Car Test Centre, Scotland

Isle of Skye (Portree) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BSkyeHigh pass rate

The Isle of Skye (Portree) driving test centre is located in Skye, Scotland. Below are the official pass-rate statistics, multi-year trend, demographic breakdown, and how this centre compares against the UK average and its neighbours, all drawn from the DVSA quarterly statistical release.

By VikasReviewed by VikasMethodologySources
Pass rate (2024-25)
64.7%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
2.1K
2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume)
National rank
#24
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
66.8%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

64.7%passed
failed35.3%

1.3K passed, 728 failed, 2.1K total

How Isle of Skye (Portree) compares

Isle of Skye (Portree)
64.7%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+16 pp

Isle of Skye (Portree) performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.

Where Isle of Skye (Portree) ranks among 323 centres

Top 7%
Isle of Skye (Portree) ranks higher than 93% of UK car test centres
Rank
#24
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

The most common driving test faults nationally

These are the fault types DVSA examiners record most often across all car tests in Great Britain, ranked most to least common. They are a national pattern, not a measurement taken at this centre, but they are the faults worth targeting in practice wherever you sit your test.

  1. 1
    Junctions - observationNot looking properly before pulling out at junctions.
  2. 2
    Mirrors - change directionNot checking mirrors before signalling, changing speed or direction.
  3. 3
    Move off - safelyPulling away without safe control or proper observation.
  4. 4
    Junctions - turning rightPoor positioning or judgement when turning right at junctions.
  5. 5
    Response to signs - traffic lightsMissing or misreading traffic signs, signals or road markings.

This ranking is DVSA national fault data, shown here for context. DVSA does not publish a separate fault breakdown for individual test centres.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 4.8 pp
Male67.3%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female62.5%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.5%
30 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

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 Isle of Skye (Portree) 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

The Scarinish Hotel
Isle of Tiree
PA77 6UH
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Isle of Skye (Portree)

  • 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 PA77 6UH, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Isle of Skye (Portree) sits in Skye, Highland. It's a DVSA-run car test centre, and the routes from here work outward into the streets and arterial roads that learners from Skye tend to know already. Isle of Skye (Portree) is a smaller centre by volume, 2.1K tests through 2017-18-2024-25. The figures hold up for headline comparisons but lose granularity once you slice them by quarter.

64.7% at Isle of Skye (Portree), against a UK car average of 48.7%. That puts the centre 16 points clear of the national figure and ranks it #24 of 323 car centres in the DVSA's network. First-attempt pass rate at Isle of Skye (Portree): 66.8%, against 49% nationally. That's a 17.8-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.

Country
Scotland
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
isle-of-skye-portree

What learners should know about Isle of Skye (Portree)

  • Isle of Skye (Portree) passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the routes (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
  • 66.8% of first-timers pass at Isle of Skye (Portree). If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, that figure is a fair guide, the centre isn't the variable, your preparation is.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Isle of Skye (Portree) routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • 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 Isle of Skye (Portree)

Arrive at Isle of Skye (Portree) 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.

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 one show-me and one tell-me question, then sits in for the drive. 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 three candidates is asked to perform 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 will know the result before you leave Isle of Skye (Portree). 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 64.7% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Isle of Skye (Portree)?
The current pass rate at Isle of Skye (Portree) driving test centre is 64.7%, calculated from 2.1K tests in 2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume). The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 66.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 64.7% (from 2.1K tests).
Is Isle of Skye (Portree) an easy or hard test centre?
Isle of Skye (Portree) is ranked #24 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 64.7% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Much of the spread comes down to route geography: lighter traffic and simpler junctions lift a centre, dense city driving and complex roundabouts pull it down.
How does Isle of Skye (Portree) compare to the UK average?
Isle of Skye (Portree)'s pass rate is 16 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Isle of Skye (Portree) performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.
How many tests are taken at Isle of Skye (Portree) each year?
Isle of Skye (Portree) has recorded 2.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 1.3K passed and 728 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 Isle of Skye (Portree)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Isle of Skye (Portree) are Isle of Skye (Broadford) (57.9%), Mallaig (70.3%), Kyle of Lochalsh (61.8%) and Gairloch (72.1%). Of these, Mallaig, Gairloch have higher current pass rates than Isle of Skye (Portree)'s 64.7%. Isle of Skye (Broadford), Kyle of Lochalsh 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 Isle of Skye (Portree)?
Isle of Skye (Portree) 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. If your test date is flexible, aiming for a quieter month can mean a shorter wait and more slot choice. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Isle of Skye (Portree) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Isle of Skye (Portree) 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 Isle of Skye (Portree)?
The estimated wait at Isle of Skye (Portree) 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 2.1K 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.