Gateshead Driving Test Centre
Gateshead in Gateshead, England has a current pass rate of 37.4%, 11.3 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
Gateshead sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 2%, rank #319 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Alnwick, about 31.4 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 28.7K passed, 39.0K failed, 67.7K total
How Gateshead compares
A 11.3-point shortfall against the UK figure puts Gateshead ranked 319 of 323 in its category. Expect the local routes, not the examiners, to be the reason: the marking standard is national.
Where Gateshead ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Gateshead has given up 4.4 points since 2017-18 (41.8% then, 37.4% now); the low water mark was 37.4% in 2024-25.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Gateshead
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 22.3 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Gateshead in May 2026 had waited 7.6 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 Gateshead
- car
- motorcycle module 1 (off-road)
- motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
- ADI part 2
- 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 NE11 9HU, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Gateshead is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in Gateshead, North East. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 67.7K tests over 2017-18-2024-25 is large enough that any rounding you see between sites is just rounding, not disagreement on the underlying data.
Gateshead is not where the easier car tests happen. The 37.4% pass rate sits 11.3 points below the UK average of 48.7%, putting the centre #319 of 323 nationally. Gateshead is one of the tougher venues for a first attempt. The DVSA reports 37.5% first-time pass against a UK average of 49%, 11.5 points down on the national 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 Gateshead
- Gateshead runs a tougher-than-average pass rate. If you've trained somewhere quieter, take at least 2-3 lessons on Gateshead test-area roads before your date. The difficulty is in the road mix, not the marking sheet.
- 37.5% first-time pass at Gateshead means roughly 6 in ten first-timers fail and rebook. Plan for that possibility: keep your insurance going, don't return the L-plates after the test.
- Gateshead 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 Gateshead area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Gateshead, cancellations appear on the official DVSA booking service throughout the day. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for the best chance of catching one.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Gateshead
Turn up at Gateshead 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 Blyth is fully booked, Gateshead is the next closest centre, roughly 12 miles away.
The test runs for around 40 minutes and follows the same DVSA format used at every centre. The examiner checks your eyesight at 20 metres, asks you a tell-me safety question, then sits in for the drive, with one show-me question while you are driving. About 20 minutes of it is independent driving, either following a sat nav the examiner sets up or following road signs to a named place. You will do one of four set manoeuvres, and roughly one in seven candidates is asked to perform 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 will know the result before you leave Gateshead. 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 37.4% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Gateshead?
Is Gateshead an easy or hard test centre?
How does Gateshead compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Gateshead record?
Which driving test centres are near Gateshead?
When is the best time to book a test at Gateshead?
How do I book a test at Gateshead and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Gateshead?
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.