Driving tests cancelled by DVSA: over 101,000 in a year

Most were cancelled because the examiner was ill. Here's how likely it is at your test centre, and what to do if it happens to you.

Megan Watkins, Drivepal Founder·Updated 24 October 2026

DVSA cancels about 1 in 21 driving tests. In the 12 months to March 2026, that came to 101,338 tests in Britain.

How likely it is depends a lot on where you take your test: DVSA cancelled 1 in 6 tests at Crewe, but only 1 in 355 at Lee On The Solent.

Tests cancelled by DVSA

101,338

the 12 months to March 2026

Because the examiner was ill

59%

of those cancellations

Highest share cancelled

1 in 6

Crewe

Where DVSA cancels the most tests

These are the ten centres where DVSA cancelled the highest share of tests, and at most of them the main reason was an examiner being ill.

The list changes a lot from one year to the next. Skegness has been in the top two for three years running, but most of the others weren't in the top ten the year before. Our guess is that at a centre with only a few examiners, one of them being off for a few months is enough to put it near the top, but the figures don't say.

#	Test centre	Tests carried out in 2025 to 2026	Cancelled by DVSA	Share cancelled	Main reason
1	Crewe North West	4,994	1,026	17.0%	Examiner ill
2	Skegness East Midlands	2,078	361	14.8%	Examiner ill
3	Dundee Scotland	3,742	565	13.1%	Examiner ill
4	Stirling Scotland	2,747	387	12.3%	Examiner on leave
5	Heysham North West	3,692	466	11.2%	Examiner ill
6	Basingstoke South East	5,009	619	11.0%	Examiner on leave
7	Aberdeen North Scotland	3,906	472	10.8%	Weather
8	Workington North West	2,998	350	10.5%	Examiner ill
9	Merthyr Tydfil Wales	4,446	510	10.3%	Examiner ill
10	Doncaster Yorkshire and The Humber	7,334	840	10.3%	Examiner ill

Highest share cancelled first. Only centres that ran at least 1,000 tests in the 12 months to March 2026. “Main reason” is the one DVSA gave for the most cancellations there.

Why DVSA cancels tests

DVSA records a reason for every test it cancels. In the 12 months to March 2026:

The examiner was ill: 60,075 tests, 59% of them. DVSA counts a doctor's, dentist's or hospital appointment here too.
The examiner was on leave: 29,379 tests, 29%.
Bad weather: 11,875 tests, 12%. DVSA counts bad light here too.
Strikes: 9 tests.

Most weather cancellations come in a few bad weeks. In January 2026, bad weather cancelled 9,804 tests, more than in the other 11 months put together.

DVSA cancelled fewer tests than the year before, when the total was 120,460, and fewer of them were because the examiner was ill: 60,075, against 73,502.

Year	Tests carried out	Cancelled by DVSA	Share cancelled	Examiner ill
2021 to 2022	1,470,658	113,350	7.2%	40,988
2022 to 2023	1,646,003	116,066	6.6%	52,187
2023 to 2024	1,917,676	100,840	5.0%	62,721
2024 to 2025	1,832,295	120,460	6.2%	73,502
2025 to 2026	1,993,916	101,338	4.8%	60,075

Each year runs from April to March. The 2021 to 2022 figures include 46,708 tests DVSA cancelled because of the pandemic. The 2022 to 2023 figures include 4,688 tests DVSA cancelled because of the pandemic.

If DVSA cancels your test

You don't have to rebook: DVSA sends you a new date, and you can change it if it doesn't suit you.
You may be able to claim costs back: if DVSA cancelled at short notice for any reason except the weather, you can apply for your out-of-pocket expenses back.
In bad weather, ring the centre: if the roads are icy or flooded on the day, call the test centre before you set off. The number is on your booking email.

The full rules, and the expenses form, are on GOV.UK's page on cancelled tests.

It isn't worth moving your test because of these figures. A centre near the top this year was often near the middle last year, and a different centre means different roads to learn. If your test is cancelled, ask your instructor for a lesson close to the new date so you go in sharp.

Every centre

Show all 258 centres, A to Z

Test centre	Tests carried out in 2025 to 2026	Cancelled by DVSA	Share cancelled	Main reason
Aberdeen North Scotland	3,906	472	10.8%	Weather
Aberdeen South (Cove) Scotland	4,858	359	6.9%	Weather
Abergavenny Wales	5,924	306	4.9%	Examiner on leave
Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) Wales	1,529	50	3.2%	Examiner on leave
Airdrie Scotland	4,599	494	9.7%	Examiner ill
Alnwick North East	1,282	67	5.0%	Weather
Ashfield East Midlands	8,144	522	6.0%	Examiner ill
Ashford (Kent) South East	5,475	187	3.3%	Examiner ill
Atherton (Manchester) North West	13,035	423	3.1%	Examiner ill
Aylesbury South East	5,255	316	5.7%	Examiner ill
Ayr Scotland	2,189	95	4.2%	Examiner ill
Banbury South East	9,069	706	7.2%	Examiner ill
Bangor Wales	4,032	158	3.8%	Examiner on leave
Barking (Tanner Street) London	5,543	114	2.0%	Examiner ill
Barnet (London) London	12,397	1,214	8.9%	Examiner ill
Barnsley Yorkshire and The Humber	7,737	476	5.8%	Examiner ill
Barnstaple South West	5,562	73	1.3%	Examiner ill
Barrow In Furness North West	1,699	167	8.9%	Examiner ill
Barry Wales	2,244	219	8.9%	Examiner ill
Basildon Eastern	8,359	176	2.1%	Examiner ill
Basingstoke South East	5,009	619	11.0%	Examiner on leave
Bedford Eastern	8,854	574	6.1%	Examiner ill
Belvedere (London) London	4,245	133	3.0%	Examiner ill
Birmingham (Garretts Green) West Midlands	22,480	2,332	9.4%	Examiner ill
Birmingham (Kings Heath) West Midlands	9,072	458	4.8%	Examiner ill
Birmingham (Kingstanding) West Midlands	16,133	1,510	8.6%	Examiner ill
Birmingham (Shirley) West Midlands	9,385	232	2.4%	Weather
Birmingham (South Yardley) West Midlands	14,471	1,020	6.6%	Examiner ill
Bishopbriggs Scotland	6,186	251	3.9%	Examiner ill
Bishops Stortford Eastern	6,409	156	2.4%	Examiner ill
Blackburn with Darwen North West	12,205	618	4.8%	Examiner on leave
Blackpool North West	8,948	601	6.3%	Examiner ill
Bletchley South East	9,415	519	5.2%	Examiner on leave
Blyth North East	6,973	341	4.7%	Examiner on leave
Bodmin South West	6,392	288	4.3%	Examiner ill
Bolton (Manchester) North West	11,570	271	2.3%	Examiner on leave
Borehamwood (London) London	7,195	307	4.1%	Examiner ill
Boston East Midlands	4,784	92	1.9%	Examiner ill
Bradford (Heaton) Yorkshire and The Humber	8,354	569	6.4%	Examiner ill
Bradford (Thornbury) Yorkshire and The Humber	10,831	633	5.5%	Examiner ill
Brecon Wales	1,490	72	4.6%	Examiner on leave
Bredbury (Manchester) North West	10,636	528	4.7%	Examiner ill
Brentwood (London) Eastern	5,791	79	1.3%	Examiner on leave
Bridgend Wales	5,990	242	3.9%	Examiner on leave
Bridlington Yorkshire and The Humber	3,027	230	7.1%	Weather
Bristol (Avonmouth) South West	9,400	292	3.0%	Examiner on leave
Bristol (Kingswood) South West	14,863	562	3.6%	Examiner ill
Bromley (London) London	13,228	879	6.2%	Examiner ill
Burgess Hill South East	11,237	508	4.3%	Examiner ill
Burton on Trent West Midlands	7,273	400	5.2%	Examiner ill
Bury (Manchester) North West	7,024	666	8.7%	Examiner ill
Bury St Edmunds Eastern	8,702	322	3.6%	Examiner ill
Buxton East Midlands	4,904	326	6.2%	Examiner ill
Camborne South West	6,271	52	0.8%	Examiner ill
Cambridge (Brookmount Court) Eastern	13,689	264	1.9%	Examiner ill
Canterbury South East	4,670	71	1.5%	Examiner ill
Cardiff (Llanishen) Wales	16,401	1,012	5.8%	Examiner ill
Cardigan Wales	1,192	98	7.6%	Examiner ill
Carlisle North West	3,518	153	4.2%	Examiner on leave
Carmarthen Wales	2,746	125	4.4%	Examiner ill
Chadderton North West	15,988	467	2.8%	Examiner ill
Cheetham Hill (Manchester) North West	10,207	822	7.5%	Examiner ill
Chelmsford	9,107	533	5.5%	Examiner ill
Cheltenham South West	5,161	159	3.0%	Examiner on leave
Chertsey (London) South East	9,082	484	5.1%	Examiner on leave
Chester North West	9,212	362	3.8%	Examiner ill
Chesterfield East Midlands	6,605	249	3.6%	Examiner ill
Chichester South East	6,672	279	4.0%	Examiner ill
Chingford (London) London	13,120	371	2.7%	Examiner ill
Chippenham South West	9,629	465	4.6%	Examiner ill
Chorley North West	5,415	337	5.9%	Examiner ill
Clacton-on-Sea Eastern	4,840	76	1.5%	Examiner ill
Colchester Eastern	7,756	383	4.7%	Examiner ill
Coventry West Midlands	13,771	439	3.1%	Examiner ill
Crawley South East	11,305	477	4.0%	Examiner on leave
Crewe North West	4,994	1,026	17.0%	Examiner ill
Darlington North East	12,183	418	3.3%	Examiner ill
Derby (Alvaston) East Midlands	8,086	187	2.3%	Weather
Doncaster Yorkshire and The Humber	7,334	840	10.3%	Examiner ill
Dorchester South West	4,353	119	2.7%	Examiner on leave
Dudley West Midlands	13,721	1,014	6.9%	Examiner on leave
Dumbarton Scotland	1,659	69	4.0%	Examiner ill
Dumfries Scotland	2,267	209	8.4%	Examiner ill
Dundee Scotland	3,742	565	13.1%	Examiner ill
Dunfermline (Vine) Scotland	5,529	339	5.8%	Examiner ill
Durham North East	9,451	329	3.4%	Examiner ill
East Kilbride Scotland	1,976	102	4.9%	Examiner on leave
Eastbourne South East	6,031	174	2.8%	Examiner ill
Edinburgh (Currie) Scotland	6,202	437	6.6%	Examiner on leave
Edinburgh (Musselburgh) Scotland	6,850	323	4.5%	Examiner ill
Elgin Scotland	2,934	177	5.7%	Weather
Enfield (Innova Business Park) London	8,412	526	5.9%	Examiner ill
Erith (London) London	5,809	183	3.1%	Examiner ill
Exeter South West	8,679	409	4.5%	Examiner ill
Farnborough South East	10,482	371	3.4%	Examiner ill
Featherstone West Midlands	13,193	1,499	10.2%	Examiner ill
Folkestone South East	7,818	279	3.4%	Examiner ill
Galashiels Scotland	2,241	136	5.7%	Examiner on leave
Gateshead North East	9,512	482	4.8%	Examiner ill
Gillingham South East	14,886	688	4.4%	Examiner ill
Glasgow (Anniesland) Scotland	6,170	355	5.4%	Examiner ill
Glasgow (Baillieston) Scotland	10,428	613	5.6%	Examiner ill
Glasgow (Shieldhall) Scotland	7,019	391	5.3%	Examiner on leave
Gloucester South West	7,420	212	2.8%	Examiner on leave
Goodmayes (London) London	21,374	333	1.5%	Examiner ill
Gosforth North East	10,531	1,151	9.9%	Examiner ill
Grangemouth Scotland	3,761	380	9.2%	Examiner ill
Grantham (Somerby) East Midlands	7,318	123	1.7%	Examiner ill
Greenford (Horsenden Lane) London	7,222	207	2.8%	Examiner ill
Greenham South East	3,931	133	3.3%	Examiner on leave
Greenock Scotland	3,547	98	2.7%	Examiner on leave
Grimsby Coldwater Yorkshire and The Humber	5,361	231	4.1%	Examiner ill
Guildford South East	4,542	285	5.9%	Examiner ill
Haddington Scotland	2,195	127	5.5%	Examiner on leave
Halifax Yorkshire and The Humber	5,845	599	9.3%	Examiner ill
Hamilton Scotland	6,112	513	7.7%	Examiner ill
Hartlepool North East	5,847	245	4.0%	Weather
Hastings (Ore) South East	3,892	281	6.7%	Examiner ill
Heckmondwike Yorkshire and The Humber	5,471	355	6.1%	Examiner ill
Hendon (London) London	11,086	565	4.8%	Examiner ill
Hereford West Midlands	4,110	50	1.2%	Examiner ill
Herne Bay South East	10,674	325	3.0%	Examiner ill
Hexham North East	1,388	91	6.2%	Examiner on leave
Heysham North West	3,692	466	11.2%	Examiner ill
High Wycombe South East	3,534	92	2.5%	Examiner ill
Hinckley East Midlands	4,866	80	1.6%	Weather
Hornchurch (London) London	8,694	230	2.6%	Examiner ill
Horsforth Yorkshire and The Humber	12,466	615	4.7%	Examiner ill
Huddersfield Yorkshire and The Humber	10,563	528	4.8%	Examiner on leave
Hull Yorkshire and The Humber	9,706	942	8.8%	Examiner ill
Inverness (Longman Drive) Scotland	3,252	236	6.8%	Weather
Ipswich Eastern	11,466	262	2.2%	Examiner ill
Irvine Scotland	4,941	94	1.9%	Examiner on leave
Isleworth (Fleming Way) London	12,687	891	6.6%	Examiner ill
Kendal (Oxenholme Road) North West	2,231	235	9.5%	Examiner ill
Kettering East Midlands	11,876	623	5.0%	Examiner ill
Kings Lynn Eastern	6,694	283	4.1%	Examiner ill
Kirkcaldy Scotland	4,313	357	7.6%	Examiner ill
Knaresborough Yorkshire and The Humber	8,301	683	7.6%	Examiner ill
Lanark Scotland	1,914	60	3.0%	Weather
Launceston South West	3,991	131	3.2%	Examiner ill
Lee On The Solent South East	8,502	24	0.3%	Examiner on leave
Leeds (Fearnville) Yorkshire and The Humber	4,676	146	3.0%	Examiner ill
Leicester (Cannock Street) East Midlands	14,198	632	4.3%	Examiner ill
Leicester (Wigston) East Midlands	18,868	397	2.1%	Examiner ill
Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road) Eastern	7,667	382	4.7%	Examiner ill
Letchworth Eastern	5,243	161	3.0%	Examiner ill
Lichfield West Midlands	5,944	287	4.6%	Examiner ill
Lincoln East Midlands	6,192	366	5.6%	Examiner on leave
Livingston Scotland	2,997	230	7.1%	Examiner ill
Llanelli Wales	4,380	169	3.7%	Examiner on leave
Llantrisant Wales	9,909	476	4.6%	Examiner on leave
Loughborough East Midlands	5,502	98	1.8%	Examiner on leave
Loughton (London) Eastern	7,376	177	2.3%	Examiner ill
Lowestoft(Mobbs Way) Eastern	7,603	264	3.4%	Examiner on leave
Ludlow West Midlands	5,051	118	2.3%	Weather
Luton Eastern	7,759	438	5.3%	Examiner ill
Macclesfield North West	4,509	161	3.4%	Examiner ill
Maidstone South East	8,053	301	3.6%	Examiner ill
Melton Mowbray East Midlands	1,984	34	1.7%	Examiner on leave
Merthyr Tydfil Wales	4,446	510	10.3%	Examiner ill
Middlesbrough North East	8,854	435	4.7%	Examiner on leave
Mill Hill (London) London	9,797	413	4.0%	Examiner ill
Mitcham (London) London	15,046	778	4.9%	Examiner ill
Monmouth Wales	1,283	83	6.1%	Examiner on leave
Morden (London) London	15,770	1,540	8.9%	Examiner ill
Nelson North West	5,955	481	7.5%	Examiner ill
Newport (Gwent) Wales	8,227	464	5.3%	Examiner ill
Newport (Isle of Wight) South East	3,616	243	6.3%	Examiner ill
Newton Abbot South West	6,591	137	2.0%	Examiner ill
Newtown Wales	2,256	89	3.8%	Examiner on leave
Norris Green (Liverpool) North West	13,472	724	5.1%	Examiner ill
Northallerton Yorkshire and The Humber	3,244	371	10.3%	Examiner ill
Northampton East Midlands	13,539	723	5.1%	Examiner ill
Northwich North West	3,529	141	3.8%	Examiner on leave
Norwich (Peachman Way) Eastern	12,541	463	3.6%	Examiner ill
Nottingham (Chilwell) East Midlands	9,415	392	4.0%	Examiner ill
Nottingham (Colwick) East Midlands	15,150	460	2.9%	Examiner ill
Nuneaton West Midlands	6,764	178	2.6%	Examiner ill
Oswestry West Midlands	1,851	58	3.0%	Examiner ill
Oxford (Cowley) South East	5,419	122	2.2%	Examiner ill
Paisley Scotland	7,912	374	4.5%	Examiner ill
Pembroke Dock Wales	1,769	111	5.9%	Examiner ill
Perth (Arran Road) Scotland	2,642	118	4.3%	Examiner ill
Peterborough Eastern	10,551	262	2.4%	Examiner ill
Peterhead Scotland	2,628	161	5.8%	Weather
Pinner (London) London	14,367	721	4.8%	Examiner ill
Plymouth South West	11,167	140	1.2%	Examiner ill
Pontefract Yorkshire and The Humber	5,544	548	9.0%	Examiner ill
Poole South West	10,375	796	7.1%	Examiner ill
Portsmouth South East	13,518	289	2.1%	Examiner ill
Preston North West	9,194	625	6.4%	Examiner ill
Reading South East	9,237	812	8.1%	Examiner ill
Redditch West Midlands	4,483	263	5.5%	Examiner ill
Redhill Aerodrome South East	5,408	110	2.0%	Examiner ill
Rhyl Wales	4,011	143	3.4%	Examiner ill
Rochdale (Manchester) North West	11,563	291	2.5%	Weather
Rotherham Yorkshire and The Humber	9,134	356	3.8%	Examiner ill
Rugby West Midlands	6,664	468	6.6%	Examiner ill
Sale (Manchester) North West	10,921	306	2.7%	Examiner ill
Salisbury South West	6,630	29	0.4%	Examiner ill
Scarborough Yorkshire and The Humber	3,595	344	8.7%	Examiner ill
Scunthorpe Yorkshire and The Humber	6,103	427	6.5%	Examiner on leave
Sevenoaks South East	6,740	109	1.6%	Examiner on leave
Sheffield (Handsworth) Yorkshire and The Humber	9,788	373	3.7%	Examiner ill
Sheffield (Middlewood Road) Yorkshire and The Humber	10,442	848	7.5%	Examiner ill
Shrewsbury West Midlands	5,064	260	4.9%	Examiner ill
Sidcup (London) London	14,318	1,104	7.2%	Examiner ill
Skegness East Midlands	2,078	361	14.8%	Examiner ill
Skipton Yorkshire and The Humber	3,197	96	2.9%	Examiner on leave
Slough (London) South East	10,509	330	3.0%	Examiner ill
Southall (London) London	8,543	495	5.5%	Examiner ill
Southampton (Maybush) South East	10,480	188	1.8%	Examiner ill
Southend-on-Sea Eastern	7,526	130	1.7%	Examiner ill
Southport (Liverpool) North West	7,949	583	6.8%	Examiner ill
Speke (Liverpool) North West	8,159	304	3.6%	Examiner on leave
St Albans Eastern	7,336	200	2.7%	Examiner ill
St Helens (Liverpool) North West	14,174	670	4.5%	Examiner ill
Stafford West Midlands	5,365	506	8.6%	Examiner on leave
Steeton Yorkshire and The Humber	4,784	100	2.0%	Examiner on leave
Stevenage Eastern	4,622	341	6.9%	Examiner ill
Stirling Scotland	2,747	387	12.3%	Examiner on leave
Stoke-On-Trent (Cobridge) West Midlands	8,413	740	8.1%	Examiner on leave
Stoke-on-Trent (Newcastle-Under-Lyme) West Midlands	6,646	287	4.1%	Examiner ill
Sunderland North East	10,436	706	6.3%	Weather
Swansea Wales	12,375	289	2.3%	Examiner ill
Swindon South West	12,857	440	3.3%	Examiner ill
Taunton South West	8,259	138	1.6%	Examiner ill
Telford West Midlands	4,963	426	7.9%	Examiner ill
Tilbury Eastern	5,083	34	0.7%	Examiner ill
Tolworth (London) London	10,164	483	4.5%	Examiner ill
Tottenham London	9,844	541	5.2%	Examiner on leave
Trowbridge South West	3,074	135	4.2%	Examiner ill
Tunbridge Wells South East	5,726	224	3.8%	Examiner ill
Upton North West	10,772	708	6.2%	Examiner ill
Uxbridge (London) London	6,051	388	6.0%	Examiner ill
Wakefield Yorkshire and The Humber	11,653	505	4.2%	Examiner ill
Wanstead (London) London	8,258	286	3.3%	Examiner ill
Warrington North West	7,550	283	3.6%	Examiner ill
Warwick (Wedgenock House) West Midlands	15,070	450	2.9%	Examiner ill
Watford Eastern	12,939	244	1.9%	Examiner on leave
Wednesbury West Midlands	7,508	573	7.1%	Examiner on leave
Wellingborough East Midlands	1,450	32	2.2%	Examiner ill
West Didsbury (Manchester) North West	17,806	1,679	8.6%	Examiner ill
West Wickham (London) London	12,249	177	1.4%	Examiner ill
Weston-super-Mare South West	4,443	171	3.7%	Examiner on leave
Widnes North West	6,846	276	3.9%	Examiner ill
Winchester South East	4,602	60	1.3%	Examiner on leave
Wolverhampton West Midlands	11,561	693	5.7%	Examiner ill
Wood Green (London) London	11,379	341	2.9%	Examiner on leave
Worcester West Midlands	11,590	498	4.1%	Examiner ill
Workington North West	2,998	350	10.5%	Examiner ill
Worksop East Midlands	5,975	520	8.0%	Examiner ill
Worthing South East	8,495	148	1.7%	Examiner on leave
Wrexham Wales	4,819	316	6.2%	Examiner ill
Yeading (London) London	6,735	386	5.4%	Examiner ill
Yeovil South West	7,493	43	0.6%	Examiner on leave
York Yorkshire and The Humber	9,416	843	8.2%	Examiner ill

Centres that ran at least 1,000 tests in the 12 months to March 2026. DVSA leaves out centres where only one examiner tests, so no one examiner can be identified.

Frequently asked questions

How many driving tests does DVSA cancel?

In the 12 months to March 2026, DVSA cancelled over 101,000 driving tests itself. That's about 1 in 21 of all its driving tests.

Why did DVSA cancel my driving test?

Usually because the examiner was ill: that was the reason for 59% of the tests DVSA cancelled in the 12 months to March 2026. Most of the rest were cancelled because the examiner was on leave (29%) or because of bad weather (12%).

Which test centre cancels the most driving tests?

Of the centres that ran at least 1,000 tests in the 12 months to March 2026, DVSA cancelled the highest share of tests at Crewe: 1 in 6. See the top ten.

Can I get compensation if DVSA cancels my driving test?

If DVSA cancels at short notice for a reason other than the weather, you can apply for your out-of-pocket expenses back. GOV.UK has the rules and the form.

How long is the wait at your centre?

How we worked this out

The figures are DVSA's count of car driving tests it cancelled itself at each test centre in Great Britain, for the 12 months to March 2026. DVSA calls this its 2025-26 financial year. Tests that learners cancelled or didn't turn up to aren't included.

DVSA counts a test in the month it was cancelled, not the month it was due to happen. A test cancelled in March for an examiner's leave in April counts in March. DVSA's count covers every cancellation, not only those at short notice.

The share cancelled is the tests DVSA cancelled, out of all the tests it cancelled or carried out in the same 12 months. It counts appointments, so a learner whose test was cancelled and then taken later that year appears in both. Britain's totals here add up the centres, so they come out slightly below DVSA's own national total, which also counts centres with only one examiner.

Source: DVSA: Car driving test data by test centre (tables DRT122A and DRT122B). Released under the Open Government Licence v3.0.