Driving test chaos: Learners face 23,000-strong queues as bots snap up slots and 'resell' at inflated prices

18 June 2025, 10:05 | Updated: 18 June 2025, 11:37

Thousands of learner drivers are struggling to book their driving test because the slots are being taken up by bots for unofficial websites and apps, a mother has claimed.

Sara Thornton, from Buckinghamshire, was shocked to find herself in a queue behind 23,000 people when she logged onto the DVSA’s website at 6.05am one morning in April this year, to try and book a test for her 21-year-old son.

The mother-of-two waited for an hour to get to the front of the queue, only to be kicked off the site because it thought she was a robot.

Mrs Thornton said this failed attempt was just one of many she has experienced in the last year, comparing the ordeal to trying to get “Glastonbury or Wimbledon tickets".

She pointed the finger at unofficial websites and apps offering “cancelation appointments’ for taking up all the test spots, making it "impossible" to schedule a test.

"It was like trying to get Glastonbury or Wimbledon tickets. I logged on at 6.05am and there were 23,000 people ahead of me. I was completely staggered," Mrs Thornton said.

"I was beginning to despair, I am starting to think we will never get it done."

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The DVSA releases new test slots every Monday at 6am and learners can book one anytime up to 20 weeks in advance.

But Mrs Thornton believes the majority of these are snapped up by apps and websites that resell the tests at inflated prices, or charge users to be alerted when new slots appear in their area.

These bots automatically secure test appointments, which are then offered via paid-for services - none of which are run, approved or endorsed by the DVLA.

The agency has previously warned drivers in the past about being sucked into the driving test “black market”.

LBC also joined a WhatsApp group chat where users who had tests booked months in advance were able to swap them for earlier appointments.

Every week, the group's admin sent out a list of upcoming test slots around the country.

If a user spotted a a location that worked for them, they had to message the admin with a photo of their driving licence, their test confirmation number and pay a £100 fee.

The owners of this group were contacted for a comment but did not respond.

Once this was done, the driver would receive an official DVLA email with confirmation of their new test date.

But for people like Mrs Thornton - who are still using the traditional booking method - securing a practical test in your local area is almost impossible.

She eventually managed to book a test for her son in September, but it was at a centre in Lowerscroft, 150 miles from their home.

The long wait for a test has also come at a huge financial burden.

Mrs Thronton was forced to shell-out on further lessons for her son, who also had to re-take his theory test after his previous pass expired.

“Genuine people need to be able to book these tests, the bots need to stop,” she said.

“They are pricing people on a very low-income people out of the market. We are lucky that we can use money towards this project, but to pay for theory, apps slots and lessons is too much. Not everyone can afford this.”

According to the BBC, the average waiting time for a test across Britain’s driving centres was 22 weeks, with three-quarters of centres hitting the maximum average wait time of 24 weeks.

A DVSA spokesperson blamed the delays on an "increase in demand and a change in customers' booking behaviour".

Data shows the number of people taking practical tests plummeted during the various lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.

This was followed by a surge in bookings between September 2023 and March 2024, before a recent reduction to pre-pandemic levels.

The DVSA agrees with Mrs Thornton that bots are a huge part of the problem and says it will aim "to improve the booking system and block bots from accessing tests".

A DVSA spokesperson said: “Car practical test waiting times remain high due to an increase in demand and a change in customers’ booking behaviour.

“We continue to work on implementing our 7-point plan to reduce waiting times and encouraging learner drivers to only book their driving test when they are ready.

“Since launching our plan in December 2024, we are making progress towards recruiting and training 450 driving examiners across Great Britain.”