Driving test resits: 50,000 learners take 6 or more attempts to pass as rebooking costs top £45m a year

Learner drivers are spending more than £45 million a year on driving test resits as new data shows more than 50,000 sat their test for at least the sixth time last year. 

Figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show that between April 2021 and March 2022 almost half of the 1.5m car tests conducted were resits. A total of 722,192 learners retook their test, with a desperate 50,875 on at least their sixth attempt to get a licence. 

Based on a standard driving test cost of £62, the figures mean learners collectively spent more than £45.4 million on retaking their test in the last year. The exact figure, however, is likely to be even higher, with learners who sit their test in the evening or on a weekend or bank holiday facing a £75 bill every time. 

The figures also show that after the second attempt, the pass rate falls. The average pass rate in Britain is 48.9%, with first-time passes at 49.3%. The second attempt is a charm for more people, with a perfect 50% passing on the second try but after that pass rates fall away. A total of 48.8% of third-timers pass, dropping to just 40% of those taking their test for the sixth or later attempt. 

Last year’s figures actually represent a sharp drop in the number of learners taking their sixth or subsequent test. While lockdowns in 2020-21 meant relatively few tests were taken at all, figures for 2019-20 show that 55,596 learners were on their sixth test or more and the year before 63,776. That itself was a major fall from the 95,158 recorded in 2017-18. 

The latest figures come after the DfT confirmed it was taking steps to make learners wait longer before booking a resit. It says the measures are intended to cut the number of drivers taking multiple resits by giving them more time to prepare for their next attempt. It also hopes that this will free up more appointments to cut waiting times at centres around the country. 

Among the measures being put into effect by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) this summer are extending the compulsory gap between tests from 10 days to 28 days. It is also extending the notice period required to cancel an appointment and still receive a refund on the test fee from three days to 10 days in a bit to reduce the 6,500 tests a month lost to last-minute cancellations or drivers failing to show up. 

Ryan Fulthorpe, motoring expert at GoCompare which calculated the costs, commented: “Our estimates show that retaking driving tests is costing the nation’s learners a fortune, especially for those who have multiple attempts. Plus, with the extended wait before rebooking now in effect, today’s learners are facing a pricey ‘cost of failing’.

“There’s no shame in failing on your first few attempts and it’s only natural that some learners might need a few attempts at the test before passing. However, our findings highlight that it’s important to resist rushing into it. While it might be tempting to take your test as soon as possible, taking your time and ensuring you’re fully prepared will minimise the chances of you having to stump up for another one.”