Learner drivers in Nicosia now face waits of up to nine months for a practical test, with Limassol close behind at eight months. Paphos, Larnaca and free Famagusta are somewhat faster at roughly four to five months, prompting many applicants to book in other districts. Larnaca offices, in particular, are being inundated by out-of-district candidates, said Panikos Katsaris, president of the Pan-Cyprian Federation of Driving School Owners (POIEO).
“Inaction and Risk-Aversion”
Katsaris criticises what he calls inaction and “fear of responsibility” among officials. He points to an antiquated electronic system for licensing, poor handling of the platform, and understaffing at the Road Transport Department (TOM). Internal staff management is also problematic, he added.
Partial Rollbacks, Little Relief So Far
After a recent Parliament Transport Committee session and ensuing public pressure, TOM partially reverted its booking programme toward the previous setup, with added safeguards to curb past abuses. Results have yet to materialise, Katsaris said. He argues one official’s rigid management of the system worsened delays: to stop some schools from block-booking large batches of dates, TOM tightened rules about a year ago, only to see Nicosia’s wait times balloon from roughly two months then to nine months now.
Following the committee session, TOM reassigned one examiner from Nicosia to Limassol, trimming Limassol’s backlog from about a year to eight months. Another official was moved from the Ayios Dometios crossing point (where they issued special certificates for Turkish Cypriots with Cypriot ID residing in the north) to Nicosia’s district offices. Katsaris questioned why an examiner had been stationed at the crossing for so long, calling it poor personnel management.
Aging IT And Not Enough Staff
TOM told MPs its core system dates to 1996, with online services layered on in 2004. A new information system began development in 2022 because the current platform can no longer cope with demand. Officials say the upgrade should resolve many issues once live.
Since 2020, nine technical staff at TOM have retired or resigned and five have been promoted, leaving five Grade A5 vacancies, many previously held by post-graduate mechanical engineers. “They come, get trained and then leave,” officials noted.
Demand Has Surged
Bookings have climbed sharply in several districts: Limassol rose from 10,088 reservations in 2017 to 16,356 in 2024; Paphos from 4,773 to 9,165; Nicosia from about 12,000 to 15,143 over the same period. Until the new IT system arrives, and staffing gaps are filled, candidates and instructors alike are bracing for a long wait.