Brecon Driving Test Centre
Brecon posts a 58.9% pass rate, with Merthyr Tydfil the nearest alternative about 14 miles away. Read on for its full DVSA history, first-time pass rate, waiting time and demographic breakdown.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Brecon sits in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally (Top 19%, rank #62 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Barry, about 37.6 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 11.4K passed, 7.7K failed, 19.1K total
How Brecon compares
A 10.2-point lead over the national figure puts Brecon ranked 62 of 323 in its category. Gaps this large usually come from the roads, not the examiners: fewer complex junctions and lighter traffic on the local routes.
Where Brecon ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Brecon has given up 4.2 points since 2017-18 (63.1% then, 58.9% now); the low water mark was 58.9% in 2022-23.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Brecon
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 15.5 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Brecon in May 2026 had waited 11.2 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 Brecon
- car
- ADI part 3
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 LD3 7RT, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Brecon is in Brecon, Powys (LD3 7HP) and runs DVSA car tests for learners across the local area. Your examiner picks the route on the day without telling you which, and the DVSA does not publish them. Over 2017-18-2024-25, 19.1K candidates sat tests here. The figures are statistically usable for centre-to-centre comparisons, which is most of what people land on this page wanting to do.
Out of 323 UK car test centres, Brecon ranks 62, which lands it in the top quarter nationally. The 58.9% pass rate is 10.2 points clear of the UK figure of 48.7%. The DVSA's first-attempt figure for Brecon sits at 57.3%, 8.3 points clear of the 49% UK average. The gap is wide enough to matter when you're deciding which local centre to book.
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 Brecon
- Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Brecon'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 57.3% at Brecon 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.
- If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Brecon area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
- Don't pay third-party sites for booking access at Brecon. Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Brecon
Plan to arrive at Brecon about ten minutes before your slot. Parking varies between DVSA centres, so check the route and the surrounding streets on the DVSA centre finder (postcode LD3 7HP) a day or two ahead. Demand here is low with waits around 5 to 9 weeks, so there is usually a little more slot choice than at the busiest urban centres. Bring your provisional photocard licence; the examiner will not start without it, and you will need a roadworthy car with L plates and a working interior mirror. If Merthyr Tydfil is fully booked, Brecon is the next closest centre, roughly 14 miles away.
The practical lasts about 40 minutes and uses the standard DVSA format nationwide. After an eyesight check at 20 metres and one show-me and one tell-me question, the examiner sits in for the drive. Roughly 20 minutes of that is independent driving, either following a sat nav set by the examiner or following road signs, and you will complete one of four set manoeuvres; about one in seven tests includes an emergency stop, a frequency the DVSA reduced in late 2025. The drive covers the local mix of road types within roughly a twenty-minute radius of the centre. 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 Brecon. 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 58.9% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
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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.