Publication of ‘DVA Monthly Tests Conducted Statistics - June 2021

Date published: 21 July 2021

The publication is produced by the DVA Statistics Branch of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), and contains summary volumes on the vehicle, driver, and theory tests conducted by the DfI’s Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

The publication is available on the DfI website at:

• Driver and Vehicle Agency Monthly Tests Conducted Statistics

Key Points

The key points in the report are:

Driving Practical Tests

Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, driver testing was able to resume from 23 April 2021 onwards. Due to the nature of particular tests, off-road Motorcycle and certain LGV tests had been able continue prior to this period. The DVA driver testing booking system opened to all customers in the first week of May 2021.

In June 2021, the DVA received 5,463 applications for a driving test appointment. This is a significant drop compared with over 15,000 applications in May. However, it is 27% higher than the five year June average (4,314).

The DVA conducted 6,619 driving tests in June. This is over 1,000 (1,100) more tests compared with the 5,500 tests conducted in May, and 57% higher than the five year June average (4,314). It is also the highest number of driving tests conducted for a single month since the beginning of our published series in April 2014.

Private cars accounted for 82% of all driving tests conducted in June.

Driver Theory Tests

Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, theory testing was able to resume from 23 April 2021 onwards.

In June 2021, the DVA conducted 11,318 theory tests, the highest number recorded in our series for a single month, and over double that for the five year June average (5,042). Private cars account for 88% of all theory tests conducted during May (9,941).

For the month of June, the DVA received just over 8,000 applications for a theory test appointment. This is 29% (1,818) above the five year average for the month of June (6,265).

Vehicle Testing

Following the initial outbreak of COVID-19, the DVA suspended all vehicle testing from 24 March 2020, and resumed testing in stages during June (IVA), July (priority groups including taxis and buses), and September (four-year-old private cars and motorcycles, three-year-old light goods, and all heavy goods). The DVA was able to continue testing throughout the winter-2020 lockdown, albeit with a reduced capacity due to social distancing measures. Temporary Exemption Certificates (TEC) were issued to those eligible vehicles that the DVA was unable to test.

In June 2021, the DVA conducted 44,679 full vehicle tests, 7.6% (3,681) fewer compared with May (48,378), and 67% of the five year June average (66,646).

Private Cars accounted for 78% (34,876) of all full tests conducted in June.

The DVA received 52,086 applications for a full vehicle test, just over 4,100 (9%) more than for May (47,931).