Barnstaple Driving Test Centre
Barnstaple in Barnstaple, England has a current pass rate of 54.7%, 6 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.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Barnstaple sits in the top half of car pass rates nationally (Top 33%, rank #105 of 323). No nearby car centre currently posts a higher pass rate.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 27.5K passed, 24.7K failed, 52.1K total
How Barnstaple compares
At 6 points above the UK figure and ranked 105 of 323 in its category, Barnstaple offers a modest but real edge, typically a product of its local road layout rather than the venue itself.
Where Barnstaple ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
The direction of travel here is upward: Barnstaple has added 8.1 points since 2017-18, from 46.6% to 54.7%, with its strongest year at 55.3% in 2021-22.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Barnstaple
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 12 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Barnstaple in May 2026 had waited 7 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
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Barnstaple
- Car
Accessibility & facilities
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 EX31 1AB, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Of the DVSA car centres across England, Barnstaple is the one covering Barnstaple, Devon and Torbay. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. By volume, Barnstaple is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 52.1K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.
If you've been told Barnstaple is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 54.7% is 6 points clear of the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #105 out of 323. 53.5% of first-timers pass at Barnstaple, 4.5 points above the UK figure of 49%. A prepared first attempt has a real shot here in a way it doesn't at every centre.
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.
What learners should know about Barnstaple
- Barnstaple passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the local road mix (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
- 52.1K 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.
- Practising the roads around the centre is the preparation that most reliably pays off. Most ADI instructors in Barnstaple will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Barnstaple, cancellations appear on the official DVSA booking service throughout the day. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for the best chance of catching one.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Barnstaple
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Barnstaple, and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder shows the exact location. Modelled waits here sit around 6 to 10 weeks at low demand, which tends to mean less competition for a date that suits you. You must have your provisional photocard licence on you, plus a car with L plates and a working interior mirror for the examiner. If Launceston is fully booked, Barnstaple is the next closest centre, roughly 33 miles away.
The test runs for around 40 minutes and follows the same DVSA format used at every centre. The examiner checks your eyesight at 20 metres, asks you a tell-me safety question, then sits in for the drive, with one show-me question while you are driving. About 20 minutes of it is independent driving, either following a sat nav the examiner sets up or following road signs to a named place. You will do one of four set manoeuvres, and roughly one in seven candidates is asked to perform an emergency stop. 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.
You will know the result before you leave Barnstaple. The examiner explains the faults marked on your DL25 feedback form and, if you have passed, takes the provisional licence so a full one can be posted out. The pass standard is fixed nationally, 15 driving faults maximum and zero serious or dangerous faults, and 54.7% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Barnstaple?
Is Barnstaple an easy or hard test centre?
How does Barnstaple compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Barnstaple record?
Which driving test centres are near Barnstaple?
When is the best time to book a test at Barnstaple?
How do I book a test at Barnstaple and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Barnstaple?
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.