Overview
- Technology-assisted fraud during theory exams led the rise, with 1,113 incidents involving hidden earpieces or Bluetooth-linked phones.
- Impersonation was widespread, with 1,084 cases at theory centres and 647 during practical tests, and some impostors reportedly paid up to £2,000.
- DVSA reports no evidence that longer waits are driving the trend, even as average practical test waits reached 22 weeks in September 2025, up from about five weeks before the pandemic.
- Fraud controls have been tightened through face checks against photo ID, pocket inspections, pat-downs, handheld metal detectors, and intelligence-led targeting.
- Enforcement escalated with 96 prosecutions in 2024/25 and penalties ranging from prison sentences and driving bans to unpaid work and court costs, while the National Audit Office warns the test backlog could persist into 2027.