Publication of ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2025/26 Quarter One
Topics:
Date published:
The ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2025/26 Quarter One’ report, detailing statistics for April to June 2025 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 - 2025-26 - Quarter One
KEY POINTS
The key points in the report are:
- In the first quarter of 2025/26 the DVA delivered 288,026 vehicle tests, 244,555 (84.9%) full tests and 43,471 (15.1%) retests.
- 13,590 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test this quarter, 35.7% (3,576) more than the same quarter the previous year (10,014).
- There were 291,250 vehicle test applications this quarter, a decrease of 5.6% (17,151) compared to the same period in 2024/25 (308,401).
- For all vehicle test applications made this quarter, 96.5% were booked using the DVA online booking system, relative to 95.4% and 94.9% for the same quarter the previous two years respectively.
- The DVA conducted 17,163 driving tests, which is 2.3% (407) less than for the equivalent quarter in 2024/25 with 82.5% (14,152) of these being for private cars.
There were 19,705 applications for a driving test this quarter, relative to 20,013 for the same quarter last year, a decrease of 1.5% (308). - This quarter 552 candidates failed to attend a booked driving test, 15 less than the 567 who failed to attend for the same period in 2024/25.
- The DVA delivered 23,070 theory tests this quarter, a rise of 2.8% (636) relative to the 22,434 tests conducted in the same quarter of 2024/25.
- There were 3,150 customers that failed to attend a booked theory test this quarter, which represents approximately one in seven of all theory tests conducted during this period.
- Online driver licensing application performance at 99.1% for the quarter was well above the 95% target level for online applications.
- Paper driver licensing applications performance at 93.5% was just under 4 percentage points above the 90% target level.
- In the first quarter of this financial year, 77.6% of all driver licensing transactions were carried out using the DVA online applications facility.
- At the end of June 2025, there were 1,191,939 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 467 vehicles, issued 219 fixed penalties notices totalling £33,320 in fines, completed 28 joint operations with the PSNI and 6 cross border operations with An Garda Síochána, and 25 spot checks on school buses.
Notes to editors:
Background to Driver & Vehicle Agency ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics’
- This is the forty-third edition of the quarterly report ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics’, relating to April to June 2025.
- 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.
- Due to DVLA changing their release schedule due to resource pressure, the most recent vehicle licensing statistics covered in the report are for January to March 2025. Vehicle licensing data for the full 2024/25 financial year is published in this report.
- 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.
- The report is written and issued by NISRA statisticians posted to the DVA.
- ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator and Enforcement Statistics’ is published every quarter at pre-announced release dates, which are available from the GOV.UK
- Electronic copies of the ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2025-26 Quarter One’ can be downloaded from our website
- A detailed User Guidance document is also available on our website.
- 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
- For further information, please contact: DVA Statistics, Driver and Vehicle Agency, Hydebank House, 4a Hospital Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast,BT8 8JL
Tel (public enquiries): 02890 547911 (Text relay prefix 18001)
E-mail: dva.statistics@nisra.gov.uk
Website: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/driver-vehicle-agency-activity-statistics - 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.
- Follow the Department on social media: