Car Test Centre, Scotland

Grantown-On-Spey Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BGrantown-on-SpeyPH26 3EGHigh pass rate

Grantown-On-Spey posts a 58.5% pass rate, with Elgin the nearest alternative about 25 miles away. Read on for its full DVSA history, first-time pass rate, waiting time and demographic breakdown.

Pass rate (2024-25)
58.5%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
516
2022-23 to 2024-25 (3yr avg, low volume)
National rank
#66
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
59.8%
above UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Grantown-On-Spey sits in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally (Top 20%, rank #66 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Ballater, about 28.8 miles away.

BallaterBest nearby
28.8 mi away
70.8%
+12.3 pp

Pass vs fail at a glance

58.5%passed
failed41.5%

All-time 977 passed, 752 failed, 1.7K total

How Grantown-On-Spey compares

Grantown-On-Spey
58.5%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+9.8 pp

At 9.8 points above the UK figure and ranked 66 of 323 in its category, Grantown-On-Spey offers a modest but real edge, typically a product of its local road layout rather than the venue itself.

Where Grantown-On-Spey ranks among 323 centres

Top 20%
Grantown-On-Spey ranks higher than 80% of UK car test centres
Rank
#66
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

The direction of travel here is upward: Grantown-On-Spey has added 9.5 points since 2017-18, from 52.7% to 62.2%, with its strongest year at 70.7% in 2019-20.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 1.1 pp
Male56.0%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female57.1%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults2.9%
19 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 Grantown-On-Spey 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

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

Grantown-on-Spey Fire Station
Woodside Avenue
Grantown on Spey
Grantown-on-Spey
PH26 3JR
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Grantown-On-Spey

  • 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 PH26 3JR, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Grantown-On-Spey: a DVSA car test centre in Grantown-on-Spey, Highland. Local routes, local traffic patterns, no national standard for what "harder" or "easier" looks like beyond what the numbers below show. Volume here sits at 1.7K over 2017-18-2024-25. That's the territory where a noisy quarter can shift the rate by two or three percentage points, so read the trend chart in context rather than reacting to any single bar.

The top quarter of the UK by pass rate: Grantown-On-Spey ranks #66 of 323 car centres at 58.5%, 9.8 points clear of the national figure of 48.7%. Across 261 first-attempt tests, Grantown-On-Spey passes 59.8% of candidates, against 49% nationally. The centre is a relatively forgiving venue for a first booking, by the DVSA's own data.

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 Grantown-On-Spey

  • Grantown-On-Spey passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the local road mix (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
  • 59.8% of first-timers pass at Grantown-On-Spey, so the centre is on the forgiving side. If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, your own preparation matters far more than the venue.
  • Practising the roads around the centre is the preparation that most reliably pays off. Most ADI instructors in Grantown-on-Spey will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
  • 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.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Grantown-On-Spey

Arrive at Grantown-On-Spey with about ten minutes to spare and know your parking options in advance, they vary site to site across the DVSA network. The DVSA centre finder (postcode PH26 3EG) maps the centre and its surroundings. Waits here run around 4 to 8 weeks at low demand, so you can usually pick a date without a long wait. Don't set off without your provisional photocard licence; the test cannot start without it, and your car needs L plates and a working interior mirror. If Elgin is fully booked, Grantown-On-Spey is the next closest centre, roughly 25 miles away.

Plan for a drive of roughly 40 minutes, identical in structure to every other DVSA centre. First comes the 20-metre eyesight check and a tell-me vehicle-safety question, then the examiner joins you for the road section, with one show-me question while you drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving by sat nav or by following signs to a named target, you tackle one of four set manoeuvres, and around one in seven candidates get an emergency stop. 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 find out there and then, back at Grantown-On-Spey. The examiner runs through the faults on the DL25 feedback form and, on a pass, keeps your provisional licence so a full licence follows in the post. Clearing the test means staying under 16 driving faults, that is 15 or fewer, with no serious or dangerous fault; 58.5% of candidates here manage it on the current marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Grantown-On-Spey?
The current pass rate at Grantown-On-Spey driving test centre is 58.5%, calculated from 516 tests in 2022-23 to 2024-25 (3yr avg, low volume). The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 59.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 56.5% (from 1.7K tests).
Is Grantown-On-Spey an easy or hard test centre?
Grantown-On-Spey is ranked #66 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 58.5% 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 Grantown-On-Spey compare to the UK average?
Grantown-On-Spey's pass rate is 9.8 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. At 9.8 points above the UK figure and ranked 66 of 323 in its category, Grantown-On-Spey offers a modest but real edge, typically a product of its local road layout rather than the venue itself.
How many driving tests does Grantown-On-Spey record?
Grantown-On-Spey has recorded 1.7K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 977 passed and 752 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 Grantown-On-Spey?
The closest DVSA test centres to Grantown-On-Spey are Elgin (44.5%), Kingussie (57.3%), Inverness (Seafield Road) (48.1%) and Inverness (Longman Drive) (45.9%). Grantown-On-Spey's 58.5% is the highest current pass rate among them. Elgin, Kingussie, 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 Grantown-On-Spey?
Grantown-On-Spey 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 Grantown-On-Spey and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Grantown-On-Spey 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 Grantown-On-Spey?
The estimated wait at Grantown-On-Spey 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 1.7K 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.