What is the UK driving test pass rate?

The UK average pass rate for the Category B (car) practical driving test is around 48%, though it varies significantly between test centres, from roughly 35% at the hardest urban centres to over 65% at the easiest rural ones.

Which UK driving test centre has the highest pass rate?

Small rural test centres (particularly in Scotland and the Scottish Islands) consistently show the highest pass rates, often above 65%. Lerwick in Shetland leads the UK at around 68.5%.

Where does the data come from?

All statistics come from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) quarterly statistical release on GOV.UK. The dataset is released under the Open Government Licence and is updated automatically each quarter.

Does PassRates.uk show motorcycle and HGV pass rates?

Yes. The data covers the Category B (car) practical test, motorcycle Module 1 and Module 2 tests, and heavy-vehicle (LGV/HGV) tests for every UK test centre.

Car Test Centre, Scotland

Isle of Skye (Portree)

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.

Pass rate

63.6%

vs 48% UK avg

Total tests

209

133 passed

National rank

#15

of 326 centres

1st-time pass

66.8%

above UK avg

About this test centre

Isle of Skye (Portree) is a DVSA-operated car test centre located in Skye, Highland (Scotland). It serves learners from across its catchment area, with test routes radiating out from the centre into surrounding residential and arterial roads. Recorded test volume is comparatively low at 209 tests, so single-period pass rates can swing more than at busier centres. PassRates.uk aggregates multi-year totals to smooth out that noise.

Ranking #15 of 326 by pass rate places Isle of Skye (Portree) firmly in the top 10% of UK car test centres, meaningfully above the UK national average of 48%. The first-time pass rate of 66.8% is above the UK figure (47.2%), well-prepared candidates have a reasonable shot at clearing it on their first attempt.

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.

Pass vs fail at a glance

63.6%passed

failed36.4%

133 passed, 76 failed, 209 total

How Isle of Skye (Portree) compares

Isle of Skye (Portree)

63.6%

UK national average

48%

Difference

+15.6 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 326 centres

Top 5%

Isle of Skye (Portree) ranks higher than 95% of UK car test centres

Rank

#15

BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Isle of Skye (Portree) pass rate vs UK average

UK avg 48.0%

Most common faults at this centre

The fault categories most frequently recorded against learners on test. Knowing them lets you target practice on the things examiners are most likely to penalise.

1Junctions - observation10
2Mirrors - change direction9
3Move off - safely8
4Junctions - turning right7
5Response to signs - traffic lights6

Per-centre fault breakdowns are derived from the DVSA national fault distribution applied to centre-level test outcomes.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rategap 0.1 pp

Male63.7%

0%UK avg 50.0%100%

Female63.6%

0%UK avg 45.8%100%

Zero faults22.6%

30 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait

5 weeks

Lower demand

Weekly capacity

~10

estimated test slots per week

Trend

stable

availability direction

Wait times at Isle of Skye (Portree) have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is comparatively quick: learners booking at Isle of Skye (Portree) typically wait around 5 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months

June, July, August, September

longest waits in Skye

Best to book

November, December, January, February

shortest expected waits

Wait time is estimated from regional demand patterns reported in the National Audit Office investigation into car driving test waiting times (Dec 2025) and the DVSA Despatch blog updates, combined with this centre's test volume. Real availability fluctuates with examiner staffing and cancellations, always check the official DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

Skye, Highland

Highland, Highland

Country

Scotland

Test category

Car

DVSA centre ID

isle-of-skye-portree

City coverage

All centres in Skye →

Open in maps

View on Google Maps →

What learners should know about Isle of Skye (Portree)

Pass rates at Isle of Skye (Portree) run ahead of the UK average, but don't take that as licence to under-prepare. Centres with higher pass rates often still fail learners on the same fundamentals (observation, signalling, junctions).
The first-time pass rate of 66.8% suggests this centre is reasonably forgiving for well-prepared candidates on their first attempt.
This is a lower-volume centre (209 tests on record), pass rates can fluctuate more year to year than at busy urban centres because of smaller sample sizes.
Always book your test through the official DVSA booking service (gov.uk). Be wary of third-party sites charging premium fees for the same booking.

Other test centres nearby

Isle of Skye (Broadford)

See all centres in Skye→Compare with the easiest UK centres→Compare with the hardest→

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Isle of Skye (Portree)?

The current overall pass rate at Isle of Skye (Portree) driving test centre is 63.6%, calculated from 209 recorded tests. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 66.8%.

Is Isle of Skye (Portree) an easy or hard test centre?

Isle of Skye (Portree) is ranked #15 of 326 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 63.6% compares to a UK average of 48%. 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 Isle of Skye (Portree) compare to the UK average?

Isle of Skye (Portree)'s pass rate is 15.6 percentage points above the UK national average of 48%. 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 209 tests in the available DVSA data, of which 133 passed and 76 failed. The yearly trend chart on this page shows how volume and pass rate have moved across recent reporting periods.

How do I book a driving test at Isle of Skye (Portree)?

All practical driving tests in the UK are booked through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test. You'll need your provisional licence number, theory test pass certificate number, and a payment card (£62 weekday / £75 weekend evening). Avoid third-party booking sites that charge premium fees for the same slot.

Can I reschedule or cancel my test?

Yes, you can reschedule or cancel free of charge as long as you give at least 3 clear working days' notice (excluding the test day and the day you change it). Manage your booking via gov.uk/change-driving-test. Last-minute changes inside that window forfeit the test fee.

What documents do I need to bring on the day?

Bring your provisional UK photocard driving licence and your theory test pass certificate (or its number). The examiner will verify both before the test starts. Without your licence the test cannot proceed and the fee is forfeited. Glasses or contacts must match your eyesight declaration, you'll be asked to read a number plate from 20 metres.

What is the practical test pass mark?

A practical driving test is a pass with no more than 15 minor (driving) faults and zero serious or dangerous faults. A single serious or dangerous fault is an automatic fail regardless of how few minors you accumulate. The independent driving section, manoeuvres, and show-me/tell-me questions all factor into the examiner's assessment.

Where can I see Isle of Skye (Portree) on a map?

Open the interactive PassRates map to see Isle of Skye (Portree) alongside every other UK driving test centre, colour-coded by pass-rate tier, or view it on Google Maps for navigation.

How long is the wait for a driving test at Isle of Skye (Portree)?

The estimated wait at Isle of Skye (Portree) is around 5 weeks (low demand). That figure 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 209 lifetime tests. Wait times peak in June and July and ease in November and December. For live availability, check the official DVSA booking service.

How accurate is this pass rate data?

The figures on this page come directly from the DVSA quarterly statistical release, the same dataset cited by government bodies and journalists. PassRates.uk aggregates multi-year totals so smaller centres with seasonal variance show a stable representative figure rather than a single noisy quarter. Data is released under the Open Government Licence and refreshed each quarter.

Source

Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods. Last refreshed 2026-05-01.