The Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland conducted 290,865 vehicle tests from October to December 2025. This total includes 246,023 full tests and 44,842 retests. The number fell 3.7% from 301,907 tests in the same quarter of 2024/25.

Vehicle test no-shows totaled 10,589, down 22.4% from 13,652 the previous year. Applications for vehicle tests reached 297,278, up 11.2% from 267,253. Online booking handled 96.8% of these applications.

The DVA carried out 17,399 driving tests, a 3.6% increase from the prior year's quarter. Private car tests numbered 14,668, or 84.3% of the total. Driving test applications rose 10.7% to 18,358.

Candidates missing driving tests numbered 537, down from 583. Theory tests delivered totaled 23,273, up 3.9% from 22,410. No-shows for theory tests reached 3,386.

Driver licensing performance exceeded targets, with online applications at 99.7% and paper at 99.6%. Online transactions made up 74.9% of all driver licensing activity. Full and eligible private car or light van licence holders stood at 1,200,772 by end-December 2025.

Enforcement teams checked 360 vehicles roadside, issued 178 fixed penalty notices worth £23,750, joined 29 operations with the PSNI, one cross-border operation with An Garda Síochána, and 24 school bus spot checks.