PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Derby (Alvaston) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BDerbyDE1 3AEModerate

The Derby (Alvaston) driving test centre is located in Derby, England (DE1 3AE). 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)
51.3%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
9.3K
2024-25
National rank
#145
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
50.9%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

51.3%passed
failed52.3%

39.9K passed, 43.7K failed, 83.5K total

How Derby (Alvaston) compares

Derby (Alvaston)
51.3%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+2.6 pp

Derby (Alvaston) sits close to the UK average pass rate.

Where Derby (Alvaston) ranks among 323 centres

Top 45%
Derby (Alvaston) ranks higher than 55% of UK car test centres
Rank
#145
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 7.7 pp
Male51.6%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female43.9%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.7%
737 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
16 weeks
High demand
Weekly capacity
~217
estimated test slots per week
Trend
improving
availability direction

Wait times at Derby (Alvaston) have been gradually shortening as DVSA recovers post-pandemic capacity. Booking is achievable but not immediate: learners booking at Derby (Alvaston) typically wait around 16 weeks from booking to test day.

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

Off Belmore Way
Alvaston
Derby
DE21 7AY
England

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

Tests offered at Derby (Alvaston)

  • 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 DE21 7AY, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Drivers booked at Derby (Alvaston) report to a DVSA centre in Derby, East Midlands, postcode DE1 3AE. The car routes used here are drawn from the streets the centre's examiners drive every week, so the test reflects local conditions rather than a generic syllabus. Volume is not the issue at Derby (Alvaston). 83.5K tests sit on the record across 2017-18-2024-25, so the trend line below reflects real movement, not sample noise.

By raw pass rate Derby (Alvaston) sits at 51.3%, with the DVSA's national car average over the same window running at 48.7%. The gap (2.6 points above the UK figure) places the centre at rank #145 of 323, inside the upper half of the country's car test centres. 50.9% first-attempt pass at Derby (Alvaston), UK is 49%. The two numbers move together; whatever edge or drag the centre has on overall pass rate doesn't show up at the first-attempt level.

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
derby-alvaston

What learners should know about Derby (Alvaston)

  • Pass rate at Derby (Alvaston) sits close to the UK average. Prepare for an ordinary level of difficulty: examiners apply the standard DVSA marking sheet, and the routes are a representative mix of local conditions.
  • Volume at Derby (Alvaston) is among the highest in the network. Don't take the first available date on faith, refreshing the DVSA booking page across a few days regularly turns up cancellations.
  • Ask any instructor working Derby (Alvaston) about the centre's "usual fails", they'll have two or three specific junctions or manoeuvres in mind. Practise those until they're automatic before your date.
  • Book through the official DVSA service (gov.uk/book-driving-test). Third-party "fast-track" sites charge a premium for the same booking; the DVSA's own cancellation feed is free.

Other test centres nearby

Burton on Trent
75.3K tests, Rank #111
54.1%
Burton on Trent
22.7K tests, Rank #13
77%
Burton on Trent
18.9K tests, Rank #40
83.5%
Watnall
40.7K tests, Rank #114
53.9%
Nottingham (Chilwell)
55.6K tests, Rank #281
43.9%
Watnall
22.1K tests, Rank #92
56.9%
See all centres in Derby→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Derby (Alvaston)

Ten minutes early is the right target at Derby (Alvaston). Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder (postcode DE1 3AE) the day before. This centre sees high demand, modelled at roughly 16 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. If Burton on Trent is fully booked, Derby (Alvaston) is the next closest centre, roughly 11 miles away.

Once underway the test takes around 40 minutes and is the same wherever you sit it. The examiner verifies your eyesight at 20 metres, puts one show-me and one tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in three. 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.

Results come immediately on return to the centre. The examiner talks you through any faults marked, prints the DL25 feedback form, and (if you passed) takes your provisional licence so the full one can be issued by post. A pass needs no more than 15 driving faults and zero serious or dangerous faults, the standard 51.3% of candidates at Derby (Alvaston) meet under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Derby (Alvaston)?
The current pass rate at Derby (Alvaston) driving test centre is 51.3%, calculated from 9.3K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 50.9%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 47.7% (from 83.5K tests).
Is Derby (Alvaston) an easy or hard test centre?
Derby (Alvaston) is ranked #145 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 51.3% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Higher pass rates often correlate with quieter rural or suburban routes; lower rates with dense urban centres featuring complex junctions and multi-lane roundabouts.
How does Derby (Alvaston) compare to the UK average?
Derby (Alvaston)'s pass rate is 2.6 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Derby (Alvaston) sits close to the UK average pass rate.
How many tests are taken at Derby (Alvaston) each year?
Derby (Alvaston) has recorded 83.5K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 39.9K passed and 43.7K 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 Derby (Alvaston)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Derby (Alvaston) are Burton on Trent (54.1%), Burton on Trent (77%), Burton on Trent (83.5%) and Watnall (53.9%). Of these, Burton on Trent, Burton on Trent, Burton on Trent, Watnall have higher current pass rates than Derby (Alvaston)'s 51.3%. 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 Derby (Alvaston)?
Derby (Alvaston) currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of around 16 weeks. Waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. A flexible test date helps: booking into a quieter month often shortens the wait and opens up more available slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Derby (Alvaston) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Derby (Alvaston) 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 Derby (Alvaston)?
The estimated wait at Derby (Alvaston) is around 16 weeks (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 83.5K 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.