Driving Tests

(asked on 13th May 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on what proportion of driving test bookings involved the initial driving licence number on the booking form being subsequently changed, in each month since January 2015.


Answered by
Simon Lightwood Portrait
Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This question was answered on 22nd May 2026

The attached spreadsheet provides data on the number bookings made and the number of bookings, including percentage, of practical driving test bookings where the initial test candidate’s driving licence number was subsequently changed to a different driving test candidate’s licence number* in each month since January 2015 to March 2025.

The table below provides this information from April 2025 to April 2026.

Month Year

Total Bookings made

Number bookings where the licence number was changed (swaps)

Percentage of bookings where the licence number was changed

April 2025

222119

54446

24.5%

May 2025

231536

55574

24.0%

June 2025

239148

53658

22.4%

July 2025

191291

50750

26.5%

August 2025

220967

50630

22.9%

September 2025

248295

58554

23.6%

October 2025

219224

60856

27.8%

November 2025

231591

56494

24.4%

December 2025

225402

51056

22.7%

January 2026

242818

59152

24.4%

February 2026

237499

54180

22.8%

March 2026

266772

61018

22.9%

April 2026

233645

39608

17.0%

* The number of bookings made does not equate to the number of practical driving tests conducted. Not all test bookings result in a test being conducted.

Also, the number of swaps for a given month are not necessarily tests booked the same month. i.e. tests swapped in April 2025 are not necessarily tests booked in April 2025.

The DVSA has implemented new policies so that, since 12 May, only learner drivers are legally able to book a car practical driving test or make changes to a test. Further details can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/changes-to-driving-test-booking-rules-in-2026.

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