The Kingstanding DVSA driving test centre has the longest average wait time in Birmingham, with learners waiting a median of 23 weeks between booking and taking their test, according to June 2026 data.
Birmingham wait times by centre
After Kingstanding, the Kings Heath test centre has the next highest wait time at 14.7 weeks, followed by Shirley (14 weeks), South Yardley (11.1 weeks), Garretts Green (5.7 weeks) and Cocks Moor (3.7 weeks). The average wait time across all Birmingham test centres is 12.03 weeks, slightly higher than the Great Britain median of 10.7 weeks.
DVSA response and national context
A spokesperson for the DVSA said: “The public deserve to know how the car driving test service is really performing. Our latest data shows the median waiting time for Great Britain was 10.7 weeks in June 2026, which means half of learners waited less than this and half waited longer. Test slot availability was at its highest point since November 2024 and the pass rate remains above 50 per cent.”
They added: “Since June 2025, we have conducted over quarter of a million extra car driving tests. Our changes to the booking system also mean it is now against the law for third parties to book tests for someone else, tackling those who sought to hoover up tests to resell at inflated prices.”
Extra tests and booking changes
Between June 2025 and 2026, the DVSA conducted 278,124 more tests. Across all Birmingham sites, the waiting time until 10 per cent or more of weekly appointments are still available to book is 24 weeks. Following measures announced in November 2025 and a public consultation, the DVSA introduced three changes to how learner drivers book and manage their practical car driving test appointments:
- A maximum of 2 changes can be made to a booking (introduced on 31 March)
- Only learners are allowed to book a practical car driving test and make changes to their own booking (introduced on 12 May)
- Learners can move their booked test only to a nearby centre (introduced on 9 June)
Impact on learners
The long wait times in Kingstanding and other Birmingham centres mean many learner drivers face delays in obtaining their full licence, potentially affecting their ability to commute, work, or study. The DVSA's changes aim to make the booking process fairer and reduce the impact of third-party resellers.
