Robert paid £726 to skip the driving test waiting list. New laws mean others won't be able to

Robert Kamugisha was eager to take his driving test but faced a daunting wait of several months. The lengthy delay added significant pressure both financially and personally. When he was presented with an opportunity to sit his test earlier in exchange for a substantial fee, he decided to take the chance.

As a 21-year-old criminology student from Croydon, Robert spent £726—most of his savings—paying for three separate test slots purchased through resellers who secure appointments and resell them at inflated prices. Normally, the cost of a driving test is £62. While recent government regulations now require learners themselves to book their own tests—aimed at stopping third-party operators using automated bots to hoard slots—this rule change came too late for Robert. After passing his test in December on his third try, he told the BBC, “I spent most of my savings. I felt like I was being scammed.”

Instructors have observed a surge in the underground market as test waiting times across the UK have grown dramatically, making it difficult for many learner drivers to schedule tests. Data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) indicates that in April 2026 the national average wait time for a practical driving test in Great Britain was 22.3 weeks, with Scotland at 22.9 weeks, England at 22.7 weeks, and Wales slightly lower at 17.3 weeks. Robert explained that his instructor encouraged him to use a reseller to book an earlier date, assuring him it was legitimate. The reseller booked the test using his details, receiving official confirmation from the DVSA, which brought Robert some relief despite the high costs.

Beyond test fees, Robert also paid £150 each time to use his instructor’s car on test days, cumulatively spending £1,176 excluding lesson costs. Sophie Stuchfield, a driving instructor in Watford, highlighted for the BBC how illegal operators exploit the demand by manipulating the booking system to reserve thousands of tests which they then resell at marked-up prices. She shared that she has received thousands of messages from people attempting to sell driving tests and hears from learners forced to pay hundreds of pounds, sometimes even by their own instructors. Sophie, who refuses to charge extra fees for using her car on test days, recounted criticism from fellow instructors who do impose such charges, but she stands firm, saying, “I already feel sorry for that person on how much they’re having to spend on learning to drive.”

The DVSA booking system has been plagued for years by the use of bots, especially after a pandemic-induced backlog led to high demand for test slots. Illicit agents used automated programs to book tests on the official site and resell them at inflated prices through messaging groups across Britain. The government introduced new rules this week making it illegal for anyone other than the learner driver to book a driving test with the DVSA, aiming to block third parties’ ability to access the booking system using learner details. Those caught selling or changing tests on behalf of others will be breaking the law. While this won’t directly reduce waiting times, the government expects fewer wasted appointments and better data on true demand, allowing the DVSA to allocate resources more effectively.

However, Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, expressed doubt over the impact of these rule changes. She believes the measures unfairly target the majority of instructors who act in good faith and have received reports of learners frustrated by the inability of instructors to assist with bookings. Brookfield noted that while some anti-bot actions have been helpful, the fundamental issue remains the shortage of available test appointments: “if there’s not enough tests going in, people will still not be able to get a test anywhere.”

Government Minister for Roads and Buses, Simon Lightwood, acknowledged the longstanding backlog and the resulting inflated costs learners face when dealing with third-party touts. He outlined ongoing efforts to address the problem, mentioning that nearly two million tests were delivered in the past year—158,000 more than since June 2025. Military driving examiners have also been deployed nationwide to help increase testing capacity. Further changes are planned for June, enabling learners to swap their test bookings but only among up to three local test centres

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