Islay Island Driving Test Centre
Islay Island in Islay, Scotland has a current pass rate of 66.7%, 18 points above 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
Islay Island sits in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally (Top 5%, rank #17 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Isle of Tiree, about 56.5 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 357 passed, 178 failed, 535 total
How Islay Island compares
The 18-point gap in candidates' favour at Islay Island (ranked 17 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 Islay Island ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Islay Island has held a narrow 5.5-point range across the whole series (70% at the low in 2022-23, 75.5% 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 Islay Island would typically wait around 4 to 8 weeks from booking to test day.
This wait is an estimate modelled from regional demand and this centre's test volume, not a live booking figure. See how it is worked out on our methodology page, and check the DVSA booking service for live slots.
Centre details
Address
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Islay Island
- 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 PA43 7HL, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Of the DVSA car centres across Scotland, Islay Island is the one covering Islay, Argyll and Bute. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. Only 535 tests sit on the record at Islay Island for 2017-18-2024-25. That puts the centre in the tail of the volume distribution; treat any single-period rate as indicative, not definitive.
If you've been told Islay Island is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 66.7% is 18 points clear of the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #17 out of 323. First-attempt pass rate at Islay Island: 64%, against 49% nationally. That's a 15-point lead. Well-prepared candidates with no prior test attempts pass here at a noticeably higher rate than the UK average.
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 Islay Island
- Islay Island 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.
- 64% of first-timers pass at Islay Island, 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.
- Islay Island is a low-volume centre (535 tests on record). Period-to-period swings can look dramatic without much underlying change, read the multi-year aggregate rather than any single quarter's figure.
- Practising the roads around the centre is the preparation that most reliably pays off. Most ADI instructors in Islay will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Islay Island, 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 Islay Island
Arrive at Islay Island 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 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 Campbeltown is fully booked, Islay Island is the next closest centre, roughly 32 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.
There is no wait for the verdict, the examiner delivers it at the centre. They go over each fault recorded, hand you the DL25 feedback form, and on a pass retain your provisional licence so the full version arrives by post. To pass you need no more than 15 driving faults and not a single serious or dangerous one; 66.7% of candidates at Islay Island currently clear that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Islay Island?
Is Islay Island an easy or hard test centre?
How does Islay Island compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Islay Island record?
Which driving test centres are near Islay Island?
When is the best time to book a test at Islay Island?
How do I book a test at Islay Island and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Islay Island?
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.