wks |
| Newton Abbot | South West | 16 wks |
| Telford | West Midlands | 16 wks |
| Durham | North East | 15.9 wks |
| Girvan | Scotland | 15.9 wks |
| Hawick | Scotland | 15.9 wks |
| Isles of Scilly | South West | 15.9 wks |
| Middlesbrough | North East | 15.9 wks |
| Wolverhampton | West Midlands | 15.9 wks |
| Heckmondwike | Yorkshire and The Humber | 15.7 wks |
| Pontefract | Yorkshire and The Humber | 15.7 wks |
| Borehamwood (London) | East of England | 15.6 wks |
| Huntly | Scotland | 15.6 wks |
| Steeton | Yorkshire and The Humber | 15.6 wks |
| Peterborough | East of England | 15.4 wks |
| Ashfield | East Midlands | 15.3 wks |
| Kirkcaldy | Scotland | 15.3 wks |
| Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) | West Midlands | 15.1 wks |
| Hartlepool | North East | 15.1 wks |
| Watford | East of England | 15.1 wks |
| Fort William | Scotland | 15 wks |
| Sevenoaks | South East | 15 wks |
| Whitby | Yorkshire and The Humber | 15 wks |
| Norwich (Jupiter Road) | East of England | 14.9 wks |
| Alnwick | North East | 14.6 wks |
| Dundee | Scotland | 14.6 wks |
| Thurso | Scotland | 14.5 wks |
| Lerwick | Scotland | 14.4 wks |
| Preston | North West | 14.4 wks |
| Southampton (Maybush) | South East | 14.4 wks |
| Huddersfield | Yorkshire and The Humber | 14.3 wks |
| Northallerton | Yorkshire and The Humber | 14.3 wks |
| Newtown | Wales | 14.1 wks |
| Alness | Scotland | 14 wks |
| Stoke on Trent (Cobridge) | West Midlands | 14 wks |
| Worcester | West Midlands | 14 wks |
| Burton on Trent | West Midlands | 13.9 wks |
| Leeds (Colton Mill) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13.9 wks |
| Carlisle | North West | 13.8 wks |
| Skipton | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13.8 wks |
| Worthing | South East | 13.7 wks |
| Halifax | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13.6 wks |
| Bradford (Heaton) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13.4 wks |
| Eastbourne | South East | 13.4 wks |
| Nottingham (Colwick) | East Midlands | 13.3 wks |
| Redhill Aerodrome | South East | 13.3 wks |
| Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13.3 wks |
| Blackburn with Darwen | North West | 13.1 wks |
| Wednesbury | West Midlands | 13.1 wks |
| Wick | Scotland | 13.1 wks |
| Yeovil | South West | 13.1 wks |
| Bridlington | Yorkshire and The Humber | 13 wks |
| Wanstead (London) | London | 13 wks |
| Bury St Edmunds | East of England | 12.7 wks |
| Leicester (Wigston) | East Midlands | 12.7 wks |
| Lincoln | East Midlands | 12.7 wks |
| Chingford (London) | London | 12.6 wks |
| Malton | Yorkshire and The Humber | 12.6 wks |
| Taunton | South West | 12.6 wks |
| Wallasey | North West | 12.6 wks |
| Bolton (Manchester) | North West | 12.4 wks |
| Inverurie | Scotland | 12.4 wks |
| Stirling | Scotland | 12.4 wks |
| Derby (Alvaston) | East Midlands | 12.3 wks |
| Kirkham LGV | North West | 12.3 wks |
| Banbury | South East | 12.1 wks |
| Bristol (Avonmouth) | South West | 12.1 wks |
| Burgess Hill | South East | 12.1 wks |
| Colchester | East of England | 12.1 wks |
| Crewe | North West | 12.1 wks |
| Swindon | South West | 12.1 wks |
| Upton | North West | 12.1 wks |
| Worksop | East Midlands | 12.1 wks |
| Gillingham | South East | 12 wks |
| Birmingham (South Yardley) | West Midlands | 11.9 wks |
| Coventry | West Midlands | 11.9 wks |
| Featherstone | West Midlands | 11.9 wks |
| Goodmayes (London) | London | 11.8 wks |
| Wood Green (London) | London | 11.8 wks |
| Blyth | North East | 11.7 wks |
| Chippenham | South West | 11.7 wks |
| Oswestry | West Midlands | 11.7 wks |
| Dunfermline | Scotland | 11.6 wks |
| Horsforth | Yorkshire and The Humber | 11.6 wks |
| Perth (Arran Road) | Scotland | 11.6 wks |
| Birmingham (Garretts Green) | West Midlands | 11.4 wks |
| St Helens (Liverpool) | North West | 11.4 wks |
| Winchester | South East | 11.3 wks |
| Barra | Scotland | 11.1 wks |
| Gateshead | North East | 11.1 wks |
| Ullapool | Scotland | 11.1 wks |
| Orkney | Scotland | 11 wks |
| Bangor | Wales | 10.9 wks |
| Rugby | West Midlands | 10.8 wks |
| Penzance | South West | 10.7 wks |
| Banff | Scotland | 10.6 wks |
| Benbecula Island | Scotland | 10.6 wks |
| Dorchester | South West | 10.6 wks |
| Tunbridge Wells | South East | 10.6 wks |
| Loughborough | East Midlands | 10.5 wks |
| Walton LGV | Yorkshire and The Humber | 10.3 wks |
| Basingstoke | South East | 10.1 wks |
| Birmingham (Kings Heath) | West Midlands | 10.1 wks |
| Shrewsbury | West Midlands | 10.1 wks |
| Atherton (Manchester) | North West | 10 wks |
| Cheetham Hill (Manchester) | North West | 10 wks |
| Ludlow | West Midlands | 10 wks |
| Carmarthen | Wales | 9.9 wks |
| Luton | East of England | 9.9 wks |
| Stornoway | Scotland | 9.9 wks |
| Warwick (Wedgenock House) | West Midlands | 9.8 wks |
| Elgin | Scotland | 9.7 wks |
| Maidstone | South East | 9.7 wks |
| Hinckley | East Midlands | 9.6 wks |
| Leeds (Fearnville) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 9.6 wks |
| Rhyl | Wales | 9.6 wks |
| Bradford (Thornbury) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 9.4 wks |
| Buckie | Scotland | 9.4 wks |
| Aberdeen South (Cove) | Scotland | 9.1 wks |
| Barry | Wales | 9.1 wks |
| Blackpool | North West | 9.1 wks |
| Widnes (Liverpool) | North West | 9.1 wks |
| Louth | East Midlands | 9 wks |
| Norwich (Peachman Way) | East of England | 9 wks |
| Nuneaton | West Midlands | 9 wks |
| Sunderland | North East | 9 wks |
| Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | North West | 8.9 wks |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | 8.9 wks |
| Poole | South West | 8.8 wks |
| Greenham | South East | 8.7 wks |
| Erith (London) | London | 8.6 wks |
| Herne Bay | South East | 8.6 wks |
| Northampton | East Midlands | 8.6 wks |
| Gairloch | Scotland | 8.3 wks |
| Livingston | Scotland | 8.2 wks |
| Ayr | Scotland | 8 wks |
| Bromley (London) | London | 7.9 wks |
| Chesterfield | East Midlands | 7.9 wks |
| Greenock | Scotland | 7.9 wks |
| Leicester (Cannock Street) | East Midlands | 7.9 wks |
| Guildford | South East | 7.8 wks |
| Workington | North West | 7.8 wks |
| Cardiff (Llanishen) | Wales | 7.7 wks |
| Kyle of Lochalsh | Scotland | 7.7 wks |
| Darlington | North East | 7.6 wks |
| Chester | North West | 7.5 wks |
| Kingussie | Scotland | 7.5 wks |
| Speke (Liverpool) | North West | 7.5 wks |
| Barnstaple | South West | 7.4 wks |
| Brecon | Wales | 7.4 wks |
| Aylesbury | South East | 7.3 wks |
| Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | 7.3 wks |
| Bridgend | Wales | 7.3 wks |
| Northwich | North West | 7.3 wks |
| Swansea | Wales | 7.3 wks |
| Airdrie | Scotland | 7.1 wks |
| Ashford (Kent) | South East | 7.1 wks |
| Folkestone | South East | 7.1 wks |
| Newport (Isle of Wight) | South East | 7.1 wks |
| Plymouth | South West | 7.1 wks |
| Rotherham | Yorkshire and The Humber | 7.1 wks |
| Wrexham | Wales | 7.1 wks |
| Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) | Wales | 7 wks |
| Llanelli | Wales | 7 wks |
| Knaresborough | Yorkshire and The Humber | 6.9 wks |
| Newport (Gwent) | Wales | 6.7 wks |
| Tottenham | London | 6.7 wks |
| Inverness (Longman Drive) | Scotland | 6.6 wks |
| Barrow In Furness | North West | 6.4 wks |
| Clacton-on-Sea | East of England | 6.4 wks |
| Exeter | South West | 6.4 wks |
| Launceston | South West | 6.4 wks |
| Llantrisant | Wales | 6.4 wks |
| Peterhead | Scotland | 6.4 wks |
| Reading | South East | 6.3 wks |
| High Wycombe | South East | 6.1 wks |
| Salisbury | South West | 6.1 wks |
| Sheffield (Handsworth) | Yorkshire and The Humber | 6.1 wks |
| Cardigan | Wales | 6 wks |
| Culham LGV | South East | 6 wks |
| St Albans | East of England | 6 wks |
| West Wickham (London) | London | 6 wks |
| Bishops Stortford | East of England | 5.9 wks |
| Bristol (Kingswood) | South West | 5.9 wks |
| Bury (Manchester) | North West | 5.7 wks |
| Beverley LGV | Yorkshire and The Humber | 5.6 wks |
| Rochdale (Manchester) | North West | 5.6 wks |
| Scunthorpe | Yorkshire and The Humber | 5.6 wks |
| Trowbridge | South West | 5.6 wks |
| Bodmin | South West | 5.4 wks |
| Canterbury | South East | 5.4 wks |
| Chorley | North West | 5.4 wks |
| Southall (London) | London | 5.4 wks |
| Brentwood (London) | East of England | 5.3 wks |
| Grimsby Coldwater | Yorkshire and The Humber | 5.3 wks |
| Ipswich | East of England | 5.3 wks |
| Inverness (Seafield Road) | Scotland | 5.2 wks |
| Tilbury | East of England | 5.2 wks |
| Galashiels | Scotland | 5.1 wks |
| Nottingham (Chilwell) | East Midlands | 5.1 wks |
| Pembroke Dock | Wales | 5.1 wks |
| Birmingham (Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre) | West Midlands | 4.7 wks |
| Kettering | East Midlands | 4.7 wks |
| Monmouth | Wales | 4.7 wks |
| Camborne | South West | 4.4 wks |
| Dumbarton | Scotland | 4.4 wks |
| Hull | Yorkshire and The Humber | 4.4 wks |
| Oxford (Cowley) | South East | 4.4 wks |
| Belvedere (London) | London | 4.3 wks |
| Bletchley | South East | 4 wks |
| Redditch | West Midlands | 4 wks |
| Weston-super-Mare | South West | 4 wks |
| Abergavenny | Wales | 3.9 wks |
| Basildon | East of England | 3.7 wks |
| Chichester | South East | 3.7 wks |
| Stevenage | East of England | 3.7 wks |
| Boston | East Midlands | 3.6 wks |
| Isle of Skye (Portree) | Scotland | 3.4 wks |
| Bedford | East of England | 3.3 wks |
| Exeter LGV | South West | 3 wks |
| Yeading (London) | London | 3 wks |
| Hereford | West Midlands | 2.9 wks |
| Scarborough | Yorkshire and The Humber | 2.9 wks |
| Enfield (Brancroft Way) | London | 2.6 wks |
| Enfield (Innova Business Park) | London | 2.4 wks |
| Swindon LGV | South West | 2.3 wks |
| Watnall | East Midlands | 1.9 wks |
| Plymouth LGV | South West | 1.1 wks |
| Medway Ambely Road (formerly Gillingham LGV) | South East | 1 wks |
| Carlisle LGV | North West | 0.6 wks |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA table DRT122F (median waiting time between booking and taking a car practical test).
A long wait is lesson time, not lost time.
Find an instructor near you and use the wait to get properly test-ready.
Find an instructor