Wait times for driving tests stretch to almost 6 months

Prospective drivers are forced to wait longer and longer before taking their test. In some regions, the wait time extends up to 25 weeks, according to De Telegraaf. 

The Central Bureau for Driving Certificates (CBR) is struggling with a shortage of staff who run the exams, as well as a backlog of cases due to the coronavirus pandemic. And the wait times are just getting longer –– in March, the maximum duration people had to wait was 16 weeks.

Although over 8,000 people applied for the position of driving examiner, only 108 pass the selection procedure. Hiring qualified examiners is therefore difficult, said CBR director Alexander Pechtold in March.

One proposed solution is to increase the amount of people who can pass the entrance exams to become CBR examiners, according to De Telegraaf. “Now just under 53 percent pass the practical exam, but if that exceeds 60%, everyone can drive within a few weeks," said a CBR spokesperson.