DVSA announces digital overhaul of driving test booking system

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced a major overhaul of the way learner drivers book their tests, launching work on a new Driver Services Platform (DSP) that will replace its ageing booking infrastructure.

The new platform will take the place of the Testing and Registration System (TARS), which has handled test bookings for more than 20 years. DVSA says the change will deliver a faster, more resilient and user-focused service designed to meet modern demand.

They say the existing system has struggled to keep up with rising numbers of bookings and has been targeted by automated “bots” that snap up appointments, leaving learners and instructors frustrated.

Digital services provider Kainos has been awarded the contract to build the DSP following what DVSA describes as extensive planning and specification work. The project has passed the government’s Tier 1 approvals process, marking it as a priority investment and subjecting it to extra scrutiny.

Work will begin with the car driving test booking and scheduling service - the most widely used part of the system - before expanding to cover lorry and motorcycle tests, vocational testing, and the driver and instructor registers. DVSA says this modular approach will allow each service to be tailored to its users and reduce disruption during the changeover.

The agency has emphasised that the platform is being built around user research, with learners, driving instructors and DVSA staff all taking part in the design process. A limited beta version will be rolled out to a small number of users to gather feedback and test performance before the new system goes live. The final launch will only go ahead once the Government Digital Service (GDS) has reviewed and approved it.

DVSA says the DSP is a “long-term investment” in its core services and will help future-proof the booking system against spikes in demand. By making the system more secure, it aims to ensure that test appointments go to genuine learners rather than being hoarded or resold.

The new platform is expected to be rolled out gradually, with updates on timing and beta participation to be published over the coming months.