Northallerton Driving Test Centre
Northallerton in Northallerton currently passes 58.6% of tests, 9.9 points above the UK average of 48.7%. The sections below cover the year-by-year trend, who passes most often, how long learners wait, and how it stacks up against neighbouring centres.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Northallerton sits in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally (Top 20%, rank #65 of 323). No nearby car centre currently posts a higher pass rate.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 27.7K passed, 21.1K failed, 48.8K total
How Northallerton compares
The 9.9-point advantage at Northallerton (ranked 65 of 323 in its category) is worth having but not decisive; a well-prepared candidate passes at either kind of centre.
Where Northallerton ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
The headline barely moved (58.5% in 2017-18, 58.6% now) but the ride was not smooth: Northallerton has swung 10.9 points between its best year (61.8%, 2018-19) and its worst (50.9%, 2022-23).
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Northallerton
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 15.5 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Northallerton in May 2026 had waited 5.7 weeks from booking to test day.
Official DVSA data, May 2026. The median is the time between booking and taking the test; for live availability use 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 Northallerton
- 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 DL6 1NU, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Northallerton is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in Northallerton, York and North Yorkshire. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. Across 2017-18-2024-25 the DVSA recorded 48.8K tests at Northallerton. A solid mid-range sample, the data is reliable enough that the rank position below isn't an artefact of small numbers.
Northallerton passes higher than most. At 58.6% versus a UK average of 48.7%, it ranks #65 of 323 car centres, the top quarter of the network. 59.3% of first-timers pass at Northallerton, 10.3 points above the UK figure of 49%. A prepared first attempt has a real shot here in a way it doesn't at every centre.
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 Northallerton
- Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Northallerton's rate reflects route geography more than examiner discretion, DVSA marking is centrally trained. Prepare for the same fault categories you'd prepare for anywhere.
- 59.3% of first-timers pass at Northallerton, 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 Northallerton area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Northallerton, 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 Northallerton
Arrive at Northallerton 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. With high demand and waits near 14 to 18 weeks, take any earlier slot the booking service offers rather than holding out. 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 Darlington is fully booked, Northallerton is the next closest centre, roughly 13 miles away.
Plan for a drive of roughly 40 minutes, identical in structure to every other DVSA centre. First comes the 20-metre eyesight check and a tell-me vehicle-safety question, then the examiner joins you for the road section, with one show-me question while you drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving by sat nav or by following signs to a named target, you tackle one of four set manoeuvres, and around one in seven candidates get 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 find out there and then, back at Northallerton. The examiner runs through the faults on the DL25 feedback form and, on a pass, keeps your provisional licence so a full licence follows in the post. Clearing the test means staying under 16 driving faults, that is 15 or fewer, with no serious or dangerous fault; 58.6% of candidates here manage it on the current marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Northallerton?
Is Northallerton an easy or hard test centre?
How does Northallerton compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Northallerton record?
Which driving test centres are near Northallerton?
When is the best time to book a test at Northallerton?
How do I book a test at Northallerton and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Northallerton?
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.