Car Test Centre, Scotland

Lanark Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BLanarkML11 7EXHigh pass rate

The Lanark driving test centre is located in Lanark, Scotland (ML11 7EX). 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)
55%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
1.8K
2024-25
National rank
#102
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
55%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

55%passed
failed48.7%

14.9K passed, 14.2K failed, 29.1K total

How Lanark compares

Lanark
55%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+6.3 pp

Lanark performs notably better than the UK average. This often correlates with rural or suburban routes that have fewer multi-lane roundabouts and complex urban scenarios.

Where Lanark ranks among 323 centres

Top 32%
Lanark ranks higher than 68% of UK car test centres
Rank
#102
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

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.

  1. 1Junctions - observation10
  2. 2Mirrors - change direction9
  3. 3Move off - safely8
  4. 4Junctions - turning right7
  5. 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 rate gap 6.1 pp
Male54.7%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female48.6%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.5%
133 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
9 weeks
Moderate demand
Weekly capacity
~76
estimated test slots per week
Trend
stable
availability direction

Wait times at Lanark have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is comparatively quick: learners booking at Lanark typically wait around 9 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Lanark
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 2024) 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

Lanark Agricultural Centre
Lanark
ML11 9AX
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Lanark

  • 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 ML11 9AX, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

If you've got a test booked at ML11 7EX, that's Lanark in Lanark, South Lanarkshire. Examiners use a small set of fixed routes built around the roads immediately surrounding the centre. 29.1K tests through 2017-18-2024-25 puts Lanark in the comfortable middle of the volume distribution. The pass rate moves with real signal, not noise.

Rank: #102 of 323. Pass rate: 55%. UK average: 48.7%. That's a upper half centre by the DVSA's own published figures. First-attempt pass rate at Lanark: 55%, against 49% nationally. That's a 6-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
lanark

What learners should know about Lanark

  • Above-average pass rate at Lanark doesn't mean above-average ease. The fundamentals examiners mark are the same nationally: junctions, mirrors, observation, signal timing. A 65%+ pass rate means more candidates clear those, not that the bar is lower.
  • First-time pass rate of 55% at Lanark is on the forgiving side. A well-prepared first booking has a reasonable shot; don't over-correct by booking a "practice" test you don't actually need.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Lanark routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • Don't pay third-party sites for booking access at Lanark. Use gov.uk/book-driving-test directly; cancellations show up on the same booking flow.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Lanark

Aim to be at Lanark ten minutes early. Because parking and waiting facilities are not the same at every DVSA centre, check the approach on the DVSA centre finder (postcode ML11 7EX) before the day. At moderate demand and about 9 weeks' wait, securing a convenient date here is usually less of a scramble. The examiner needs to see your provisional photocard licence to begin, and the car you bring must be roadworthy, fitted with L plates and a working interior mirror. If L&T (Fitzwilliam) is fully booked, Lanark is the next closest centre, roughly 13 miles away.

The practical lasts about 40 minutes and uses the standard DVSA format nationwide. After an eyesight check at 20 metres and one show-me and one tell-me question, the examiner sits in for the drive. Roughly 20 minutes of that is independent driving, either following a sat nav set by the examiner or following road signs, and you will complete one of four set manoeuvres; about one in three tests includes an emergency stop. The drive covers the local mix of road types within roughly a twenty-minute radius of the centre. Across recent DVSA marking, the fault logged most often at this centre is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.

You will know the result before you leave Lanark. 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 55% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Lanark?
The current pass rate at Lanark driving test centre is 55%, calculated from 1.8K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 55%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 51.3% (from 29.1K tests).
Is Lanark an easy or hard test centre?
Lanark is ranked #102 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top half of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 55% 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 Lanark compare to the UK average?
Lanark's pass rate is 6.3 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Lanark performs notably better than the UK average. This often correlates with rural or suburban routes that have fewer multi-lane roundabouts and complex urban scenarios.
How many tests are taken at Lanark each year?
Lanark has recorded 29.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 14.9K passed and 14.2K 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 Lanark?
The closest DVSA test centres to Lanark are L&T (Fitzwilliam) (65.4%), Bathgate (64.9%), Airdrie (41.3%) and Hamilton (39.5%). Of these, L&T (Fitzwilliam), Bathgate have higher current pass rates than Lanark's 55%. Airdrie, Hamilton 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 Lanark?
Lanark currently sees moderate demand with an estimated wait of around 9 weeks. Waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. Where you can be flexible on dates, targeting one of the quieter months tends to bring a shorter wait and a wider choice of slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Lanark and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Lanark 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 Lanark?
The estimated wait at Lanark is around 9 weeks (moderate 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 29.1K lifetime tests. Wait times 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.