PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Chesterfield Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BChesterfieldModerate

Chesterfield posts a 54.5% pass rate, with Sheffield (Handsworth) the nearest alternative about 10 miles away. Read on for its full DVSA history, first-time pass rate, waiting time and demographic breakdown.

By Vikas DulgundeUpdated MethodologySources
Pass rate (2024-25)
54.5%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
4.6K
2024-25
National rank
#106
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
56.3%
above UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Chesterfield sits in the top half of car pass rates nationally (Top 33%, rank #106 of 323). No nearby car centre currently posts a higher pass rate.

WatnallNearest alternative
17.4 mi away
53.9%
-0.6 pp
All centres in Chesterfield→See every centre on the map→Best centre for me→

Pass vs fail at a glance

54.5%passed
failed45.5%

All-time 28.8K passed, 32.9K failed, 61.7K total

How Chesterfield compares

Chesterfield
54.5%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+5.8 pp

Chesterfield runs 5.8 points ahead of the national average, ranked 106 of 323 in its category. Margins in this range usually track route difficulty: fewer multi-lane roundabouts and less dense traffic.

Where Chesterfield ranks among 323 centres

Top 33%
Chesterfield ranks higher than 67% of UK car test centres
Rank
#106
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Since 2017-18 the rate at Chesterfield has risen from 46.2% to 54.5%, a 8.3-point gain, peaking at 54.5% in 2024-25.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 3.9 pp
Male48.6%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female44.7%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults4%
689 candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Waiting time at Chesterfield

Median wait, booking to test
6.1 weeks
What the typical learner who tested here had waited
Weeks to 10% availability
24 weeks
The older headline measure
Window appointments free
6.1%
Share of the 24-week window still open

The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Chesterfield in May 2026 had waited 6.1 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

Bus Garage
Approach Road
Stonegravels
Chesterfield
S41 7LT
England

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

Tests offered at Chesterfield

  • car
  • motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
  • 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 S41 7LT, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Chesterfield: a DVSA car test centre in Chesterfield, East Midlands. Local routes, local traffic patterns, no national standard for what "harder" or "easier" looks like beyond what the numbers below show. By volume, Chesterfield is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 61.7K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.

The upper half of the UK by pass rate: Chesterfield ranks #106 of 323 car centres at 54.5%, 5.8 points clear of the national figure of 48.7%. Across 2.5K first-attempt tests, Chesterfield passes 56.3% 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

What learners should know about Chesterfield

  • Chesterfield passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the local road mix (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
  • 56.3% of first-timers pass at Chesterfield, so the centre is on the forgiving side. If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, your own preparation matters far more than the venue.
  • Chesterfield is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA booking service 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 Chesterfield area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
  • 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

Sheffield (Handsworth)
9.6 mi, 86.5K tests, Rank #266
45.3%
-9.2 pp
Sheffield (Middlewood Road)
13.0 mi, 127.7K tests, Rank #228
47.5%
-7.0 pp
Rotherham
13.9 mi, 95.9K tests, Rank #146
51.3%
-3.2 pp
Ashfield
11.1 mi, 109.4K tests, Rank #148
51.2%
-3.3 pp
WatnallBest nearby
17.4 mi, 40.7K tests, Rank #114
53.9%
-0.6 pp
Worksop
13.4 mi, 76.7K tests, Rank #121
53.3%
-1.2 pp
See all centres in Chesterfield→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Chesterfield

Turn up at Chesterfield ten minutes before your appointment, and check ahead where you can park, DVSA sites vary on that. You can preview the location on the DVSA centre finder. Demand is high and waits are near 14 to 18 weeks, so an early booking plus a cancellation watch is the sensible approach. The examiner will ask to see your provisional photocard licence before anything else, and your car must carry L plates and a working interior mirror. If Sheffield (Handsworth) is fully booked, Chesterfield is the next closest centre, roughly 10 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 tell-me vehicle-safety question, then the examiner joins you for the road section, with one show-me question while you drive. 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 one in seven 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.

You find out there and then, back at Chesterfield. The examiner runs through the faults on the DL25 feedback form and, on a pass, keeps your provisional licence so a full licence follows in the post. Clearing the test means staying under 16 driving faults, that is 15 or fewer, with no serious or dangerous fault; 54.5% of candidates here manage it on the current marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Chesterfield?
The current pass rate at Chesterfield driving test centre is 54.5%, calculated from 4.6K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 56.3%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 46.7% (from 61.7K tests).
Is Chesterfield an easy or hard test centre?
Chesterfield is ranked #106 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 54.5% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Much of the spread comes down to route geography: lighter traffic and simpler junctions lift a centre, dense city driving and complex roundabouts pull it down.
How does Chesterfield compare to the UK average?
Chesterfield's pass rate is 5.8 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Chesterfield runs 5.8 points ahead of the national average, ranked 106 of 323 in its category. Margins in this range usually track route difficulty: fewer multi-lane roundabouts and less dense traffic.
How many driving tests does Chesterfield record?
Chesterfield has recorded 61.7K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 28.8K passed and 32.9K 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 Chesterfield?
The closest DVSA test centres to Chesterfield are Sheffield (Handsworth) (45.3%), Sheffield (Middlewood Road) (47.5%), Rotherham (51.3%) and Ashfield (51.2%). Chesterfield's 54.5% is the highest current pass rate among them. Sheffield (Handsworth), Sheffield (Middlewood Road), Rotherham, Ashfield 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 Chesterfield?
Chesterfield currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of about 14 to 18 weeks. Across the UK, 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 Chesterfield and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield?
In the latest DVSA figures (May 2026), the median learner who took their test at Chesterfield had waited about 6.1 weeks between booking and test day. DVSA's older measure, the number of weeks until at least 10% of slots are free, was 24 weeks. About 6.1% of appointments in the 24-week booking window were still available. 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.