PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Bristol (Avonmouth) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BBristolModerate

The Bristol (Avonmouth) driving test centre is located in Bristol, 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)
53.7%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
10.0K
2024-25
National rank
#116
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
54.7%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

53.7%passed
failed45.4%

28.5K passed, 23.7K failed, 52.2K total

How Bristol (Avonmouth) compares

Bristol (Avonmouth)
53.7%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+5 pp

Bristol (Avonmouth) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth) ranks among 323 centres

Top 36%
Bristol (Avonmouth) ranks higher than 64% of UK car test centres
Rank
#116
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 3.7 pp
Male56.4%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female52.7%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.4%
701 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
15 to 19 weeks
High demand
Weekly capacity
~136
estimated test slots per week
Demand
High
busier than average

Booking is achievable but not immediate: on this estimate, learners booking at Bristol (Avonmouth) would typically wait around 15 to 19 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

These figures are an estimate, not live data. We model them from published demand reports and this centre's test volume; the method is on our methodology page. Check the DVSA booking service for current slots.

Centre details

Address

Unit M6
Cabot Park
Merebank Road
Avonmouth
BS11 8AQ
England

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

Tests offered at Bristol (Avonmouth)

  • 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 BS11 8AQ, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Bristol (Avonmouth) is in Bristol, West of England 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. 52.2K tests over 2017-18-2024-25. That's enough volume that the headline pass rate here moves slowly, a single bad quarter shifts it by a fraction of a percentage point rather than visibly.

Out of 323 UK car test centres, Bristol (Avonmouth) ranks 116, which lands it in the upper half nationally. The 53.7% pass rate is 5 points clear of the UK figure of 48.7%. First-attempt pass rate at Bristol (Avonmouth): 54.7%, against 49% nationally. That's a 5.7-point lead. Well-prepared candidates with no prior test attempts pass here at a noticeably higher rate than the UK average.

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
bristol-avonmouth

What learners should know about Bristol (Avonmouth)

  • Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Bristol (Avonmouth)'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.
  • Bristol (Avonmouth) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth). Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.

Other test centres nearby

Bristol (Kingswood)
24.3K tests, Rank #7
82.4%
Bristol (Kingswood)
19.3K tests, Rank #72
77.8%
Bristol (Kingswood)
24.7K tests, Rank #63
74.6%
Bristol (Kingswood)
104.1K tests, Rank #133
52%
Monmouth
41.9K tests, Rank #48
61.2%
Newport (Gwent)
92.0K tests, Rank #154
51%
See all centres in Bristol→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Bristol (Avonmouth)

Aim to be at Bristol (Avonmouth) ten minutes early. Because parking and waiting facilities are not the same at every DVSA centre, check the approach on the DVSA centre finder before the day. Demand is high and the modelled wait is close to 15 to 19 weeks, so an early booking and a cancellation alert are both worth setting up. The examiner needs to see your provisional photocard licence to begin, and the car you bring must be roadworthy, fitted with L plates and a working interior mirror. If Bristol (Kingswood) is fully booked, Bristol (Avonmouth) is the next closest centre, roughly 6 miles away.

Plan for a drive of roughly 40 minutes, identical in structure to every other DVSA centre. First comes the 20-metre eyesight check and a pair of vehicle-safety questions, one show-me, one tell-me, then the examiner joins you for the road section. About 20 minutes is independent driving by sat nav or by following signs to a named target, you tackle one of four set manoeuvres, and around a third of candidates get 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 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; 53.7% of candidates at Bristol (Avonmouth) currently clear that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Bristol (Avonmouth)?
The current pass rate at Bristol (Avonmouth) driving test centre is 53.7%, calculated from 10.0K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 54.7%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 54.6% (from 52.2K tests).
Is Bristol (Avonmouth) an easy or hard test centre?
Bristol (Avonmouth) is ranked #116 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 53.7% 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 Bristol (Avonmouth) compare to the UK average?
Bristol (Avonmouth)'s pass rate is 5 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Bristol (Avonmouth) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth) each year?
Bristol (Avonmouth) has recorded 52.2K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 28.5K passed and 23.7K 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 Bristol (Avonmouth)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Bristol (Avonmouth) are Bristol (Kingswood) (82.4%), Bristol (Kingswood) (77.8%), Bristol (Kingswood) (74.6%) and Bristol (Kingswood) (52%). Of these, Bristol (Kingswood), Bristol (Kingswood), Bristol (Kingswood) have higher current pass rates than Bristol (Avonmouth)'s 53.7%. Bristol (Kingswood) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth)?
Bristol (Avonmouth) currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of about 15 to 19 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 Bristol (Avonmouth) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Bristol (Avonmouth) 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 Bristol (Avonmouth)?
The estimated wait at Bristol (Avonmouth) is about 15 to 19 weeks (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 52.2K 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.