The demand for driving tests in the United Kingdom has intensified as applications for provisional licences from foreign-born individuals have surged in recent years, contributing to longer waiting times for all learners. Data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reveals that nearly half of provisional licence applications submitted in 2024 and 2025 came from people born outside the UK.
According to the DVLA, foreign-born applicants accounted for 46.3% of provisional licence applications in 2024 and 44.7% in 2025, up from 30.1% in 2021. The number of applications from this group more than doubled, rising from approximately 280,000 in 2021 to 626,488 in 2025. These applicants represented around 80% of the total increase in provisional licence applications during this period. India was identified as the country with the largest number of foreign-born applicants last year, contributing 134,775 applications.
The rise in testing demand has exacerbated existing delays. Learners are now facing an average wait time of nearly 20 weeks for a practical driving test, significantly longer than the six-week average before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic initially caused widespread backlogs, and the increasing volume of applications has extended waiting periods further.
Documents obtained indicate that the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, was informed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in September 2025 that the backlog was partly driven by increased immigration. Officials pointed out a substantial rise in migration from non-European Union countries and suggested that policies concerning immigration and minimum periods for learner drivers should be reviewed to help address the delays.
Not all foreign drivers need to take the test in the UK. In 2025, 81,816 individuals exchanged their existing foreign driving licences for UK licences without undergoing further testing, reflecting existing agreements allowing certain countries’ licences to be recognised.
A spokesperson from the Department for Transport dismissed claims that immigration was the primary factor behind the backlog, describing such assertions as "inaccurate and misleading." The spokesperson attributed the challenges to a combination of “broken migration and driving test booking systems” inherited from previous administrations and emphasized efforts underway to improve the situation.
As demand for driving tests continues to outpace capacity, officials face mounting pressure to find solutions that can reduce waiting times and better manage the increasing number of applicants born abroad seeking to gain UK driving qualifications.