Driver’s licence exam delays stretch to over a year in some districts
Aspiring drivers in Cyprus are facing unprecedented delays in securing a date for their driving test, with wait times reaching up to seven months in Nicosia and exceeding a year in Limassol, according to the head of the Pancyprian federation of driving instructors, Panicos Katsaris.
“Today in Nicosia, test appointments are being scheduled for mid-February. In Paphos, the system is closed. In Limassol, they’re booking for August 2026,” he said, criticising what he described as widespread inaction and reluctance by responsible officials to address the issue.
Katsaris added that although 150 extra exam slots were recently released for August, they were insufficient to meet demand. “There are 500 driving schools, each with about 30 students. The system is completely overwhelmed.”
He attributes the root of the problem to poor management by a specific official at the Department of Road Transport, citing inflexibility and a refusal to implement practical solutions previously proposed by driving schools.
These proposals, which included safeguards against abuse, have been repeatedly ignored in meetings with the transport ministry and the department, Katsaris said.
The delays began about a year ago, when the process was tightened to prevent driving schools from bulk-reserving exam slots. While intended to stop abuse, the new system has had the opposite effect: waiting times in Nicosia have tripled from two months to seven.
The stricter rules have also led to a sharp rise in no-shows for exams. According to Katsaris, the no-show rate has doubled from 7 per cent to 14 per cent because regional directors can no longer authorise rescheduling.
Driving instructors are now calling for the system to revert to its previous, more flexible format, with added safeguards. “Changes should be managed by the instructors,” Katsaris said, suggesting that any abuse can be easily tracked and penalised. “But none of our suggestions have been taken seriously.”
He argued that the number of exams could be increased substantially. Citing the post-Covid backlog, he noted that delays of three to four months were cleared within a single month at that time.
“Back then, instead of five examiners rotating, only one test vehicle went out each day. There’s untapped capacity to speed up the process.”
The driving instructors staged a strike on 30 May and delivered a formal protest to both the presidential palace and the transport ministry. They demanded more staff and resources, as well as the removal of the official in charge of the examination programme.
Katsaris also pointed to what he called inflexible and unnecessary bureaucracy. As an example, he said foreign nationals are required to prove they have lived in Cyprus for over 185 days to obtain a licence – a requirement that could easily be met with a visa and passport.
However, the Department of Road Transport initially requested bank statements showing account activity. Following complaints about data privacy, it now requires a utility bill or rental agreement in the applicant’s name, which is not always feasible.
He also stressed the need to prioritise exams for professional driving licences, noting the impact on people’s livelihoods and the shortage of licensed drivers in the job market.