DVSA Updates: Key Changes Drivers Must Know in 2026

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) introduced a new rule in June 2026: learner drivers can now only swap their practical driving test to one of the three centres nearest to their original booking location. The move is designed to cut waiting times and stop the practice of booking any available test and then repeatedly swapping to get a closer slot – a tactic that added pressure to an already strained system.

Driving Test Swap Restrictions: Only Three Centres Allowed

Under the previous system, learners could book a test at any centre with availability and then swap multiple times to secure a preferred location. This speculative booking inflated demand and led to wasted slots. The new rule limits swapping to the three test centres closest to the original booking location. The restriction directly targets the booking behaviour that contributed to long waits.

A DVSA spokesperson said the change will “ensure tests go to those who need them most, not those who game the system.”

Learners who genuinely need to change their test centre due to moving home or work will still have options, but the days of booking a remote slot and “hopping” closer are over. The DVSA expects this to free up capacity and reduce the number of no-shows.

64,500 No-Shows Exposed: The Hidden Waste in Driving Tests

Official figures shared exclusively with the BBC reveal that 64,500 practical driving tests in the UK had no one turn up last year. That is 3.2% of all bookings – enough to fill every test centre for weeks. This waste is now a key driver of the new swap restrictions.

The number of no-shows has risen from 52,000 the previous year. Some of these missed tests are linked to third-party resellers using bots to book slots, as seen in other industries where technology exploits booking systems. These resellers secure tests to sell at inflated prices but fail to shift them, leaving empty slots that genuine learners could have used.

• 64,500 tests were a no-show last year, up from 52,000 the year before.
• Bots and resellers are believed to account for a significant portion of these wasted slots.
• The DVSA is now using data analytics to identify and block suspicious booking patterns.

Learners like Emma, a 21-year-old in West London quoted by the BBC, describe waking at 5:30 every Monday to queue with thousands of others for a test. She now has a test booked seven months away – a direct consequence of the demand distortion caused by speculative bookings and no-shows.

Regional Waiting Time Disparities: Up to 22.9 Weeks in Scotland

The average wait for a practical driving test in the UK now exceeds five months. Regional gaps are stark: England averages 22.7 weeks, Scotland 22.9 weeks, and Wales 17.3 weeks (DVSA data for April 2026).

These figures explain the desperation driving the old swap tactic. In London, where queues can be even longer, learners often search for tests hundreds of miles away just to secure any slot. The new swap rules aim to level access: a learner in Scotland can no longer book a test in Wales and then swap back to Edinburgh.

The DVSA acknowledged that waiting times are “unacceptably high” and promised additional examiner recruitment and digital improvements to the booking platform.

Improved scheduling algorithms – similar to those used in other high-demand systems – could help, but the DVSA has not yet announced a timeline. In the meantime, learners must plan well ahead and accept that a test may be months away, even with the new rules in place.

Key Takeaways

• DVSA restricts test swaps to three nearest centres to combat long waits and no-shows.
• 64,500 practical tests were missed last year, highlighting inefficiencies.
• Average wait for a driving test exceeds five months, with Scotland the longest at 22.9 weeks.
• Learners face extreme difficulty booking, with early morning queues and seven-month wait times.
• The new rules aim to ensure fair access and reduce wasted test slots.