Car Test Centre, Scotland

Golspie Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BGolspieKW10 6TFHigh pass rate

Golspie in Golspie currently passes 64.1% of tests, 15.4 points above the UK average of 48.7%. 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.

Pass rate (2024-25)
64.1%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
1.4K
2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume)
National rank
#28
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
64.5%
above UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Golspie sits in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally (Top 9%, rank #28 of 323). No nearby car centre currently posts a higher pass rate.

AlnessNearest alternative
22.3 mi away
62.2%
-1.9 pp

Pass vs fail at a glance

64.1%passed
failed35.9%

All-time 872 passed, 488 failed, 1.4K total

How Golspie compares

Golspie
64.1%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+15.4 pp

The 15.4-point gap in candidates' favour at Golspie (ranked 28 of 323 in its category) is among the wider spreads in the network, consistent with quieter local roads rather than any difference in how examiners mark.

Where Golspie ranks among 323 centres

Top 9%
Golspie ranks higher than 91% of UK car test centres
Rank
#28
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Across the recorded years Golspie has drifted from 76.7% to 68%, down 8.7 points, with the best year at 76.7% in 2017-18.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 8.4 pp
Male68.7%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female60.3%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults2.5%
34 candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
4 to 8 weeks
Lower demand
Weekly capacity
~10
estimated test slots per week
Demand
Lower
quieter than average

Booking is comparatively quick: on this estimate, learners booking at Golspie would typically wait around 4 to 8 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
when UK waits tend to be longest
Best to book
November, December, January, February
when UK waits tend to be shortest

These figures are an estimate, not live data. We model them from published demand reports and this centre's test volume; the method is on our methodology page. Check the DVSA booking service for current slots.

Centre details

Address

Golspie Fire Station Fire Station
Back Road
Back Road
Golspie
KW10 6SP
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Golspie

  • car

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 KW10 6SP, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

If you've got a test booked at KW10 6TF, that's Golspie in Golspie, Highland. Examiners drive a mix of the roads immediately surrounding the centre; the DVSA does not publish its test routes. Across 2017-18-2024-25 the centre handled 1.4K tests, a modest sample. The aggregated multi-year figure on this page is the most reliable read; quarterly swings deserve more skepticism here than at a high-volume centre.

Rank: #28 of 323. Pass rate: 64.1%. UK average: 48.7%. That's a top decile centre by the DVSA's own published figures. First-time pass rate: 64.5%. UK average: 49%. Golspie is 15.5 points to the good on first attempts, a meaningful gap, not a rounding artefact.

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 Golspie

  • Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Golspie's rate reflects route geography more than examiner discretion, DVSA marking is centrally trained. Prepare for the same fault categories you'd prepare for anywhere.
  • First-time pass rate of 64.5% at Golspie is on the forgiving side. A well-prepared first booking has a reasonable shot; don't over-correct by booking a "practice" test you don't actually need.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Golspie area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
  • Don't pay third-party sites for booking access at Golspie. Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Golspie

Ten minutes early is the right target at Golspie. Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder (postcode KW10 6TF) the day before. Demand sits at low with a modelled wait of about 4 to 8 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 Alness is fully booked, Golspie is the next closest centre, roughly 22 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 tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive and asks one show-me question while you are driving. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of the set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in seven. 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.

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 64.1% of candidates at Golspie meet under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Golspie?
The current pass rate at Golspie driving test centre is 64.1%, calculated from 1.4K tests in 2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume). The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 64.5%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 64.1% (from 1.4K tests).
Is Golspie an easy or hard test centre?
Golspie is ranked #28 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 64.1% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Centres with calmer suburban or rural routes tend to sit higher, while busy urban sites with tight junctions and multi-lane roundabouts usually sit lower.
How does Golspie compare to the UK average?
Golspie's pass rate is 15.4 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. The 15.4-point gap in candidates' favour at Golspie (ranked 28 of 323 in its category) is among the wider spreads in the network, consistent with quieter local roads rather than any difference in how examiners mark.
How many driving tests does Golspie record?
Golspie has recorded 1.4K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 872 passed and 488 failed. See the yearly trend chart above to track how test volume and pass rate have shifted over recent reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Golspie?
The closest DVSA test centres to Golspie are Alness (62.2%), Lairg (60.4%), Inverness (Seafield Road) (48.1%) and Inverness (Longman Drive) (45.9%). Golspie's 64.1% is the highest current pass rate among them. Alness, Lairg, Inverness (Seafield Road), Inverness (Longman Drive) sit lower. 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 Golspie?
Golspie currently sees low demand with an estimated wait of about 4 to 8 weeks. Across the UK, 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 Golspie and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Golspie 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 Golspie?
The estimated wait at Golspie is about 4 to 8 weeks (low demand). That range 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 1.4K lifetime tests, so treat it as an estimate rather than a live figure. Across the UK, waits 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.