Car Test Centre, Wales

Brecon Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BBreconLD3 7HPHigh pass rate

The Brecon driving test centre is located in Brecon, Wales (LD3 7HP). 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)
58.9%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
1.6K
2024-25
National rank
#62
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
57.3%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

58.9%passed
failed40.2%

11.4K passed, 7.7K failed, 19.1K total

How Brecon compares

Brecon
58.9%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+10.2 pp

Brecon performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.

Where Brecon ranks among 323 centres

Top 19%
Brecon ranks higher than 81% of UK car test centres
Rank
#62
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 6.9 pp
Male63.5%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female56.6%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.4%
376 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
6 weeks
Lower demand
Weekly capacity
~50
estimated test slots per week
Trend
stable
availability direction

Wait times at Brecon have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is comparatively quick: learners booking at Brecon typically wait around 6 weeks from booking to test day.

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

Camden Road
Brecon
LD3 7RT
Wales

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

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 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. The routes are the same fixed set every day; your examiner picks one without telling you which. 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.

Country
Wales
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
brecon

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 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 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 6 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 Heads of the Valleys is fully booked, Brecon is the next closest centre, roughly 13 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 three tests includes an emergency stop. The drive covers the local mix of road types within roughly a twenty-minute radius of the centre. Across recent DVSA marking, the fault logged most often at this centre 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

What is the pass rate at Brecon?
The current pass rate at Brecon driving test centre is 58.9%, calculated from 1.6K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 57.3%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 59.8% (from 19.1K tests).
Is Brecon an easy or hard test centre?
Brecon is ranked #62 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 58.9% 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 Brecon compare to the UK average?
Brecon's pass rate is 10.2 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Brecon performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.
How many tests are taken at Brecon each year?
Brecon has recorded 19.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 11.4K passed and 7.7K 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 Brecon?
The closest DVSA test centres to Brecon are Heads of the Valleys (81.7%), Merthyr Tydfil (53.5%), Merthyr Tydfil (74.1%) and Llandrindod Wells (74%). Of these, Heads of the Valleys, Merthyr Tydfil, Llandrindod Wells have higher current pass rates than Brecon's 58.9%. Merthyr Tydfil sits 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 Brecon?
Brecon currently sees low demand with an estimated wait of around 6 weeks. 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 Brecon and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Brecon 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 Brecon?
The estimated wait at Brecon is around 6 weeks (low 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 19.1K 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.