[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-500749-en":3,"doc-seo-500749-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":99},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},500749,687207024478,"Mia  ","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd",8,"Research & Report","Investigation into car driving test waiting times - Report","Investigation into car driving test waiting times examines how the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) performs driving competence tests for cars and identifies pressures behind long waits. It presents key facts on fees, reported third-party booking payments, and a 2024-25 financial deficit, alongside changes in theory test outcomes. The report analyzes demand versus capacity, including examiner numbers, COVID-19 impacts, and the government’s response to extended waiting times, using an investigative approach in an official NAO format.","REPORT  \nInvestigation into car driving test waiting times  \nDepartment for Transport and Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency  \nSESSION 2024–2026 17 DECEMBER 2025 HC 1484  \nWe are the UK’s independent public spending watchdog.  \nWe support Parliament in holding government to account and we help improve public services through our high-quality audits.  \nThe National Audit Office (NAO) scrutinises public spending for Parliament and is independent of government and the civil service. We help Parliament hold government to account and we use our insights to help people who manage and govern public bodies improve public services.  \nThe Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and leads the NAO. We audit the financial accounts of departments and other public bodies. We also examine and report on the value for money of how public money has been spent.  \nIn 2024, the NAO’s work led to a positive financial  \nimpact through reduced costs, improved service delivery, or other benefits to citizens, of £5.3 billion. This represents around £53 for every pound of our net expenditure.  \nInvestigation into car driving test waiting times  \nDepartment for Transport and Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency  \nReport by the Comptroller and Auditor General  \nOrdered by the House of Commons to be printed on 15 December 2025  \nThis report has been prepared under Section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983 for presentation to the House of Commons in accordance with Section 9 of the Act  \nGareth Davies  \nComptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office  \n4 December 2025  \nHC 1484 | £10.00  \nInvestigations  \nWe conduct investigations to establish the underlying facts in circumstances where concerns have been raised with us, or in response to intelligence that we have gathered through our wider work.  \n© National Aud it Office 2025  \nThe material featured in this document is subject to National Audit Office (NAO) copyright. The material may be copied or reproduced for non-commercial purposes only, namely reproduction for research, private study or for limited internal circulation within an organisation for the purpose of review.  \nCopying for non-commercial purposes is subject to the material being accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement, reproduced accurately, and not being used in a misleading context. To reproduce NAO copyright material for any other use, you must contact [copyright@nao.org.uk. Please](copyright@nao.org.uk. Please) tell us who you are, the organisation you represent (if any) and how and why you wish to use our material. Please include your full contact details: name, address, telephone number and email.  \nPlease note that the material featured in this document may not be reproduced for commercial gain without the NAO’s express and direct permission and that the NAO reserves its right to pursue copyright infringement proceedings against individuals or companies who reproduce material for commercial gain without our permission.  \nLinks to external websites were valid at the time of publication of this report. The National Audit Office is not responsible for the future validity of the links.  \n017018 12/25 NAO  \nContents  \nKey facts 4  \nWhat this investigation is about 5 Summary 6  \nPart One  \nWaiting times 11  \nPart Two  \nChanges in the number of car practical driving tests needed 18  \nPart Three  \nThe government’s response to the long waiting times 30  \nAppendix One  \nOur investigative approach 38  \nThis report can be found on the National Audit Office website at [www. nao.org.uk](www. nao.org.uk)  \nIf you need a version of this report in an alternative format for accessibility reasons, or any of the figures in a different format, contact the NAO at [enquiries@nao.org.uk](enquiries@nao.org.uk)  \nThe National Audit Office study team consisted of:  \nKaye Dunnet, Henriette Tabbert, Tom Tyson and  \nPaul Wright-Anderson, under the direction of Lee Summerfield.  \nFor further information about","cbCaipx2zIDq9l1p","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipx2zIDq9l1p","pdf",1073915,5,1,48,"English","en",105,"# Key facts\n## What this investigation is about\n# Part One\n## Waiting times\n# Part Two\n## Changes in the number of car practical driving tests needed\n# Part Three\n## The government’s response to the long waiting times\n# Appendix One\n## Our investigative approach","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of this investigation into car driving test waiting times?\",\"answer\":\"It examines the underlying facts behind concerns about long waits for car practical driving tests and how DVSA’s operating arrangements affect test delivery and outcomes.\"},{\"question\":\"What key financial and demand-related findings are highlighted?\",\"answer\":\"The report cites a 2024-25 financial deficit linked to operating costs exceeding driving test fees, and includes data on learner drivers’ reported third-party booking payments and trends in theory test passes.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report assess changes in testing capacity and government response?\",\"answer\":\"It analyzes waiting times alongside changes in the number of car practical driving tests needed and DVSA examiner capacity, then reviews the government’s response to long waiting times.\"}]","Investigation into car driving test waiting times - Report | PDF",1791014732,121,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":93,"head_meta":95,"extra_data":97,"updated_unix":98},"investigation-into-car-driving-test-waiting-times-report","",{"@graph":37,"@context":92},[38,55,75],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,49,52],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":50,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":53,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":54},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/investigation-into-car-driving-test-waiting-times-report/500749/",4,{"url":53,"name":13,"@type":56,"image":57,"author":62,"headline":13,"publisher":64,"fileFormat":67,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":68,"datePublished":69,"encodingFormat":67,"isAccessibleForFree":70,"interactionStatistic":71},"DigitalDocument",{"url":58,"@type":59,"width":60,"height":61},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/investigation-into-car-driving-test-waiting-times-report/500749.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":9,"@type":63},"Person",{"url":42,"name":65,"@type":66},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-21","2026-10-03",true,{"@type":72,"interactionType":73,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":74},"ViewAction",{"@type":76,"mainEntity":77},"FAQPage",[78,84,88],{"name":79,"@type":80,"acceptedAnswer":81},"What is the purpose of this investigation into car driving test waiting times?","Question",{"text":82,"@type":83},"It examines the underlying facts behind concerns about long waits for car practical driving tests and how DVSA’s operating arrangements affect test delivery and outcomes.","Answer",{"name":85,"@type":80,"acceptedAnswer":86},"What key financial and demand-related findings are highlighted?",{"text":87,"@type":83},"The report cites a 2024-25 financial deficit linked to operating costs exceeding driving test fees, and includes data on learner drivers’ reported third-party booking payments and trends in theory test passes.",{"name":89,"@type":80,"acceptedAnswer":90},"How does the report assess changes in testing capacity and government response?",{"text":91,"@type":83},"It analyzes waiting times alongside changes in the number of car practical driving tests needed and DVSA examiner capacity, then reviews the government’s response to long waiting times.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":53,"og:type":94,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":65,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":96,"canonical":53},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},1792238044,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":100},[101,105,109,113,117,122,127,130,135,138,142],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":48,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":54,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":114,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":125,"slug":126},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":128,"slug":129},30,"research-report",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":134},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":136,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":137},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":139,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":140,"show_sort_weight":139,"slug":141},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":143,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":144,"show_sort_weight":20,"slug":145},19,"General","general"]