The online marketplace for driving test dates has become a profitable business for some sellers on Facebook. A recent investigation by Newsquest London revealed that individuals are selling early driving test slots to learner drivers in the UK, with prices ranging from £200 to £400.
According to data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, there is an average wait of over six weeks at 245 driving test centres across the UK. Shockingly, nearly 37 percent of these centres have waiting times exceeding five months.
These sellers on Facebook are reportedly utilising bots to navigate the DVSA booking system, allowing them to secure early test dates and resell them at a premium. While reselling driving tests is not illegal, the DVSA has expressed concerns about the use of automated bots, stating that they can exploit the booking service.
Driving tests can officially be booked through the DVSA website for £62 on weekdays and £75 on weekends. However, sellers on Facebook are advertising early practical driving test bookings starting from £262, varying depending on the centre and how soon the test is required.
In an undercover operation, our reporter posed as a potential buyer and engaged with one of these sellers on Facebook. Within minutes of messaging the seller, they were asked about their preferred test centre and informed that prices could fluctuate based on demand. Shortly after, the seller offered a driving test appointment at the Barking Test Centre in just four days for £260.
The seller urged a quick response, emphasising that the test slot might not be available if they delayed. Despite declining to proceed with the purchase at that moment, the conversation highlighted the ease with which these early test dates can be obtained and resold.
In response to the issue of automated bookings, the DVSA has implemented artificial intelligence measures to prevent block-booking of driving tests. Additionally, they released an extra 145,000 tests between October 2023 and March 2024 to address the problem.
However, cancellations remain a significant challenge, with 65,534 driving tests cancelled in the year leading up to March 2024 due to various reasons such as annual leave, industrial action, bad weather, examiner sickness, and the impact of coronavirus. This number marks a decrease from the 118,232 tests cancelled in the previous year.
Booking a driving test is open to anyone with a provisional licence number or an approved driving instructor. The flexibility to change the test time, location, and provisional licence number allows for easy rebooking and potential resale of driving test slots.
