Home | Learner driver insurance | How long does it take to learn to drive?

It usually takes around 40 hours of lessons with a driving instructor before you are ready to take your test, and then you may have a significant wait to get a driving test booked. So, it's not unreasonable to expect it to take a year or more.

There are no hard and fast rules and everyone is different. Our advice is not to put yourself under too much pressure. It won't help. You will pass your driving test eventually.

The average wait for a driving test is 3 - 5 month, but in some big cities like London, this can be 6 months. Use this time wisely to practise.

On average, the number of people passing their practical driving test is:

• Passing on the 1st test: 48%
• Passing by their 2nd test: 74%
• Passing by their 3rd test: 86%
• Passing by their 4th test: 93%
• Passing by their 5th test: 96%

So don't panic if you don't pass first time around. You are far from being alone (in fact the less than half pass first time around).

One more thing to think about is your theory test. Don't take this for granted. You may be surprised to know that more than half of people fail this test.