Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many licence applications are currently pending at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and how do these figures compare to July 2021.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for a driving licence is by using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online service. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their licence within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The Government understands the impact that delays in processing paper applications can have on the daily lives of individuals and the DVLA is working hard to reduce waiting times. The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has opened new customer service centres in Swansea and Birmingham to reduce backlogs and provide future resilience. These measures are having a positive impact.

The backlog of vehicle paper applications has already been eliminated. Straightforward vocational driving licence applications and renewals are being processed within five working days with no backlog. The DVLA is on track to return to normal turnaround times on all paper driving licence applications which do not involve a medical condition by the end of May. On 21 April 2022, the DVLA had 189,067 applications for a driving licence awaiting processing. This compares with 636,473 applications on 30 July 2021.