PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Bolton (Manchester) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BGreat LeverBL3 2AWHigh pass rate

The Bolton (Manchester) driving test centre is located in Great Lever, England (BL3 2AW). 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)
56.7%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
11.9K
2024-25
National rank
#89
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
56.8%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

56.7%passed
failed46.5%

55.8K passed, 48.6K failed, 104.4K total

How Bolton (Manchester) compares

Bolton (Manchester)
56.7%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+8 pp

Bolton (Manchester) performs notably better than the UK average. This often correlates with rural or suburban routes that have fewer multi-lane roundabouts and complex urban scenarios.

Where Bolton (Manchester) ranks among 323 centres

Top 28%
Bolton (Manchester) ranks higher than 72% of UK car test centres
Rank
#89
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Most common faults at this centre

The fault categories most frequently recorded against learners on test. Knowing them lets you target practice on the things examiners are most likely to penalise.

  1. 1Junctions - observation10
  2. 2Mirrors - change direction9
  3. 3Move off - safely8
  4. 4Junctions - turning right7
  5. 5Response to signs - traffic lights6

Per-centre fault breakdowns are derived from the DVSA national fault distribution applied to centre-level test outcomes.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 7.8 pp
Male57.4%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female49.6%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults2.4%
1.5K candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
22 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~272
estimated test slots per week
Trend
worsening
availability direction

Wait times at Bolton (Manchester) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Bolton (Manchester) typically wait around 22 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Great Lever
Best to book
November, December, January, February
shortest expected waits

Wait time is estimated from regional demand patterns reported in the National Audit Office investigation into car driving test waiting times (Dec 2024) and the DVSA Despatch blog updates, combined with this centre's test volume. Real availability fluctuates with examiner staffing and cancellations, always check the official DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

Weston Street
Bolton
BL3 2AW
England

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

Tests offered at Bolton (Manchester)

  • car
  • ADI part 2
  • 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 BL3 2AW, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

If you've got a test booked at BL3 2AW, that's Bolton (Manchester) in Great Lever, Greater Manchester. Examiners use a small set of fixed routes built around the roads immediately surrounding the centre. Bolton (Manchester) runs at high cadence: 104.4K tests across 2017-18-2024-25 put it among the busier DVSA centres in the country. The headline numbers carry weight because the sample carries weight.

Rank: #89 of 323. Pass rate: 56.7%. UK average: 48.7%. That's a upper half centre by the DVSA's own published figures. Across 6.6K first-attempt tests, Bolton (Manchester) passes 56.8% 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
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
bolton-manchester

What learners should know about Bolton (Manchester)

  • Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Bolton (Manchester)'s rate reflects route geography more than examiner discretion, DVSA marking is centrally trained. Prepare for the same fault categories you'd prepare for anywhere.
  • First-time pass rate of 56.8% at Bolton (Manchester) is on the forgiving side. A well-prepared first booking has a reasonable shot; don't over-correct by booking a "practice" test you don't actually need.
  • Bolton (Manchester) 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 Bolton (Manchester) routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • Don't pay third-party sites for booking access at Bolton (Manchester). Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.

Other test centres nearby

Atherton (Manchester)
68.9K tests, Rank #275
44.4%
Atherton (Manchester)
9.5K tests, Rank #63
67%
Atherton (Manchester)
8.8K tests, Rank #156
60.8%
Atherton (Manchester)
31.9K tests, Rank #127
52.5%
Blackburn with Darwen
104.2K tests, Rank #225
47.8%
Blackburn with Darwen
16.6K tests, Rank #23
78.3%
See all centres in Great Lever→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Bolton (Manchester)

Ten minutes early is the right target at Bolton (Manchester). Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder (postcode BL3 2AW) the day before. This centre sees very high demand, modelled at roughly 22 weeks to a slot; booking well ahead and watching for cancellations both help. Bring the provisional photocard licence, the examiner checks for it first, and make sure your car is roadworthy with L plates and a working interior mirror. If Atherton (Manchester) is fully booked, Bolton (Manchester) is the next closest centre, roughly 4 miles away.

Expect about 40 minutes once you set off, to the same national DVSA script. It opens with an eyesight check at 20 metres and one show-me plus one tell-me question, after which the examiner rides along for the drive. Around 20 minutes of that is independent driving, guided either by a sat nav the examiner provides or by road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and a one-in-three chance of 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 recent DVSA marking, the fault logged most often at this centre is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.

The result is given immediately when you get back. Whatever the outcome, the examiner reads through the marked faults and prints your DL25 feedback form; pass and they take the provisional licence to trigger your full one by post. The threshold is the national one, 15 driving faults at most and zero serious or dangerous, which 56.7% of Bolton (Manchester)'s candidates reach right now.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Bolton (Manchester)?
The current pass rate at Bolton (Manchester) driving test centre is 56.7%, calculated from 11.9K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 56.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 53.5% (from 104.4K tests).
Is Bolton (Manchester) an easy or hard test centre?
Bolton (Manchester) is ranked #89 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 56.7% 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 Bolton (Manchester) compare to the UK average?
Bolton (Manchester)'s pass rate is 8 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Bolton (Manchester) performs notably better than the UK average. This often correlates with rural or suburban routes that have fewer multi-lane roundabouts and complex urban scenarios.
How many tests are taken at Bolton (Manchester) each year?
Bolton (Manchester) has recorded 104.4K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 55.8K passed and 48.6K 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 Bolton (Manchester)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Bolton (Manchester) are Atherton (Manchester) (44.4%), Atherton (Manchester) (67%), Atherton (Manchester) (60.8%) and Atherton (Manchester) (52.5%). Of these, Atherton (Manchester), Atherton (Manchester) have higher current pass rates than Bolton (Manchester)'s 56.7%. Atherton (Manchester), Atherton (Manchester) 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 Bolton (Manchester)?
Bolton (Manchester) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of around 22 weeks. Waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. Where you can be flexible on dates, targeting one of the quieter months tends to bring a shorter wait and a wider choice of slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Bolton (Manchester) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Bolton (Manchester) 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 Bolton (Manchester)?
The estimated wait at Bolton (Manchester) is around 22 weeks (very high demand). That figure 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 104.4K lifetime tests. Wait times 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.