A new statistical release from the Department for Infrastructure provides detailed data on driving and vehicle testing activity during the first quarter of 2026.
The figures, published on September 25, indicate that approximately 276,011 vehicle tests were completed between April and June this year.
Of the total tests carried out, 84.6 per cent involved full examinations while 15.4 per cent comprised retests.
Driving test numbers rose by more than five per cent compared with the same period last year, reaching a total of 18,092 conducted sessions.
Applications for driving tests reached their highest quarterly level in recent years, with 22,090 requests received during the three-month span.
Demand for theory examinations also grew significantly, with 32,225 applications recorded, marking one of the largest totals on record.
Vehicle testing demand remained resilient, supported by 305,412 applications submitted to the service provider.
Attendance performance improved notably over the quarter, with 10,551 vehicles failing to appear for their scheduled appointments.
This represented a reduction of more than two per cent compared with the previous year's figures of 13,590 non-attendances.
The number of candidates who did not show up for driving tests was 571, accounting for roughly three per cent of all scheduled sessions.
Overall attendance rates were slightly higher this time around, standing 3.4 per cent above the corresponding period in 2025.
The data is accessible through the official online portal under the Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics section.