Birmingham (Kings Heath) Driving Test Centre
Birmingham (Kings Heath) posts a 47% pass rate, with Birmingham (Shirley) the nearest alternative about 3 miles away. Read on for its full DVSA history, first-time pass rate, waiting time and demographic breakdown.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits in the bottom half of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 27%, rank #237 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Birmingham (Shirley), about 2.7 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 51.2K passed, 74.3K failed, 125.4K total
How Birmingham (Kings Heath) compares
Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits 1.7 points below the UK average, ranked 237 of 323 in its category: close enough that centre choice matters far less than preparation.
Where Birmingham (Kings Heath) ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Birmingham (Kings Heath) has climbed 5.1 points across the series, 41.9% in 2017-18 to 47% now; the weakest year on record was 39.1% in 2018-19.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Birmingham (Kings Heath)
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Birmingham (Kings Heath) in May 2026 had waited 10 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 Birmingham (Kings Heath)
- 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 B44 9UL, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Of the DVSA car centres across England, Birmingham (Kings Heath) is the one covering Birmingham, West Midlands. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 125.4K tests over 2017-18-2024-25 is large enough that any rounding you see between sites is just rounding, not disagreement on the underlying data.
If you've been told Birmingham (Kings Heath) is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 47% is 1.7 points below the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #237 out of 323. First-attempt pass rate at Birmingham (Kings Heath): 46.3%, against 49% nationally. That's 2.7 points below the UK average. Many candidates need a second go, and local-road familiarity is one of the most consistent things that improves the second attempt.
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 Birmingham (Kings Heath)
- Pass rate at Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits close to the UK average. Prepare for an ordinary level of difficulty: examiners apply the standard DVSA marking sheet, and the routes are a representative mix of local conditions.
- Birmingham (Kings Heath) is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA booking service daily for earlier slots rather than relying on the headline available date.
- If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Birmingham (Kings Heath) area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Birmingham (Kings Heath), 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 Birmingham (Kings Heath)
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Birmingham (Kings Heath), and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder shows the exact location. This is a very high-demand centre, modelled at roughly 18 to 22 weeks to a slot, so book as far ahead as you can and keep an eye on cancellations. You must have your provisional photocard licence on you, plus a car with L plates and a working interior mirror for the examiner. If Birmingham (Shirley) is fully booked, Birmingham (Kings Heath) is the next closest centre, roughly 3 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; 47% of candidates at Birmingham (Kings Heath) currently clear that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
Is Birmingham (Kings Heath) an easy or hard test centre?
How does Birmingham (Kings Heath) compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Birmingham (Kings Heath) record?
Which driving test centres are near Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
When is the best time to book a test at Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
How do I book a test at Birmingham (Kings Heath) and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.
DVSA data period: 2024-25.