London, UK — November 29, 2025 (Agencies) — The government has confirmed that 36 Ministry of Defence (MoD) driving examiners will be mobilised one day a week over the next year to help reduce driving-test waiting times, as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) struggles to meet demand.
Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said the MoD agreed to provide personnel on a marginal-cost basis “in line with HM Treasury guidelines.” While no overall cost has yet been published, the arrangement commits defence examiners to 12 months of support.
The move comes amid mounting pressure on the DVSA, with waiting lists driven by high demand, low learner confidence, and candidates booking tests earlier than before. Lightwood noted that some learners are reserving slots before starting lessons, clogging the system. Recruitment has also lagged: since July, DVSA hired and trained 344 new examiners, but 118 trainees failed or resigned, leaving only modest net growth in the workforce — from 1,439 to 1,485 full-time equivalents.
To tackle delays, DVSA has introduced several measures:
- Restricting bookings so only learner drivers can manage their own tests
- Limiting test moves or swaps to two per candidate
- Introducing geographic limits on where tests can be shifted
- Supplementing capacity with MoD examiners for up to a year
Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden pressed the government for cost estimates and an assessment of the causes behind the backlog. Meanwhile, Patricia Ferguson asked when MoD examiners would begin work. Lightwood said they will be deployed at centres with the highest demand near their home locations or military bases, but must first undergo familiarisation training before DVSA confirms start dates.
Lightwood added that DVSA maintains “a robust complaints process,” allowing dissatisfied candidates to escalate cases to an independent assessor.
The initiative marks the first time military examiners have been formally integrated into civilian driving-test operations, reflecting the scale of the challenge in reducing waiting times for UK learner drivers.