PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Birmingham (Kings Heath) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BBirminghamModerate

The Birmingham (Kings Heath) driving test centre is located in Birmingham, England. Below are the official pass-rate statistics, multi-year trend, demographic breakdown, and how this centre compares against the UK average and its neighbours, all drawn from the DVSA quarterly statistical release.

By VikasReviewed by VikasMethodologySources
Pass rate (2024-25)
47%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
8.5K
2024-25
National rank
#237
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
46.3%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

47%passed
failed59.2%

51.2K passed, 74.3K failed, 125.4K total

How Birmingham (Kings Heath) compares

Birmingham (Kings Heath)
47%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-1.7 pp

Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits close to the UK average pass rate.

Where Birmingham (Kings Heath) ranks among 323 centres

Top 28%
Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits in the bottom half of car pass rates
Rank
#237
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

The most common driving test faults nationally

These are the fault types DVSA examiners record most often across all car tests in Great Britain, ranked most to least common. They are a national pattern, not a measurement taken at this centre, but they are the faults worth targeting in practice wherever you sit your test.

  1. 1
    Junctions - observationNot looking properly before pulling out at junctions.
  2. 2
    Mirrors - change directionNot checking mirrors before signalling, changing speed or direction.
  3. 3
    Move off - safelyPulling away without safe control or proper observation.
  4. 4
    Junctions - turning rightPoor positioning or judgement when turning right at junctions.
  5. 5
    Response to signs - traffic lightsMissing or misreading traffic signs, signals or road markings.

This ranking is DVSA national fault data, shown here for context. DVSA does not publish a separate fault breakdown for individual test centres.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 5.8 pp
Male43.8%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female38.0%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults0.8%
187 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
18 to 22 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~327
estimated test slots per week
Demand
Very high
among the busiest centres

Booking requires patience: on this estimate, learners booking at Birmingham (Kings Heath) would typically wait around 18 to 22 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
when UK waits tend to be longest
Best to book
November, December, January, February
when UK waits tend to be shortest

This wait is an estimate modelled from regional demand and this centre's test volume, not a live booking figure. See how it is worked out on our methodology page, and check the DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

205 Birdbrook Road
Kingstanding
Birmingham
B44 9UL
England

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

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 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 route familiarity is the most consistent thing 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.

Country
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
birmingham-kings-heath

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 cancellation feed 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) routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • If you missed the earlier slots at Birmingham (Kings Heath), the DVSA's official cancellation pool refreshes constantly. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for better odds.

Other test centres nearby

Birmingham (Shirley)
91.7K tests, Rank #71
58.1%
Birmingham (Garretts Green)
18.5K tests, Rank #54
76.2%
Birmingham (Garretts Green)
11.2K tests, Rank #155
66.5%
Birmingham (Garretts Green)
22.1K tests, Rank #138
55.3%
Mainstream (Sittingbourne)
4.0K tests, Rank #57
69.3%
Birmingham (South Yardley)
156.5K tests, Rank #296
41.6%
See all centres in Birmingham→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

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 show-me and one tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in three. 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)?
The current pass rate at Birmingham (Kings Heath) driving test centre is 47%, calculated from 8.5K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 46.3%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 40.8% (from 125.4K tests).
Is Birmingham (Kings Heath) an easy or hard test centre?
Birmingham (Kings Heath) is ranked #237 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 47% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Centres with calmer suburban or rural routes tend to sit higher, while busy urban sites with tight junctions and multi-lane roundabouts usually sit lower.
How does Birmingham (Kings Heath) compare to the UK average?
Birmingham (Kings Heath)'s pass rate is 1.7 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Birmingham (Kings Heath) sits close to the UK average pass rate.
How many tests are taken at Birmingham (Kings Heath) each year?
Birmingham (Kings Heath) has recorded 125.4K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 51.2K passed and 74.3K failed. The trend chart on this page plots how both volume and pass rate have changed across the recent DVSA reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Birmingham (Kings Heath) are Birmingham (Shirley) (58.1%), Birmingham (Garretts Green) (76.2%), Birmingham (Garretts Green) (66.5%) and Birmingham (Garretts Green) (55.3%). Of these, Birmingham (Shirley), Birmingham (Garretts Green), Birmingham (Garretts Green), Birmingham (Garretts Green) have higher current pass rates than Birmingham (Kings Heath)'s 47%. 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 Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
Birmingham (Kings Heath) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of about 18 to 22 weeks. Across the UK, waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. If your test date is flexible, aiming for a quieter month can mean a shorter wait and more slot choice. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Birmingham (Kings Heath) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Birmingham (Kings Heath) 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 Birmingham (Kings Heath)?
The estimated wait at Birmingham (Kings Heath) is about 18 to 22 weeks (very high demand). That range is modelled from regional demand patterns reported in the National Audit Office investigation into car driving test waiting times, the DVSA Despatch blog updates, and this centre's test volume of 125.4K lifetime tests, so treat it as an estimate rather than a live figure. Across the UK, waits peak in June and July and ease in November and December. 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.