Isle of Skye (Portree) Driving Test Centre
Isle of Skye (Portree) in Skye records a 64.7% pass rate against a UK average of 48.7%. This page covers the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, and a like-for-like comparison with other centres.
DVSA data last updated August 2026
Isle of Skye (Portree) sits in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally (Top 7%, rank #24 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Gairloch, about 33.9 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 1.3K passed, 728 failed, 2.1K total
How Isle of Skye (Portree) compares
The 16-point gap in candidates' favour at Isle of Skye (Portree) (ranked 24 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 Isle of Skye (Portree) ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Stability is the story at Isle of Skye (Portree): 68.4% in 2017-18, 69.9% now, and every year in between inside a 5.3-point band.
Pass rate by demographic
Estimated wait time and demand
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.
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
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
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.
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 local road mix (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
- 66.8% of first-timers pass at Isle of Skye (Portree), 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.
- If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Isle of Skye (Portree) area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding 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. If Mallaig is fully booked, Isle of Skye (Portree) is the next closest centre, roughly 30 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 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)?
Is Isle of Skye (Portree) an easy or hard test centre?
How does Isle of Skye (Portree) compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Isle of Skye (Portree) record?
Which driving test centres are near Isle of Skye (Portree)?
When is the best time to book a test at Isle of Skye (Portree)?
How do I book a test at Isle of Skye (Portree) and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Isle of Skye (Portree)?
Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.
DVSA data period: 2024-25.