The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has reported its highest ever number of practical driving tests completed in a 12-month period, while learner pass rates have remained above 50 per cent for nine consecutive months.
The figures show that more learners are successfully gaining licences after taking their tests, with the agency reporting that 52.1 per cent of candidates passed in August 2026. The update comes as the DVSA continues efforts to increase test availability following long waiting times after the pandemic.
Record Number of Tests Completed as Availability Increases
According to the DVSA, more than 2.13 million practical driving tests were carried out in the 12 months to August 2026, marking the highest rolling 12-month total in the agency’s history. The organisation also confirmed that more than 906,000 tests took place between April and August 2026, representing a 15.5 per cent increase compared with the same period the previous year.
The DVSA said that test availability has continued to improve, with 50,000 more appointments available on 1 September 2026 than on the same date in 2025. The increase in available slots follows measures aimed at reducing waiting times for learner drivers seeking a practical test.
Driving test pass rates have also continued to rise. The DVSA confirmed that the overall pass rate has remained above 50 per cent for nine consecutive months, reaching its highest level since the Covid pandemic. In August 2026, 52.1 per cent of learners passed their practical test, meaning just under 48 per cent were unsuccessful. The latest figures indicate that more than half of candidates taking a test during that month achieved the required standard to receive a driving licence.
DVSA and Government Respond to Latest Figures
Roads Minister Justin Madders said the latest data reflected actions taken by the government and the DVSA to reduce delays for learners waiting for tests. “Driving examiners are at their highest level in almost a decade and cracking down on bots means more people than ever took their test this year,” Madders said.
According to the DVSA, the agency has now completed more than two million driving tests in a single year for the first time. Chief Executive Beverley Warmington said the figures represented progress for learners who had been waiting for an opportunity to take their test.
“We’ve just conducted the highest number of driving tests in DVSA’s history, over 2 million in a single year, and pass rates are at their best since the pandemic,” Warmington said.
She added that further work remained to ensure learners could access suitable test appointments when needed. The DVSA said the latest figures showed that its current plan to improve test access was producing results.
