Dorchester Driving Test Centre
Dorchester in Dorchester currently passes 83% of tests, 10.8 points above the UK average of 72.2%. The sections below cover the year-by-year trend, who passes most often, how long learners wait, and how it stacks up against neighbouring centres.
DVSA data last updated September 2026
Dorchester sits in the top 10% of UK motorcycle module 2 pass rates nationally (Top 10%, rank #13 of 135). The strongest motorcycle module 2 alternative nearby is Yeovil, about 18.0 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 1.8K passed, 405 failed, 2.2K total
How Dorchester compares
Dorchester clears the UK average by 10.8 points and sits ranked 13 of 135 in its category. That margin says more about its route mix than about marking, the DVSA standard is identical everywhere.
Where Dorchester ranks among 135 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Dorchester has held a narrow 6.1-point range across the whole series (79.8% at the low in 2019-20, 85.9% at the high in 2018-19); what you see is what you get.
Pass rate by demographic
Estimated wait time and demand
Booking is comparatively quick: on this estimate, learners booking at Dorchester would typically wait around 7 to 11 weeks from booking to test day.
Treat this as a modelled estimate rather than a booking quote. It is built from regional demand patterns and test volume, explained in full on our methodology page. Always confirm real slots on the DVSA booking service.
Centre details
Address
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Dorchester
- car
- motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
- ADI part 3
Accessibility & facilities
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 DT1 3SU, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Dorchester: a DVSA motorcycle module 2 test centre in Dorchester, Dorset. Local routes, local traffic patterns, no national standard for what "harder" or "easier" looks like beyond what the numbers below show. 2.2K tests over 2012-13-2019-20. Dorchester runs at a lower volume than the major metro centres, which means the data on this page rewards looking at the long-run trend rather than any single quarter.
The top ten percent of the UK by pass rate: Dorchester ranks #13 of 135 motorcycle module 2 centres at 83%, 10.8 points clear of the national figure of 72.2%. For Dorchester the DVSA suppresses first-attempt figures in DRT122C. Smaller centres get rolled up; this is one of them. The overall pass rate above is the only published figure.
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.
What learners should know about Dorchester
- Above-average pass rate at Dorchester doesn't mean above-average ease. The fundamentals examiners mark are the same nationally: junctions, mirrors, observation, signal timing. A 65%+ pass rate means more candidates clear those, not that the bar is lower.
- Ask any instructor working Dorchester 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.
- 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.
Whether you pass at Dorchester is not decided by the centre. It is decided by the 15 things an examiner can mark you on, and response, traffic signs is one of the ones that ends attempts early.
A fair amount of what goes wrong is settled before the engine starts: the documents, the car, the 2 vehicle safety questions and whichever habit you have not drilled, response, traffic signs being a common one. Working through it as a list beats remembering it in the car park.
Drive your local test routes specifically scanning for signs. Have the instructor cover unusual signs on country roads (national speed limit on single carriageway = 60 mph, not 70). Free to use, no sign up. Everything for the day itself is on the practical test hub.
Other test centres nearby
You cannot book a practical test at Dorchester until you hold a theory pass, and it has to still be valid on the day you sit it. Nationally 44.8% of candidates pass the theory.
Lane discipline, speed limits, the hard shoulder and smart-motorway signals. All 14 DVSA topics are free to practise, with no sign up. See the theory pass rate by centre or the full practice hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Dorchester?
Is Dorchester an easy or hard test centre?
How does Dorchester compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Dorchester record?
Which driving test centres are near Dorchester?
When is the best time to book a test at Dorchester?
How do I book a test at Dorchester and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Dorchester?
Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.
DVSA data period: 2019-20.