UK theory test pass rate by centre (2025/26)

DVSA publishes the pass rate at every reported Great Britain theory test centre — Northern Ireland's tests are run by the DVA and are not in this dataset. The table below covers all 193 centres for April 2025 to March 2026 — the latest released period. Search by name, sort by any column. By raw rate the highest is Brodick (Isle of Arran) at 64.7% — but on only 51 tests, so volatile. Mallaig 61.5%, Kyle of Lochalsh 59.3% and Hornsea 58.1% all sit on under 100 tests apiece, so the rates are noisy. Among centres with at least 5,000 tests the top of the table sits in the low-to-mid 50s, led by Guildford at 54.0% (14,826 tests), Royal Tunbridge Wells 53.6% (9,660) and Cambridge 52.8% (25,043). The lowest of all is Brechin at 33.0%, again on a small sample; among high-volume centres the lowest is Bradford at 37.5% (42,749 tests).

Car theory test and driving test volumes and pass rates for Great Britain overall and for each test centre, and driving test waiting times and availability.

All 193 test centres — search and sort

Search test centres by name

193 centres

Centre ↕	Tests ↕	Passes ↕	Pass rate ▼	YoY (pp) ↕
Brodick (Isle of Arran)	51	33	64.7%	+11.5
Mallaig	26	16	61.5%	+8.9
Kyle of Lochalsh	54	32	59.3%	-5.0
Hornsea	62	36	58.1%	+8.9
Kirkbymoorside	86	49	57.0%	+10.3
Ullapool	37	21	56.8%	+1.8
Ballater	46	26	56.5%	+5.3
Oxford B	1,226	685	55.9%	—
Aviemore	46	25	54.3%	-3.1
Hexham	221	120	54.3%	+8.8
Guildford	14,826	8,003	54.0%	+0.4
Strathpeffer	26	14	53.8%	+3.8
Royal Tunbridge Wells	9,660	5,182	53.6%	0.0
Cambridge	25,043	13,229	52.8%	-0.4
Bodmin	1,460	768	52.6%	+3.8
Blandford Forum	2,047	1,072	52.4%	+1.7
Brighton	18,387	9,636	52.4%	+1.0
Kingsbridge	1,117	583	52.2%	+3.8
Lerwick	485	252	52.0%	+2.3
Rushden	100	52	52.0%	-2.5
Southwark	68,847	35,776	52.0%	+0.3
Morden	42,181	21,798	51.7%	+0.3
Dunoon	33	17	51.5%	+14.7
Harrogate	7,802	4,004	51.3%	0.0
Kendal	4,348	2,228	51.2%	+2.0
Wick	336	172	51.2%	+8.3
Tongue	53	27	50.9%	+3.2
Diss	65	33	50.8%	+0.8
Penrith	242	123	50.8%	+3.6
Portree	59	30	50.8%	-8.4
Exeter	13,994	7,084	50.6%	-0.9
York	12,896	6,524	50.6%	+0.4
Axminster	2,350	1,187	50.5%	+2.9
North Berwick	291	147	50.5%	-5.8
Oxford	19,803	9,997	50.5%	-0.5
Pitlochry	125	63	50.4%	+1.6
Louth	199	100	50.3%	+4.5
Salisbury	7,710	3,877	50.3%	+0.6
Stratford-upon-Avon	11,790	5,929	50.3%	+0.1
Truro	10,246	5,144	50.2%	+0.8
Tain	70	35	50.0%	-2.1
Cheltenham	9,110	4,550	49.9%	-0.2
Frome	11,497	5,738	49.9%	+0.9
Galashiels	3,760	1,873	49.8%	+0.7
Reading	34,220	16,969	49.6%	+0.7
Edinburgh	42,186	20,875	49.5%	-1.1
Oban	628	311	49.5%	+0.3
Fakenham	73	36	49.3%	+4.1
Tarbert (Argyll & Bute)	75	37	49.3%	-3.3
Bowmore (Isle of Islay)	59	29	49.2%	-0.8
Aberystwyth	2,214	1,086	49.1%	+4.0
Torquay	7,758	3,807	49.1%	+0.8
Huntly	200	98	49.0%	+3.0
Plymouth	13,278	6,500	49.0%	+1.3
Andover	11,475	5,612	48.9%	+0.3
Bristol	44,554	21,783	48.9%	0.0
Millom	45	22	48.9%	+14.3
Newport (Isle of Wight)	4,183	2,044	48.9%	+1.6
Penzance	1,909	934	48.9%	-0.1
Glossop	279	136	48.7%	-1.0
Launceston	1,535	743	48.4%	+2.0
Redditch	16,042	7,764	48.4%	+0.4
Bury St Edmunds	8,867	4,281	48.3%	+0.3
Newton Stewart	87	42	48.3%	+7.8
Chelmsford	22,482	10,760	47.9%	0.0
Aberdeen	17,313	8,274	47.8%	-0.3
Aldershot	15,142	7,237	47.8%	+2.0
Grantham	6,552	3,133	47.8%	-1.1
Chester	20,210	9,627	47.6%	0.0
Norwich	21,224	10,104	47.6%	-1.0
Worcester	15,633	7,445	47.6%	+1.3
Bishop Auckland	579	275	47.5%	+0.8
Campbeltown	76	36	47.4%	+3.6
Canterbury	26,438	12,535	47.4%	+1.2
Horley	18,913	8,945	47.3%	+1.0
New Romney	1,859	878	47.2%	+1.1
Shrewsbury	14,051	6,637	47.2%	+0.9
Helmsdale	51	24	47.1%	-13.6
Bournemouth	15,930	7,484	47.0%	-0.1
Northallerton	4,868	2,288	47.0%	-0.9
Watford	36,812	17,294	47.0%	+0.4
Aylesbury	14,399	6,753	46.9%	+0.6
Bethnal Green	40,236	18,863	46.9%	-0.5
Builth Wells	1,298	607	46.8%	+0.5
Stornoway	498	233	46.8%	+4.5
Chichester	10,653	4,973	46.7%	-0.5
Inverness	5,864	2,739	46.7%	-1.4
Dundee	18,928	8,829	46.6%	-1.6
Hertford	25,517	11,890	46.6%	0.0
Milton Keynes	27,333	12,732	46.6%	-0.6
Nottingham	42,273	19,717	46.6%	-0.2
Williton	650	302	46.5%	-0.5
Alnwick	1,429	663	46.4%	+3.5
Taunton	9,757	4,524	46.4%	+0.4
Southampton	20,885	9,642	46.2%	-0.1
Fareham	9,799	4,515	46.1%	-1.6
Staines	16,298	7,506	46.1%	+0.7
Worthing	8,240	3,797	46.1%	0.0
Huntingdon	63	29	46.0%	-9.6
Sidcup	42,577	19,589	46.0%	+0.2
Stockport	38,841	17,876	46.0%	+0.5
Newcastle	45,324	20,809	45.9%	-1.1
Croydon	43,848	20,094	45.8%	+0.5
Kirkwall	551	252	45.7%	-5.2
Stirling	13,655	6,235	45.7%	-1.1
Yeovil	8,678	3,964	45.7%	-1.1
Berwick	1,002	457	45.6%	+3.4
Liverpool	69,093	31,498	45.6%	+0.2
Chesterfield	16,248	7,355	45.3%	+0.1
Dumfries	3,919	1,775	45.3%	+0.2
Southend-On-Sea	24,458	11,076	45.3%	+0.5
Lincoln	13,333	6,029	45.2%	-1.8
Saxmundham	93	42	45.2%	-7.1
Colchester	15,487	6,991	45.1%	-0.8
Corby	11,626	5,247	45.1%	-0.7
Dolgellau	488	220	45.1%	+4.2
Eastbourne	6,958	3,137	45.1%	+0.9
Hastings	6,891	3,111	45.1%	-0.2
Barnstaple	5,190	2,338	45.0%	0.0
Crewe	16,952	7,636	45.0%	-0.3
Cardiff	31,891	14,308	44.9%	-0.4
Newtown	1,204	540	44.9%	+4.0
Weymouth	4,806	2,157	44.9%	+1.6
Ipswich	14,015	6,274	44.8%	-1.4
Derby	35,069	15,680	44.7%	+0.5
Scarborough	5,544	2,475	44.6%	-1.5
Fort William	528	235	44.5%	+0.6
Gloucester	14,291	6,361	44.5%	+0.1
Worksop	218	97	44.5%	+2.6
Burnley	1,401	622	44.4%	-1.1
Hereford	8,410	3,722	44.3%	+0.2
Greenock	5,172	2,284	44.2%	0.0
Ayr	11,227	4,948	44.1%	-0.8
Chatham	32,955	14,523	44.1%	+0.2
Glasgow	75,311	33,242	44.1%	-0.9
Northampton	29,016	12,802	44.1%	+1.0
Carmarthen	2,077	913	44.0%	-1.4
Sheffield	45,068	19,847	44.0%	-0.1
Preston	54,263	23,802	43.9%	-0.1
Stoke-on-Trent	22,423	9,841	43.9%	+0.8
Lowestoft	7,099	3,106	43.8%	+1.8
Portsmouth	16,334	7,152	43.8%	-1.8
North Finchley	67,769	29,614	43.7%	-0.1
Wrexham	8,134	3,553	43.7%	+0.4
Bangor	8,034	3,504	43.6%	+0.7
Lochmaddy	92	40	43.5%	-8.9
Swindon	20,767	9,033	43.5%	-1.5
Coventry	48,874	21,159	43.3%	-0.4
Leeds	56,711	24,571	43.3%	-0.9
Sunderland	22,878	9,911	43.3%	-0.5
Bala	540	233	43.1%	-0.9
Rhyl	6,477	2,789	43.1%	+2.1
Barrow	3,666	1,578	43.0%	+0.4
Peterhead	107	46	43.0%	-2.8
Stranraer	263	113	43.0%	+2.3
Hull	22,194	9,526	42.9%	-1.4
Huddersfield	28,154	12,037	42.8%	+0.2
Sutton Coldfield	23,976	10,207	42.6%	+0.2
Dumbarton	5,242	2,227	42.5%	-0.5
Grimsby	10,119	4,296	42.5%	-1.7
Elgin	3,679	1,559	42.4%	-0.9
Manchester	88,658	37,631	42.4%	-0.7
Swansea	20,289	8,598	42.4%	+0.1
Kings Lynn	8,376	3,545	42.3%	+0.3
Peterborough	22,356	9,446	42.3%	-0.5
Lanark	563	236	41.9%	-3.6
Bolton	46,465	19,355	41.7%	+0.2
Carlisle	7,165	2,987	41.7%	-1.9
Cardigan	1,095	456	41.6%	+1.0
Leven	423	176	41.6%	-4.5
Bridgend	8,428	3,491	41.4%	-1.4
Slough	24,639	10,196	41.4%	-0.2
Doncaster	27,263	11,264	41.3%	-0.3
Newport (Gwent)	15,193	6,260	41.2%	+0.1
Merthyr Tydfil	13,427	5,519	41.1%	+0.6
Luton	38,665	15,865	41.0%	-0.8
Workington	4,710	1,929	41.0%	-0.5
Middlesbrough	34,351	14,064	40.9%	-1.3
Haverfordwest	4,177	1,703	40.8%	-0.8
Birmingham	78,958	32,088	40.6%	+0.2
Boston	7,094	2,863	40.4%	-0.9
Leicester	61,224	24,738	40.4%	+0.7
Wolverhampton	36,811	14,820	40.3%	+1.8
Ilford	92,249	37,070	40.2%	-0.3
Dudley	28,272	11,296	40.0%	+1.8
Cromer	81	32	39.5%	-2.3
Cumnock	46	18	39.1%	-12.8
Tarbert (Isle of Harris)	54	21	38.9%	-9.2
Uxbridge	83,604	31,875	38.1%	-0.1
Bradford	42,749	16,052	37.5%	+0.7
Skegness	80	27	33.8%	-7.1
Porthmadog	700	236	33.7%	-2.0
Brechin	100	33	33.0%	-12.6

Biggest year-on-year movers

Comparing the April 2025 – March 2026 figures with the previous year reveals some notable swings — usually driven by very small candidate volumes at rural sites, where a handful of extra passes or failures can shift the percentage by 10+ points. The headline movers from the full dataset:

Biggest risers

• Dunoon (Argyll and Bute, Scotland): +14.7 percentage points
• Millom (Cumbria, England): +14.3 percentage points
• Brodick (Isle of Arran, Scotland): +11.5 percentage points

Biggest fallers

• Helmsdale (Sutherland, Scotland): -13.6 percentage points
• Cumnock (East Ayrshire, Scotland): -12.8 percentage points
• Brechin (Angus, Scotland): -12.6 percentage points

By nation

Scotland has the highest theory test pass rate in Great Britain. The per-nation split above is computed by averaging the rate at each centre — small rural centres count the same as big-city ones, which widens the gap between Scotland and Wales. Weighting by the number of tests at each centre puts Scotland closer to the GB average and Wales a couple of points below it. DVSA does not publish a per-nation breakdown in DRT112A, so these figures are derived rather than official; they still reflect the April 2024 – March 2025 release and will be recomputed for 2025–26.

Why centres vary — what the rate is actually telling you

Every DVSA theory test centre draws from the same national question bank, at random, through the same DVSA booking system. The questions are not "easier" in Kyle of Lochalsh or "harder" in Bradford. Two factors drive the per-centre variation:

• Candidate population. Centres in areas with a higher proportion of repeat retakes, ESL candidates, or candidates with less formal revision support naturally show lower pass rates. Rural Scottish Highlands centres test very small annual volumes, often of well-prepared candidates from a narrow demographic.
• Volume. Small centres can swing 10+ percentage points year on year on the strength of a few extra passes or failures. The headline year-on-year change at, for example, Brechin (100 tests) should not be read as a deterioration in standards — it's statistical noise from low volumes. Millom moved the other way by a similar margin this year, on equally thin numbers.

The practical conclusion: your choice of theory test centre does not change your odds of passing . You bring the same knowledge to whichever centre you book. Pick the centre that is most convenient for you and arrive prepared.

How DVSA publishes the per-centre data

Theory test centre figures live in DVSA table DRT112A on the Driving test and theory test data: cars page. The format is OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods). Releases cover an April-to-March period and DRT112A refreshes annually. The current release (April 2025 – March 2026) was published on 17 July 2026; we update this page when the next release lands.

Looking for your centre?

Find your nearest theory test centre with the official postcode search at gov.uk/find-theory-test-centre. Booking is at gov.uk/book-theory-test, £23 for car or motorcycle (see also our note on booking direct, not via middlemen).

Sources

• GOV.UK — Driving test and theory test data: cars (DVSA tables DRT111A, DRT111B, DRT111C, DRT112A)
• GOV.UK — Tables index for DVSA statistics
• GOV.UK — Find your nearest theory test centre

Pass-rate figures reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0.