Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-12)

Partnership with the Ministry of Defence will see 36 defence driving examiners provide thousands of additional tests over the next year.

- government taking decisive action to reduce driving test waiting times, deploying defence driving examiners across England over the next year
- up to 6,500 additional tests will be delivered over the next year and will be based at driving test centres with the highest demand, so learners can get on the road quickly
- new measures also introduced to stamp out reselling of tests, as government remains committed to helping drivers ditch their L plates as soon as they’re ready
Military driving examiners will help deliver up to 6,500 more tests in tough new measures to tackle the driving test backlog, the government announced today (12 November 2025).

There will also be a new limit on rearranging tests and a ban on third parties booking on behalf of learners in order to make the system fairer, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

The Department for Transport, working in partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), has announced 36 defence driving examiners (DDEs), made up of civilian MOD personnel, will help conduct driving tests one day a week for 12 months.

The extra personnel will be focusing primarily on car driving tests but with flexibility to carry out vocational tests, for bus and lorry drivers, if needed. They will be based at the driving test centres with the highest demand near their MOD base or home location.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-Plates, who have been sadly forced to endure record waiting times for their tests. Every learner should have an equal and fair opportunity to take a test.

We’re taking decisive action and these new measures will deliver thousands of extra tests over the next year, helping learners get on the road sooner. This will ease pressure on the system, removing barriers to opportunity and supporting economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.

Military driving examiners usually test service personnel, covering cars as well as fuel tankers and armoured carriers. The new arrangement will benefit both parties, helping tackle the driving test backlog and keeping DDEs skills sharp.

The Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns, has authorised the deployment of military driving examiners to help bring down the backlog, with no negative impact on military operations.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns, said:

The Armed Forces and civilians working within the Ministry of Defence have always been ready to step up when the country needs them – and this is another example of that commitment in action.

Our military driving examiners bring skill and professionalism from testing service personnel to prepare them for some of the toughest conditions imaginable.

By supporting civilian testing, they’re helping to get more learners on the road, keep Britain moving and deliver for the public.

Alongside military support, the government is introducing new rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots and resellers to profit at learners’ expense.

New rules will mean that:
- learner drivers will only be able to make up to 2 changes to the driving test in total – including moves, swaps and location changes – before it must be cancelled and rebooked
- learner drivers will be restricted to a limited number of test centres, which are located close to the original booking
- only learner drivers will be able to book their own test and not instructors on their behalf
Limiting who can book a test and the number of changes made will mean third parties will no longer be able to resell tests at inflated prices. Learners will only pay the actual fee DVSA charges – £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays – giving them greater control and confidence when booking a driving test.

Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC Foundation, said:

It is good to see steps being put in place to put a stop to those touting tests to frustrated learners – candidates stuck in the queue should at least be reassured that they aren’t being elbowed aside by those simply seeking to make a quick buck.

What will really deter the touts and tackle the queues would be a return to the more reasonable pre-COVID waiting time for tests, which we hope the arrival of a platoon of military examiners alongside the new DVSA recruits will help deliver.

The government instructed the DVSA to take further measures this year, and is now beginning to see early signs of improvement. We saw an increase in the number of tests over summer 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 and have nearly doubled the number of trainers available to train new examiners, to help unlock more tests.

The government remains committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, particularly in rural areas where a driving licence is vital for accessing jobs and training.

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