Elgin Driving Test Centre
Elgin in Elgin, Scotland has a current pass rate of 44.5%, 4.2 points below the UK average of 48.7%. This page breaks down the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, the waiting time and how it compares with the rest of the UK, all from the DVSA quarterly data.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Elgin sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 16%, rank #273 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Ballater, about 42.7 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 15.5K passed, 15.5K failed, 31.0K total
How Elgin compares
At 4.2 points below the UK figure (ranked 273 of 323 in its category), Elgin is on the harder side without being extreme; familiarity with the local junctions closes much of the gap.
Where Elgin ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
The longer arc at Elgin points down: 52.5% in 2017-18 against 44.5% now, a 8-point slide, though 2017-18 showed what the routes allow at 52.5%.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Elgin
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 16.5 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Elgin in May 2026 had waited 3.4 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
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Elgin
- Car
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 IV30 1UE, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Drivers booked at Elgin report to a DVSA centre in Elgin, Moray, postcode IV30 1EA. 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. Over 2017-18-2024-25, 31.0K candidates sat tests here. The figures are statistically usable for centre-to-centre comparisons, which is most of what people land on this page wanting to do.
By raw pass rate Elgin sits at 44.5%, with the DVSA's national car average over the same window running at 48.7%. The gap (4.2 points below the UK figure) places the centre at rank #273 of 323, inside the bottom quarter of the country's car test centres. First-attempt pass rate at Elgin: 43.9%, against 49% nationally. That's 5.1 points below the UK average. Many candidates need a second go, and local-road familiarity is one of the most consistent things that improves the second attempt.
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 Elgin
- Elgin doesn't deviate much from the national curve, so generic preparation advice (mock tests, mirror discipline, junction observation) applies here in the same shape it would anywhere.
- Ask any instructor working Elgin 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 official DVSA booking service is free.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Elgin
Ten minutes early is the right target at Elgin. Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder (postcode IV30 1EA) the day before. Demand sits at low with a modelled wait of about 5 to 9 weeks, which generally leaves more room to choose a date. 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 Buckie is fully booked, Elgin is the next closest centre, roughly 13 miles away.
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 seven tests includes an emergency stop, a frequency the DVSA reduced in late 2025. The drive covers the local mix of road types within roughly a twenty-minute radius of the centre. 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 will know the result before you leave Elgin. 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 44.5% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Elgin?
Is Elgin an easy or hard test centre?
How does Elgin compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Elgin record?
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How long is the wait for a driving test at Elgin?
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.