Car Test Centre, Wales

Abergavenny Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BAbergavennyNP7 5HTHigh pass rate

Abergavenny in Abergavenny, Wales has a current pass rate of 61.1%, 12.4 points above the UK average of 48.7%. This page breaks down the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, the waiting time and how it compares with the rest of the UK, all from the DVSA quarterly data.

Pass rate (2024-25)
61.1%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
4.7K
2024-25
National rank
#49
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
63%
above UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Abergavenny sits in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally (Top 15%, rank #49 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Monmouth, about 12.6 miles away.

MonmouthBest nearby
12.6 mi away
61.2%
+0.1 pp

Pass vs fail at a glance

61.1%passed
failed38.9%

All-time 40.8K passed, 29.9K failed, 70.7K total

How Abergavenny compares

Abergavenny
61.1%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+12.4 pp

A 12.4-point lead over the national figure puts Abergavenny ranked 49 of 323 in its category. Gaps this large usually come from the roads, not the examiners: fewer complex junctions and lighter traffic on the local routes.

Where Abergavenny ranks among 323 centres

Top 15%
Abergavenny ranks higher than 85% of UK car test centres
Rank
#49
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

The series at Abergavenny is remarkably flat, moving only from 58.4% (2017-18) to 61.1% now, with a total spread of 4.8 points.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 7.1 pp
Male61.4%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female54.3%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults3.4%
1.4K candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Waiting time at Abergavenny

Median wait, booking to test
8.1 weeks
What the typical learner who tested here had waited
Weeks to 10% availability
24 weeks
The older headline measure
Window appointments free
5.2%
Share of the 24-week window still open

The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Abergavenny in May 2026 had waited 8.1 weeks from booking to test day.

Official DVSA data, May 2026. The median is the time between booking and taking the test; for live availability use the DVSA booking service.

Centre details

Address

Station Road
Abergavenny
NP7 5HT
Wales

Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.

Tests offered at Abergavenny

  • car
  • ADI part 3

Accessibility & facilities

Wheelchair accessible per DVSA

Parking and toilet details aren't included in DVSA's published feed. For the current on-site facilities, check the DVSA find a driving test centre tool with postcode NP7 5HT, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Abergavenny: a DVSA car test centre in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Local routes, local traffic patterns, no national standard for what "harder" or "easier" looks like beyond what the numbers below show. By volume, Abergavenny is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 70.7K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.

The top quarter of the UK by pass rate: Abergavenny ranks #49 of 323 car centres at 61.1%, 12.4 points clear of the national figure of 48.7%. Across 2.7K first-attempt tests, Abergavenny passes 63% of candidates, against 49% nationally. The centre is a relatively forgiving venue for a first booking, by the DVSA's own data.

All figures shown are aggregated from the DVSA quarterly statistical release covering the most recent reporting periods available. Pass-rate calculations exclude tests cancelled by the candidate or examiner. Sample sizes and methodology are described in the source attribution at the foot of this page.

Country
Wales
Test category
Car

What learners should know about Abergavenny

  • Above-average pass rate at Abergavenny doesn't mean above-average ease. The fundamentals examiners mark are the same nationally: junctions, mirrors, observation, signal timing. A 65%+ pass rate means more candidates clear those, not that the bar is lower.
  • 63% of first-timers pass at Abergavenny, so the centre is on the forgiving side. If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, your own preparation matters far more than the venue.
  • 70.7K tests through this centre over the published window. At that throughput, competition for short-notice slots is constant, so make a habit of checking the official booking page often.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Abergavenny area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
  • The only legitimate booking route is gov.uk. Anything calling itself a "test booking concierge" is reselling the same slots at a markup, the slots aren't theirs to control.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Abergavenny

Arrive at Abergavenny with about ten minutes to spare and know your parking options in advance, they vary site to site across the DVSA network. The DVSA centre finder (postcode NP7 5HT) maps the centre and its surroundings. With high demand and waits near 13 to 17 weeks, take any earlier slot the booking service offers rather than holding out. Don't set off without your provisional photocard licence; the test cannot start without it, and your car needs L plates and a working interior mirror. If Newport (Gwent) is fully booked, Abergavenny is the next closest centre, roughly 17 miles away.

Once underway the test takes around 40 minutes and is the same wherever you sit it. The examiner verifies your eyesight at 20 metres, puts one tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive and asks one show-me question while you are driving. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of the set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in seven. The drive works through whatever mix of urban and outlying roads sits within about a twenty-minute radius, and at a centre this busy that usually means heavier traffic to read. Across DVSA marking nationally, the fault recorded most often on car tests is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.

There is no wait for the verdict, the examiner delivers it at the centre. They go over each fault recorded, hand you the DL25 feedback form, and on a pass retain your provisional licence so the full version arrives by post. To pass you need no more than 15 driving faults and not a single serious or dangerous one; 61.1% of candidates at Abergavenny currently clear that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Abergavenny?
The current pass rate at Abergavenny driving test centre is 61.1%, calculated from 4.7K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 63%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 57.7% (from 70.7K tests).
Is Abergavenny an easy or hard test centre?
Abergavenny is ranked #49 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 61.1% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Higher pass rates often correlate with quieter rural or suburban routes; lower rates with dense urban centres featuring complex junctions and multi-lane roundabouts.
How does Abergavenny compare to the UK average?
Abergavenny's pass rate is 12.4 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. A 12.4-point lead over the national figure puts Abergavenny ranked 49 of 323 in its category. Gaps this large usually come from the roads, not the examiners: fewer complex junctions and lighter traffic on the local routes.
How many driving tests does Abergavenny record?
Abergavenny has recorded 70.7K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 40.8K passed and 29.9K failed. The yearly trend chart on this page shows how volume and pass rate have moved across recent reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Abergavenny?
The closest DVSA test centres to Abergavenny are Newport (Gwent) (51%), Monmouth (61.2%), Cardiff (Llanishen) (51.3%) and Merthyr Tydfil (53.5%). Of these, Monmouth has a higher current pass rate than Abergavenny's 61.1%. Newport (Gwent), Cardiff (Llanishen), Merthyr Tydfil sit lower. You can compare every nearby centre in the "Other test centres nearby" section above, or see them all on the interactive PassRates map.
When is the best time to book a test at Abergavenny?
Abergavenny currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of about 13 to 17 weeks. Across the UK, waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. A flexible test date helps: booking into a quieter month often shortens the wait and opens up more available slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Abergavenny and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Abergavenny as your centre. You will need your provisional licence number and your theory test pass certificate number. To pass, you must finish with no more than 15 driving (minor) faults and zero serious or dangerous faults. Our guides cover how to book step by step and how faults are marked.
How long is the wait for a driving test at Abergavenny?
In the latest DVSA figures (May 2026), the median learner who took their test at Abergavenny had waited about 8.1 weeks between booking and test day. DVSA's older measure, the number of weeks until at least 10% of slots are free, was 24 weeks. About 5.2% of appointments in the 24-week booking window were still available. For live availability, check the official DVSA booking service.
Source

Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.

Edited by Vikas. DVSA data period: 2024-25.