The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has unveiled a plan to dramatically reduce driving test wait times from the current average of 27 weeks to 10 weeks by the end of summer.
The ambitious target comes as the authority faces “unprecedented” demand, with 100,000 people currently waiting for their driving tests. The government has been pressuring the RSA to meet the long-standing 10-week target, which would more than halve existing wait times.
To address the backlog, the RSA is implementing several measures including opening additional test centres and significantly extending operating hours. Tests will now run from 7:25am to 7pm, providing more appointment slots throughout the day.
The authority is also introducing a targeted booking system that will allocate slots proportionally to areas experiencing the greatest demand, ensuring resources are directed where they’re most needed.
Sam Waide, CEO of the RSA, apologized to those affected by the delays, acknowledging how “frustrating and disruptive” the situation has been, particularly for people who need licenses for work, college, or caring responsibilities.
The scale of demand has grown substantially in recent years, with the number of driving tests conducted rising from 157,183 in 2021 to 253,850 in 2024.
To help accelerate progress, the RSA is asking customers to cancel appointments early if they cannot attend, allowing those slots to be offered to others. Waide emphasized that “every cancelled slot that’s re-used helps us reduce the backlog faster.”
The authority also highlighted that over 4,000 tests this year couldn’t proceed due to issues such as vehicles lacking valid NCT, tax, or insurance, or being deemed unroadworthy. The RSA is urging customers to ensure proper preparation before their test date.
Progress updates on wait times will be published every fortnight on the RSA website to track improvement toward the September target.