Car Test Centre, England

Bradford (Heaton) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BBradfordBD1 1PHModerate

The Bradford (Heaton) driving test centre is located in Bradford, England (BD1 1PH). 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)
49.5%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
7.6K
2024-25
National rank
#187
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
47.3%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

49.5%passed
failed61.4%

51.7K passed, 82.2K failed, 133.9K total

How Bradford (Heaton) compares

Bradford (Heaton)
49.5%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+0.8 pp

Bradford (Heaton) sits very close to the UK average, within 1 percentage point.

Where Bradford (Heaton) ranks among 323 centres

Top 43%
Bradford (Heaton) sits in the bottom half of car pass rates
Rank
#187
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 13.2 pp
Male46.0%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female32.8%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults0.5%
204 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
20 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~349
estimated test slots per week
Trend
worsening
availability direction

Wait times at Bradford (Heaton) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Bradford (Heaton) typically wait around 20 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Bradford
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

The Courtyard
Midpoint
Thornbury
Bradford
BD3 7AY
England

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

Tests offered at Bradford (Heaton)

  • car
  • motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
  • 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 BD3 7AY, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Bradford (Heaton) sits in Bradford, West Yorkshire, just inside the BD1 1PH postcode. It's a DVSA-run car test centre, and the routes from here work outward into the streets and arterial roads that learners from Bradford tend to know already. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 133.9K 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.

49.5% at Bradford (Heaton), against a UK car average of 48.7%. That puts the centre within a point of the national figure and ranks it #187 of 323 car centres in the DVSA's network. First-attempt pass rate: 47.3%, against the UK figure of 49%. Effectively level, the gap between candidates who pass first time at Bradford (Heaton) and those who pass first time nationally is preparation, not the 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.

Country
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
bradford-heaton

What learners should know about Bradford (Heaton)

  • Pass rate at Bradford (Heaton) 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.
  • Volume at Bradford (Heaton) is among the highest in the network. Don't take the first available date on faith, refreshing the DVSA booking page across a few days regularly turns up cancellations.
  • Ask any instructor working Bradford (Heaton) about the centre's "usual fails", they'll have two or three specific junctions or manoeuvres in mind. Practise those until they're automatic before your date.
  • 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 Bradford (Heaton)

Arrive at Bradford (Heaton) 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 BD1 1PH) maps the centre and its surroundings. With very high demand and waits near 20 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.

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.

Results come immediately on return to the centre. The examiner talks you through any faults marked, prints the DL25 feedback form, and (if you passed) takes your provisional licence so the full one can be issued by post. A pass needs no more than 15 driving faults and zero serious or dangerous faults, the standard 49.5% of candidates at Bradford (Heaton) meet under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Bradford (Heaton)?
The current pass rate at Bradford (Heaton) driving test centre is 49.5%, calculated from 7.6K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 47.3%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 38.6% (from 133.9K tests).
Is Bradford (Heaton) an easy or hard test centre?
Bradford (Heaton) is ranked #187 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 49.5% 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 Bradford (Heaton) compare to the UK average?
Bradford (Heaton)'s pass rate is 0.8 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Bradford (Heaton) sits very close to the UK average, within 1 percentage point.
How many tests are taken at Bradford (Heaton) each year?
Bradford (Heaton) has recorded 133.9K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 51.7K passed and 82.2K 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 Bradford (Heaton)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Bradford (Heaton) are Bradford (Thornbury) (47.1%), Bradford (Thornbury) (73.3%), Heckmondwike (46.7%) and Horsforth (51.3%). Of these, Bradford (Thornbury), Horsforth have higher current pass rates than Bradford (Heaton)'s 49.5%. Bradford (Thornbury), Heckmondwike 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 Bradford (Heaton)?
Bradford (Heaton) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of around 20 weeks. 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 Bradford (Heaton) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Bradford (Heaton) 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 Bradford (Heaton)?
The estimated wait at Bradford (Heaton) is around 20 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 133.9K 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.