No driving tests AT ALL

[mondaytosunday]

hi I must be doing something wrong. My DD is learning to drive and I was looking to book her a test for September. No joy at our nearest centre (we are in London) so looked at the next nearest four. Then the next then the next. Ok so looked at where she’s at uni for October (up north). Nope. Nothing there in the four or five test centres. So I checked November (DVLA website says you can only book up to 24 weeks in advance). Nothing at any centre anywhere in the next 24 weeks! Surely this can’t be right? I’ve even checked the Isle of Wight!
The company she’s learning through says it’s our responsibility to book it. The only thing I’ve left off the form is her instructor number as that’s optional (and I don’t know what it it). I googled it and it says normal wait is 12-16 weeks for a test so I can’t understand why I’m getting no availability at all. Help! Edited to add she passed her theory last summer so still valid.

I think they get released weekly, I also think you can check daily for cancellations.

The lack of test availability has been in the news several times.

This is just how it is now. You'll need to try at 6am Monday as that's when the next week of tests gets released. It will be booking for December now.

There's cancellation apps you can get on.

Ok thanks will set the alarm for Monday early!

I had to buy a bloody app to get a cancellation. The whole system is ridiculous.

As far as I am aware they are released weekly at a certain time. Maybe someone can help with this? Certainly the driving instructor should know. For some reason I have in my head it's a Thursday and quiet early 6 or 7am. However this day and time might be wrong but someone will know.

I had to keep logging in at different times each day for DD, eventually managed to get a cancellation for the following week after about 3 weeks of checking around 30 times a day. I kept the page open and would check it a few times per hour.

Why is it like this now? I appreciate there was a Covid backlog but surely that’s cleared now?

And I would have thought that less people are learning to drive these days on account of the cost. Every single person I know regardless of family income learned to drive at 17 and got a test date for about 3 months after they started learning - would have thought more people learned to drive 30 years ago than now.

6am on Monday book a test at any available centre in the country. Then download the Testi app, put in your test details and they will send cancellations within your area as they become available. You need to be very very quick.

Alternately you can pay a scalper £260 to get you a test tomorrow which just inflates the issue but is becoming pretty much the only way to get a test right now.

The ability to book an out of area test then move via Testi it is being removed soon but I think you can still do it.

Massive shortage of driving examiners I believe after they all found alternative jobs during Covid.

Log on 6am Monday. Have all the info ready to input like driving licence number and you will get a test ( for 6 months time!)

If she passed her theory test last summer why didn’t you book her practical test sooner? The lack of availability has been well publicised for the last few years.

Ds was 17 last week. He had his first driving lesson earlier this week, his theory test is this weekend and his driving school will book a practical test (we pay, they do the booking) as soon as he’s passed the theory as it’s likely to be quite a way in the future.

Ridiculous isn't it. We got the Testis app and booked one miles away then nabbed a cancellation locally eventually. You do have to be quick though.

It is totally ridiculous.

I followed a tip online about getting on the site at 5.45am and refreshing dead on 6am. I got straight in and there was a slot available in the first choice of centre.

I think if you go in at 6 then you can get put in a long queue.

Have the driving licence number ready. It asks for a driving instructor code but you can skip that.

It was for 4 months time which I was pretty surprised about!

6am on a Monday morning. It’s going to be 6 months wait probably.

Shortage of examiners because they’re not paid much more than minimum wage.

At my local test centre there are only 2 of them, 1 of of whom only works part time.

Our local test centre had gone from 12 examiners to 4 before Covid which then made everything much worse. Cancellations app was no use at all.

Got mine booked last year on my first attempt (London test centre) by going on just before 6am on a Monday and refreshing. It was 6 months away though which is about the standard currently so your daughter is likely going to have to wait until at least December/Jan. However once you have a booking you can use apps like Testi to look for earlier cancellations but you have to have one booked first.

get ready before 6am mon - prep both your phone and your computer so if computer going slow you can switch to phone - I used to copy surname so saved needing to type in phone.
this is the important bit - if you do get in and see space - choose the first one you see without hesitation as they all go within 5 mins.
also ask your teen to find out from friends which local driving instructors book tests for their students and swap to one of these.

@Muchtoomuchtodobecause my son got his in four weeks last August and as the website says you can’t book more than 24 weeks in advance and that normal wait time was 12-16 weeks I thought it would be ok! Plus she’s at uni so not here most of the time. I do think it’s incredulous that of the 50 or so test centres I checked not a single one has any availability at all until the next week (for December) is released. How does one keep up their skills? Not everyone has a car they can practise on (or money to pay the insurance).

A lack of examiners plus the backlog not really being cleared as there is a pretty much constant stream of new drivers.
The expense of lessons is also causing problems as apparently lots of people are being taught by family or friends and taking tests before they are ready to avoid paying for lessons.

My friend's daughter was telling me she had to put her alarm on for 5.30am to try and book a test (London).

She finally got one recently for October.

Good luck, and encourage your daughter to do it herself.

Testi app and keep checking constantly. It's a pain. When I failed my first, this is how I got another, as I didnt want to wait 5 plus months to try again.

Once you have one you can use one of apps to search for earlier cancellation dates - I had one for DS in September (booked in April) but got a cancellation using Testi for June. I could’ve had one in May but his instructor was away on holiday!

My son in his mid 30s is finally learning. He can't get one anywhere near him at all. Seriously, it needs a total overhaul, the temptation for some to drive without a licence must be very tempting. Fortunately DS has a motorbike.