Driving tests cancelled for Queen Elizabeth II funeral: How long are waiting lists in Birmingham - how to book

The DVSA has announced that driving tests at centres across the UK - including in Birmingham- will be cancelled on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

The decision is to allow “individuals, businesses, and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty.”

A DVSA spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the Royal Family at this sad time.

“In line with National Mourning guidance our services will continue during the mourning period.

“We are suspending all but our most essential services on 19 September due to the Bank Holiday and State Funeral, allowing individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding during this period of national mourning.”

What are the waiting times at driving test centres in Birmingham?

There are seven test centres in Birmingham, and at present there are currently no tests available to book at any of them due to the long waiting lists.

These centres are listed below:

• Birmingham (Garretts Green) 
• Birmingham (Kings Heath) 
• Birmingham (Kingstanding) 
• Birmingham (Shirley) 
• Birmingham (South Yardley) 
• Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) 
• Birmingham (Wyndley) 

Information at these centres can be found via this driving test cancellation website

According to this website, the earliest you can book a test at Wolverhampton test centre is for 23 weeks time - this is roughly the end of February.

What happens if your test is cancelled?

The DVSA provides information on what happens when a test is cancelled, but this may differ at present with the long waiting lists for tests.

The DVSA say: “If your test cannot go ahead The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will:

• automatically book the next available date for your test
• send you the details within 3 working days - it can take up to 7 days if there’s a long period of bad weather

“You can change the date you’re given if it’s not suitable.

“You cannot claim for any out-of-pocket expenses if your test is cancelled because of bad weather.”

The DVSA also said that anyone with a test booked on Monday, 19 September will receive an automatic rebooking.

Are theory tests cancelled?

Driving theory tests have also been cancelled on 19 September, with the DVSA adding: “We will be contacting all pupils who are affected to let them know how to choose a new date for their theory test.”

There are five driving theory test centres in and around Birmingham, with information on each of these available on the UK Government website.