Learner drivers are paying an average of £924 before they pass their driving test, with the cost of lessons, theory tests and repeat practical tests pushing many close to the £1,000 mark, according to new research from price comparison website Confused.com.
Breakdown of costs
The average learner spends £777 on 18.5 driving lessons before booking their test. They then face £23 for a theory test. Because almost half of learners fail their first practical test, many end up paying for two practical driving tests costing £124. Together, that brings the average cost of learning to drive to £924 before motorists can get behind the wheel on their own.
- 18.5 hours of driving lessons - £777
- Two practical driving tests - £124
- Theory test - £23
- Total - £924
Data from DVSA
The calculation is based on Freedom of Information data obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which showed more than 2.3 million practical driving tests were taken by 17 to 24-year-olds across Great Britain between January 2023 and March 2025. Almost half of those tests ended in failure, meaning many learners had to pay for another attempt before securing their licence.
The figures also show learner drivers spent more than £400 million on practical driving tests across the UK between 2023 and 2025, while a further £221.6 million was spent on theory tests over the same period.
Waiting times adding to costs
Long waiting times are also adding to the overall cost of learning to drive. Confused.com found practical driving test waiting times averaged 12.3 weeks across Great Britain between 2023 and 2025, meaning many learners face months of delays before taking or retaking their test. The delays can leave learners paying for additional lessons to stay test-ready and, in some cases, could even result in theory test certificates expiring before they pass their practical test, forcing them to pay for another theory test.
Scottish learners are among those facing some of the longest waits. Arbroath recorded the second-longest average waiting time for a practical driving test between 2023 and 2025 at 19 weeks, behind only the Isles of Scilly at 25.4 weeks. Montrose averaged 16.9 weeks, while learners in Oban waited an average of 16.8 weeks.
Impact on learners
The rising cost of learning to drive appears to be making some people question whether they can afford to get on the road at all. Nearly one in five (19%) learner drivers surveyed said they had considered not learning to drive because of the expense, while almost a quarter (22%) said not being able to drive limits their opportunities for work, travel and socialising.
More than a third (35%) said they had cut back on spending, including shopping and socialising, to cover the cost of learning to drive. One in five said they had relied on, or would rely on, financial support from parents or other family members, while 29% said they would choose their first car based purely on affordability rather than personal preference.
First-year motoring costs
Passing the driving test is only the beginning of the expense. Confused.com's research found first-year motoring costs for some of the most popular cars driven by 17 to 20-year-olds range from around £3,430 to more than £7,700 once the purchase price, insurance and road tax are taken into account. Insurance premiums alone ranged from around £1,063 for some of the cheapest first cars to more than £2,000 for others, while some popular models attract annual road tax bills of up to £360.
Matt Crole-Rees, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: "Learning to drive has always been a major milestone, but for many young people the costs involved are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Between lessons, theory tests, practical tests and the expense of buying and insuring a first car, it's easy to see how the total cost can quickly run into the thousands. Our research shows that many learners are already making sacrifices to afford getting on the road, with some even questioning whether they can afford to learn to drive at all. While some costs are unavoidable, choosing the right first car can make a real difference to how much you spend overall."
