Easiest driving test centres in the UK (2025/26)
Updated with DVSA data for April 2025 to March 2026. Waiting times are DVSA figures for September 2026.
Across Great Britain, 50% of car driving tests were passes in 2025/26: 1,000,043 passes from 1,998,621 tests. The highest at the 300-test threshold is Montrose at 70% of 621 tests. In England, Melton Mowbray leads at 69.7%. In Wales, Pwllheli leads at 68.1%.
The 25 easiest driving test centres in the UK
Centres with at least 300 car tests in 2025/26, highest pass rate first. Source: DVSA DRT122A and DRT122F, Open Government Licence v3.0.
| Rank | Test centre | Region | Pass rate | Tests | Median wait, Sep 2026 | Practice routes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montrose | Scotland | 70% | 621 | 18.9 | No routes yet |
| 2 | Melton Mowbray | East Midlands | 69.7% | 1,984 | 20 | Practise Melton Mowbray routes |
| 3 | Barrow In Furness | North West | 69.6% | 1,699 | 6.4 | Practise Barrow In Furness routes |
| 4 | Dorchester | South West | 69% | 4,353 | 10.6 | Practise Dorchester routes |
| 5 | Pwllheli | Wales | 68.1% | 737 | 16.3 | No routes yet |
| 6 | Lerwick | Scotland | 67.8% | 379 | 14.4 | No routes yet |
| 7 | Arbroath | Scotland | 67.4% | 605 | 29.9 | Practise Arbroath routes |
| 8 | Cumnock | Scotland | 67.4% | 760 | 23 | No routes yet |
| 9 | Stornoway | Scotland | 66.6% | 344 | 9.9 | No routes yet |
| 10 | Oban | Scotland | 66.1% | 322 | 18 | No routes yet |
| 11 | Fort William | Scotland | 65.5% | 374 | 15 | Practise Fort William routes |
| 12 | Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | North West | 65.1% | 2,231 | 8.9 | Practise Kendal (Oxenholme Road) routes |
| 13 | Tunbridge Wells | South East | 64.5% | 5,726 | 10.6 | Practise Tunbridge Wells routes |
| 14 | Hawick | Scotland | 64.3% | 415 | 15.9 | Practise Hawick routes |
| 15 | Malton | Yorkshire and The Humber | 64.3% | 876 | 12.6 | Practise Malton routes |
| 16 | Abergavenny | Wales | 64.2% | 5,924 | 3.9 | Practise Abergavenny routes |
| 17 | Fraserburgh | Scotland | 64% | 531 | 16 | No routes yet |
| 18 | Yeovil | South West | 63.4% | 7,493 | 13.1 | Practise Yeovil routes |
| 19 | Lee On The Solent | South East | 63.2% | 8,502 | 18.9 | Practise Lee On The Solent routes |
| 20 | Alness | Scotland | 63.1% | 783 | 14 | Practise Alness routes |
| 21 | Ipswich | East of England | 62.3% | 11,466 | 5.3 | Practise Ipswich routes |
| 22 | Bangor | Wales | 62.2% | 4,032 | 10.9 | No routes yet |
| 23 | Inverurie | Scotland | 61.9% | 749 | 12.4 | No routes yet |
| 24 | Workington | North West | 61.9% | 2,998 | 7.8 | Practise Workington routes |
| 25 | Norwich Peachman Way | East of England | 61.7% | 12,541 | 9 | Practise Norwich Peachman Way routes |
Practise the routes where you're booked
Driving Test Routes UK guides you round practice routes compiled around your test centre. They are not official DVSA routes.
- Spoken turn-by-turn directions, so you can keep your eyes on the road.
- The local roundabouts, junctions and speed-limit changes learners meet near the centre.
- Show me, tell me questions and road signs to revise.
Free to download. Full routes and turn-by-turn need Pro.
How we ranked the centres
- Data: DVSA table DRT122A, car practical tests, April 2025 to March 2026.
- Pass rate is passes divided by tests, rounded to one decimal. Ties use the unrounded rate.
- Minimum size: 300 tests in the year. Smaller centres are listed separately.
- Waiting time: DVSA median weeks between booking and test for September 2026 (DRT122F).
Easiest test centre in England, Scotland and Wales
| Nation | Easiest centre | Pass rate | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Melton Mowbray | 69.7% | Barrow In Furness (69.6%), Dorchester (69%) |
| Scotland | Montrose | 70% | Lerwick (67.8%), Arbroath (67.4%) |
| Wales | Pwllheli | 68.1% | Abergavenny (64.2%), Bangor (62.2%) |
Northern Ireland tests are run by the DVA, not the DVSA, so NI centres are not included. Northern Ireland guide.
Small centres with very high pass rates
These centres passed at least 70% but ran fewer than 300 tests, so the rate can swing. They are not ranked.
| Test centre | Region | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isles of Scilly | South West | 75% | 8 |
| Isle of Mull | Scotland | 73.8% | 42 |
| Gairloch | Scotland | 73.5% | 49 |
| Pitlochry | Scotland | 73.3% | 146 |
| Benbecula Island | Scotland | 72.9% | 107 |
| Girvan | Scotland | 72% | 250 |
| Campbeltown | Scotland | 71.6% | 109 |
| Dunoon | Scotland | 71.5% | 193 |
| Stranraer | Scotland | 71.2% | 215 |
| Golspie | Scotland | 71% | 93 |
| Duns | Scotland | 70.2% | 171 |
Does a higher pass rate mean an easier test?
Not exactly. Every DVSA examiner marks to the same standard. What changes is the roads, who takes the test there, and a few local junctions where learners often pick up faults. A high pass rate is not a soft test. If you drive there without knowing those roads, the advantage mostly disappears.
Can you move your driving test to an easier centre?
- Since 31 March 2026 you can only make 2 changes to a booking.
- Since 12 May 2026 only the learner can book or change the test.
- Since 9 June 2026 you can only move a car test to one of the 3 nearest centres, or back to the centre where you first booked.
If you are booked at Melton Mowbray, GOV.UK lists its 3 nearest centres as Leicester (Cannock Street) (40.2%), Loughborough (42.3%), Grantham (Somerby) (57.9%).
Sources: GOV.UK, changes to driving test booking rules in 2026; GOV.UK, check which driving test centres you can move your test to, 15 October 2026; DVSA DRT122A 2025/26. Open Government Licence v3.0.
What actually makes the difference
- Drive the roads around your centre before your test.
- Practise independent driving, including following spoken directions.
- Revise show me, tell me questions and manoeuvres.
- Know the common faults.
Driving Test Routes UK is for the first step. The routes are compiled practice routes, not official DVSA routes. Free to download. Full routes and turn-by-turn need Pro.
Find your test centre's practice routes
The hardest driving test centres, for comparison
| Rank | Test centre | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | 34.3% | 11,561 |
| 2 | Wednesbury | 35% | 7,508 |
| 3 | Barking Tanner Street | 36.3% | 5,543 |
| 4 | Dunfermline (Vine) | 36.4% | 5,529 |
| 5 | Featherstone | 36.4% | 13,193 |
| 6 | Gateshead | 37.5% | 9,512 |
| 7 | Liverpool Norris Green | 37.8% | 13,472 |
| 8 | Luton | 39.2% | 7,759 |
| 9 | Chingford London | 39.9% | 13,120 |
| 10 | Glasgow Shieldhall | 39.9% | 7,019 |
See the full list of the hardest test centres
Frequently asked questions
- Which driving test centre has the highest pass rate in the UK?
- Among centres that ran at least 300 car tests in April 2025 to March 2026, Montrose had the highest pass rate at 70% (621 tests), according to DVSA data. Melton Mowbray (69.7%) was highest in England and Pwllheli (68.1%) in Wales.
- What is the average driving test pass rate in the UK?
- Across Great Britain, 50% of car practical tests were passes in 2025/26: 1,000,043 passes from 1,998,621 tests (DVSA). Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA.
- Which driving test centre has the lowest pass rate?
- Among centres with 300 or more tests in 2025/26, Wolverhampton had the lowest pass rate at 34.3% (11,561 tests), followed by Wednesbury (35%) and Barking Tanner Street (36.3%).
- Can I move my driving test to a centre with a higher pass rate?
- Only within limits. Since 9 June 2026, you can only move a car test to one of the 3 nearest centres to where it is booked, or back to the centre where you first booked. You also have only 2 changes per booking. You can choose any centre when you make a new booking, but DVSA advises booking only at a centre you intend to use.
- Is it worth travelling to an easier test centre?
- Usually not. Examiners mark to the same standard everywhere. A centre's pass rate mostly reflects its roads and candidates, and you will be driving roads you don't know. Practising the roads around a centre you can easily reach is normally a better use of your time.
- Are the routes in the app the official DVSA test routes?
- No. DVSA does not publish its test routes. Driving Test Routes UK uses compiled practice routes around each test centre, designed to cover the kinds of roads, junctions and roundabouts you are likely to meet.
- Where do these pass rates come from?
- From DVSA's statistics: table DRT122A (car practical tests by test centre, April 2025 to March 2026) and DRT122F (waiting times, September 2026). Both are published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Source: DVSA DRT122A, April 2025 to March 2026, and DVSA DRT122F, September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. This site is not affiliated with DVSA. Practice routes are compiled and are not official DVSA test routes.