Almost half of Doncaster learners wait more than five months for driving test

Almost half of Doncaster learners wait more than five months for driving test , according to new figures.

New DVSA data for August 2026 has revealed a driving test postcode lottery across the UK, with the proportion of learners waiting more than five months for their test varying dramatically depending on where they take their test.

Car insurance experts at Zego analysed the latest figures to reveal the areas where learners are most likely to face waits of more than five months.

Doncaster topped the list of Yorkshire and Humber locations where learners are most likely to wait more than five months to sit their test.

Skipton, Sheffield (Middlewood Road), Pontefract and Bridlington were next on the list.

The data revealed that almost half (47.2%) of learners in Doncaster took their driving test more than five months after booking, considerably higher than the 37.8% recorded in Skipton, which had the second-highest proportion in the region.

Across the 10 Yorkshire and the Humber locations with the highest proportions of tests taken more than 21 weeks after booking, the average was 34.9%, meaning more than a third of learners waited over five months for their test.

Doncaster's proportion was also 19.6 percentage points higher than Hull's.

In a statement published online, DVSA chief executive Beverley Warmington said: “I'm not going to pretend this can be fixed overnight. Waiting times remain too long in many parts of Great Britain.

“But DVSA is working hard to improve the situation as quickly as possible.”

Sten Saar, CEO and Co-founder of Zego, comments on the data and what the findings mean for learners facing months of additional lessons, costs and delays:

“The hidden cost of a long driving test wait is staying test-ready while you wait. Learners can therefore find themselves paying for additional lessons simply to maintain their skills, while a failed test can mean starting the process again and potentially facing another lengthy wait.

“That can turn what should be a straightforward journey into a cycle of lessons, waiting and retesting, pushing up the overall cost of becoming a driver before they’ve even got their first car. The fact that this experience can vary so significantly depending on where you live highlights how much the postcode lottery can affect the real cost and timeline of getting on the road.

“For young people, this can also delay the next stage of their motoring journey: getting their first car and arranging their own insurance. With the cost of becoming a driver already a major consideration, months of additional waiting can make that transition more expensive and harder to plan for.”