Driving Test Booking Ban on Bots

Government Overhauls Driving Test System to Clamp Down on Bots and Slash Delays

Sweeping reforms to the platform for booking driving tests will hand control back to learners and block automated bots from harvesting appointments, the government has announced. In a decisive move to tackle the rampant reselling of test slots and reduce crippling waiting times, only individual candidates can now schedule their practical car examinations. This measure is part of a broader strategy aimed at restoring fairness to a process that has left hundreds of thousands of aspiring drivers facing unprecedented delays.

A System Under Strain

A monumental backlog has been a challenge for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), a lingering consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic combined with surging demand. When June concluded, the typical delay for an examination stood at a staggering 21.8 weeks, with figures from September showing almost 670,000 learners in the queue. This crisis created a fertile ground for a secondary market, where third-party companies use sophisticated software to bulk-buy appointments the moment they are released, only to resell them to desperate learners at hugely inflated prices.

Clamping Down on Profiteers

The new rules directly target this exploitative practice. By preventing third parties, including some driving instructors, from arranging examinations for their pupils, the government intends to cut off the supply to resellers. Test slots, which have a standard DVSA fee where a weekday costs £62 while evening and weekend slots are £75, have been sold for as much as £500. This new legislation, expected to be implemented in the spring of 2026, aims to ensure learners only pay the official price, giving them greater control and confidence in the booking process.

New Limits on Changes

Further restrictions will apply to the management of booked tests. Aspiring drivers will now be limited to making a maximum of two changes to their appointment, which includes altering the time, date, or location. Crucially, any relocation of a test will be restricted to a small number of centres geographically close to the original booking. This is designed to stop the tactic of booking a test in a low-demand rural area and later swapping it for a slot in a high-demand urban centre, a loophole that has been widely exploited.

The Target Readjustment

Despite these robust measures, Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, has conceded that the goal of reducing average waiting times to a seven-week period will not be met by the summer of 2026 deadline. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee, she acknowledged the scale of the challenge, describing the waiting times inherited by the current administration as "totally unacceptable." While progress has been made, the sheer volume of demand continues to outstrip the available capacity, necessitating a difficult but honest revision of the timeline.

Military Precision Called In

To bolster the frontline, the government has enlisted support with personnel coming from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Under a new partnership, a deployment of 36 civilian defence examiners will conduct public tests one day a week for the next twelve months. These experienced examiners, who normally test service personnel in vehicles ranging from cars to armoured carriers, are expected to deliver up to 6,500 additional tests over the year. They will be stationed at test centres experiencing the highest demand, providing a much-needed boost to capacity.

Boosting Examiner Numbers

The DVSA is also aggressively tackling a shortage of examiners, which has exacerbated the backlog. The agency’s recruitment of 316 new staff, however, yielded a net increase of just 40 due to simultaneous departures. To improve staff retention, the government will offer an incentive payment of £5,000 to examiners starting next year. This payment, split into two instalments, is intended to encourage experienced personnel to delay retirement and remain in their roles, preserving valuable expertise within the system.

A Mixed Reaction from Instructors

The reforms have drawn a varied response from the driving instructor community. Aman Sanghera, who operates a driving school in London's west, called the changes the most equitable approach to repairing the existing problems. She believes that limiting test swaps will stop outside companies from taking advantage of susceptible students and enhance the transparency of the entire process. The move to restrict bookings to learners themselves was supported by over 70% of respondents in a recent government consultation, highlighting a strong desire to curb the resale market.

Concerns Over Flexibility

However, some instructors fear the new rigidity could have unintended consequences. An instructor based in Crewe, identified only as Sarah, expressed concern that removing the capacity to exchange appointments will create more difficulty in managing slots efficiently. She explained that instructors often collaborate to trade appointments, ensuring that a test is not squandered if a pupil is unprepared. With waiting times so long, many learners book a practical test as soon as they pass their theory, creating a wait of five or six months during which their readiness can change.

The Learner's Perspective

For learner drivers, the situation has been a source of immense frustration. Twenty-year-old Amelia Lightfoot, from a rural part of Devon, described a daily routine of checking the DVSA website for over a month just to find an available test, which was scheduled half a year later. After failing her initial attempt, she found herself back in the struggle to schedule a new appointment. She highlighted how having a driving permit would substantially enhance her life in an area with inadequate public transit, describing the experience as intensely frustrating and deeply unfair.

The Economic Imperative

The government has framed the issue not just as a matter of convenience but as a barrier to economic opportunity. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, stressed that the nation cannot "deliver on our Plan for Change if thousands remain held back." For many young people, possessing a driving permit is a crucial gateway to employment, education, and social mobility. The reforms are therefore positioned as a vital step in helping learners get on the road sooner, supporting both individual aspirations and broader economic growth.

A Cautious Welcome

Motoring organisations have cautiously welcomed the government's decisive action against bots and resellers. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, remarked that it was positive to see steps being taken to stop those "touting tests to frustrated learners." He noted that candidates stuck in the queue should be reassured they are not being pushed aside by individuals seeking to make a "quick buck." This sentiment reflects a widespread feeling that the system had become skewed in favour of profiteers rather than genuine candidates.

The Path Forward

While the new measures are a significant step, the road to shorter waiting times remains long. The legislative and technical changes required to implement the new booking system are not expected to be in place until spring 2026. In the interim, the DVSA will continue its examiner recruitment drive and deployment of MoD personnel. A pledge from the Transport Committee means it will maintain pressure on the Department for Transport, seeking consistent progress reports on these initiatives.

A Focus on Fairness

The core principle underpinning the reforms is fairness. The government has stated that every learner should have an equal opportunity to take a test without being taken advantage of. By dismantling the resale market and giving individuals direct control over their bookings, the new system aims to create a more level playing field. The coming months will be critical in determining whether these changes can successfully wrestle back control from the bots and restore order to the process of obtaining a driving permit.

The Broader Context

The backlog for driving examinations is a complex issue with roots in the pandemic's disruption and a subsequent shift in booking behaviours. Many learners now book their practical tests far earlier in their learning journey, anticipating a long wait. This has contributed to a higher failure rate, as some candidates are not fully prepared, which in turn adds to the cycle of re-booking and further clogs the system. The DVSA's "Ready to Pass" campaign continues to encourage learners to ensure they have the necessary skills before attempting their test.

An Evolving Challenge

The spike in demand for practical examinations shows little sign of abating. In October, 182,000 tests were conducted, a 9% increase compared to the previous year, yet the quantity of learners who had an examination scheduled remained high at 642,000. This sustained pressure means that even with increased testing capacity, making a significant reduction in the queue is a formidable task. The government's multi-faceted approach, combining legislative reform with practical measures to increase examiner numbers, represents a comprehensive attempt to address this enduring challenge.