The latest data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reveals that driving test pass rates in the UK are on the rise.

These results offer a glimmer of progress amid a system still struggling with high demand and long wait times.

On the up

In March 2025, the driving test pass rate increased to 49.0%, up from 46.9% in March 2024.

This improvement comes despite a notable decrease in the total number of tests conducted, suggesting that while fewer learners are being tested, those who do reach the practical exam stage are better prepared or more confident.

From January to March 2025, 466,446 tests were taken across the UK—a significant 18.3% drop from the 560,436 tests taken during the same period in 2024.

However, the pass rate for this period rose to 48.9%, compared to 47% the year before.

These figures indicate a steady increase in pass success rates over recent years, continuing a trend that began as the UK emerged from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Above avarage

The total number of tests passed in March 2025 was 79,541, down from 86,501 in March 2024.

Although fewer people are passing in absolute numbers, the improved pass rate shows a growing proportion of learners succeeding.

Driving test success rates in the UK have hovered between 46% and 50% over the past decade.

Before the pandemic, pass rates typically sat around 46%.

However, in the years following the easing of lockdown restrictions, pass rates have seen a gradual increase, sometimes exceeding 49%, as seen in recent months.

Better preparation

Several factors may be contributing to this trend.

The DVSA’s “Ready to Pass?” campaign, launched in 2022, aims to ensure learners are fully prepared before taking their test.

The initiative encourages learners to take mock tests, seek effective feedback from instructors, get plenty of practice, and only book their test when they have the necessary skills and confidence.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, notes that higher pass rates may also reflect increased caution among learners: “With such long waits for test slots, many learners don’t want to risk failing and starting the wait all over again. As a result, people are going into tests better prepared.”

Another potential contributor is the reduced availability of test slots.

With fewer opportunities to take the test, candidates may be investing more time in driving lessons and practice before sitting their exams.

The cost of driving lessons—now averaging between £35 and £40 per hour—and the growing expense of car insurance for young drivers may also be motivating learners to really feel equipped to pass on their first attempt.

Under pressure

Despite the rise in pass rates, the system still faces considerable pressure.

As of April 2025, over 583,000 driving tests are booked ahead, and learners in some areas of the country are waiting up to six months or more to secure a test date.

The DVSA has responded with a seven-point action plan launched in late 2024, which includes recruiting 450 additional examiners, reintroducing overtime incentives, and tightening rules around test bookings and cancellations.

So far, this has had little effect, leading to new announcements by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, who announced a new initiative during a parliamentary session, acknowledging that the current average wait time of around 20 weeks is “totally unacceptable.”

DVSA is reviewing its policy of limiting test bookings to a 24-week window and has pledged to continue cracking down on the use of bots and commercial resellers who exploit the system for profit.

They have stated an aim to reduce average waiting times to no more than seven weeks by summer 2026, a revised target after missing its original deadline for the end of 2024.

As the system works to expand testing capacity and improve access, the recent rise in pass rates signals positive momentum and rare positive headlines around driving tests in the UK.

While the backlog remains a significant hurdle, the growing success rate of learner drivers is a welcome sign for driving instructors, policymakers, and the thousands of young people eager to gain the freedom of the road.