Publication of ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2024/25 Quarter One'

The ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2024/25 Quarter One’ report, detailing statistics for April to June 2024 is now available.

The report is produced and published by NISRA Statisticians working in the DVA. The report contains summary statistical, performance, and trend information relating to the main business functions of the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), and other licensing activity.

The publication is available on the DfI website at:

• DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2024/25 Quarter One

Key Points

The key points in the report are:

• In the first quarter of 2024/25 the DVA delivered 275,936 vehicle tests, 236,142 (85.6%) full tests and 39,794 (14.4%) retests.
• Just over 10,010 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test this quarter, some 26.4% (3,594) fewer than the same quarter the previous year (13,609).
• There were just over 308,390 vehicle test applications this quarter, a fall of 3.1% (10,138) compared to the same period in 2023/24 (318,530).
• For all vehicle test applications made this quarter, 95.3% were booked using the DVA online booking system, relative to 94.9% and 91.5% for the same quarter the previous two years respectively.
• The DVA conducted 17,570 driving tests, which is 7.4% (1,223) more than for the equivalent quarter in 2023/24, and 83.3% (14,647) of these were for private cars.
• There were just over 20,010 applications for a driving test this quarter, relative to 19,100 for the same quarter last year, an increase of 4.7% (910).
• This quarter 567 candidates failed to attend a booked driving test, a fall of 16.8% (115) compared to same period in 2023/24 (682).
• The DVA delivered 22,435 theory tests this quarter, a fall of 4.0% (959) relative to the 23,394 tests conducted in the same quarter of 2023/24.
• There were 3,008 customers that failed to attend a booked theory test this quarter, which represents just over 13% of all theory tests conducted during this period.
• Online driver licensing application performance at 99.8% for the quarter was well above the 95% target level for online applications.
• Paper driver licensing applications performance at 97.9% was over 7 percentage points above the 90% target level, the highest quarterly performance on record.
• Into the first quarter of this financial year, 71.4% of all driver licensing transactions were carried out using the DVA online applications facility.
• At the end of June 2024, there were 1,174,990 full and eligible licence holders with private car/light vans entitlement, which is the highest on record.
• DVA were active across the full range of enforcement activities this quarter having checked 748 vehicles, issued 272 fixed penalties notices totalling £41,070 in fines, completed 22 joint operations with the PSNI and 5 cross border operations with An Garda Síochána, and 33 spot checks on school buses.

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the thirty-ninth edition of the quarterly report ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics’, relating to April to June 2024.
2. The release covers the main DVA business areas: vehicle testing, theory testing, driver testing, driver licensing, road transport and taxi licensing, enforcement, goods operator licensing and advanced driving and motorcycle instructors.
3. Vehicle licensing statistics for 2023/24 quarter three October to December 2023 are included in the report; however, they are no longer a DVA business area: responsibility for vehicle licensing transferred to DVLA in July 2014 and DfT now publish these statistics on a UK-wide basis. Vehicle statistics for January to March 2024 will be published in the next release of our quarterly report scheduled for publication in December 2024. 
4. We derive the majority of statistics from administrative data sources held within the DVA, the DfI’s Transport Regulation Unit, and the Department for Transport. 
5. The report is written and issued by NISRA statisticians posted to the DVA. 
6. ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator and Enforcement Statistics’ is published every quarter at pre-announced release dates, which are available from the GOV.UK website.
7. Electronic copies of the ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2023-24 Quarter One’ can be downloaded from our website at: Driver & Vehicle Agency Activity Statistics
8. A detailed User Guidance document is also available on our website.
9. This is a National Statistics report and therefore follows the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.  You can find further information about the Code on the Statistics Authority’s website.
10. For further information, please contact:

• Tel (public enquiries): 02890 547911 (Text relay prefix 18001) 
• Email: DVA.Statistics@nisra.gov.uk 
• Website: Driver and Vehicle Agency Monthly Tests Conducted Statistics

11. Follow the Department on X (Twitter) @deptinfra on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure and on LinkedIn at Department for Infrastructure.
12. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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