Car Test Centre, England

Chingford (London) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BChingfordE4 7BNTougher than average

The Chingford (London) driving test centre is located in Chingford, England (E4 7BN). 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)
36.5%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
13.2K
2024-25
National rank
#320
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
34.6%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

36.5%passed
failed62.7%

55.5K passed, 93.4K failed, 148.9K total

How Chingford (London) compares

Chingford (London)
36.5%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-12.2 pp

Chingford (London) has a markedly lower pass rate than the UK average. This is typical of busy urban centres with complex routes, be prepared for multi-lane roundabouts, traffic and tight manoeuvring.

Where Chingford (London) ranks among 323 centres

Top 2%
Chingford (London) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#320
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 7.2 pp
Male40.5%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female33.3%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults0.3%
490 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
26 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~388
estimated test slots per week
Trend
worsening
availability direction

Wait times at Chingford (London) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Chingford (London) typically wait around 26 weeks from booking to test day.

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

Doric House
128 Station Road
Chingford
E4 6AD
England

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

Tests offered at Chingford (London)

  • car
  • 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 E4 6AD, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Chingford (London) is in Chingford, Greater London (E4 7BN) 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. 148.9K 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, Chingford (London) ranks 320, which lands it in the bottom quarter nationally. The 36.5% pass rate is 12.2 points below the UK figure of 48.7%. First-attempt figure: 34.6%. UK first-attempt average: 49%. Chingford (London) runs 14.4 points behind, candidates who succeed here on the first try are usually the ones who've driven the local routes specifically.

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
chingford-london

What learners should know about Chingford (London)

  • A lower pass rate at Chingford (London) usually means specific local junctions or routes that catch out candidates trained elsewhere. Book route-familiarisation lessons with an instructor who works this centre, not one who covers a different patch.
  • First-time pass rate at Chingford (London) is 34.6%, low enough that a meaningful share of candidates retake. If this is your first booking, take a mock on the actual test routes before the date.
  • Chingford (London) 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.
  • Practising the test routes is the single thing that most reliably moves a candidate's pass odds. Most ADI instructors in Chingford will have a working knowledge of which routes Chingford (London) uses.
  • Don't pay third-party sites for booking access at Chingford (London). Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Chingford (London)

Ten minutes early is the right target at Chingford (London). Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder (postcode E4 7BN) the day before. This centre sees very high demand, modelled at roughly 26 weeks to a slot; booking well ahead and watching for cancellations both help. Bring the provisional photocard licence, the examiner checks for it first, and make sure your car is roadworthy with L plates and a working interior mirror.

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 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.

You will know the result before you leave Chingford (London). 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 36.5% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Chingford (London)?
The current pass rate at Chingford (London) driving test centre is 36.5%, calculated from 13.2K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 34.6%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 37.3% (from 148.9K tests).
Is Chingford (London) an easy or hard test centre?
Chingford (London) is ranked #320 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 36.5% 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 Chingford (London) compare to the UK average?
Chingford (London)'s pass rate is 12.2 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Chingford (London) has a markedly lower pass rate than the UK average. This is typical of busy urban centres with complex routes, be prepared for multi-lane roundabouts, traffic and tight manoeuvring.
How many tests are taken at Chingford (London) each year?
Chingford (London) has recorded 148.9K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 55.5K passed and 93.4K 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 Chingford (London)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Chingford (London) are Chingford (64.3%), Enfield (Brancroft Way) (44.1%), Enfield (Innova Business Park) (54.1%) and Enfield (Innova Business Park) (72.4%). Of these, Chingford, Enfield (Brancroft Way), Enfield (Innova Business Park), Enfield (Innova Business Park) have higher current pass rates than Chingford (London)'s 36.5%. 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 Chingford (London)?
Chingford (London) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of around 26 weeks. 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 Chingford (London) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Chingford (London) 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 Chingford (London)?
The estimated wait at Chingford (London) is around 26 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 148.9K 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.