PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Nottingham (Chilwell) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BCity of NottinghamTougher than average

The Nottingham (Chilwell) driving test centre is located in City of Nottingham, England. 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)
43.9%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
10.6K
2024-25
National rank
#281
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
44.2%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

43.9%passed
failed56.4%

24.2K passed, 31.4K failed, 55.6K total

How Nottingham (Chilwell) compares

Nottingham (Chilwell)
43.9%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-4.8 pp

Nottingham (Chilwell) has a slightly tougher pass rate than the UK average. Routes here may be more demanding than rural centres.

Where Nottingham (Chilwell) ranks among 323 centres

Top 14%
Nottingham (Chilwell) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#281
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 4.6 pp
Male45.8%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female41.2%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults0.6%
355 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
15 to 19 weeks
High demand
Weekly capacity
~145
estimated test slots per week
Demand
High
busier than average

Booking is achievable but not immediate: on this estimate, learners booking at Nottingham (Chilwell) would typically wait around 15 to 19 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

This wait is an estimate modelled from regional demand and this centre's test volume, not a live booking figure. See how it is worked out on our methodology page, and check the DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

Unit 24
Eldon Business Park
Eldon Road
Beeston
NG9 6DZ
England

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

Tests offered at Nottingham (Chilwell)

  • car
  • ADI part 2
  • ADI part 3

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 NG9 6DZ, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Nottingham (Chilwell) is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in City of Nottingham, East Midlands. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. By volume, Nottingham (Chilwell) is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 55.6K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.

Nottingham (Chilwell) runs close to the national curve: 43.9% pass rate, 4.8 points below the UK average of 48.7%. The rank is #281 of 323 car centres. First-attempt pass rate at Nottingham (Chilwell): 44.2%, against 49% nationally. That's 4.8 points below the UK average. Many candidates need a second go, and route familiarity is the most consistent thing that improves the second 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.

Country
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
nottingham-chilwell

What learners should know about Nottingham (Chilwell)

  • Pass rate at Nottingham (Chilwell) sits close to the UK average. Prepare for an ordinary level of difficulty: examiners apply the standard DVSA marking sheet, and the routes are a representative mix of local conditions.
  • 55.6K tests through this centre over the published window. At that throughput, competition for short-notice slots is constant, set up a cancellation alert and check often.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Nottingham (Chilwell) routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • If you missed the earlier slots at Nottingham (Chilwell), the DVSA's official cancellation pool refreshes constantly. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for better odds.

Other test centres nearby

Nottingham (Colwick)
12.9K tests, Rank #17
79.3%
Nottingham (Colwick)
11.6K tests, Rank #24
84.2%
Watnall
40.7K tests, Rank #114
53.9%
Watnall
22.1K tests, Rank #92
56.9%
Loughborough
83.0K tests, Rank #283
43.7%
Nottingham (Colwick)
126.4K tests, Rank #264
45.5%
See all centres in City of Nottingham→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Nottingham (Chilwell)

Turn up at Nottingham (Chilwell) ten minutes before your appointment, and check ahead where you can park, DVSA sites vary on that. You can preview the location on the DVSA centre finder. Demand is high and waits are near 15 to 19 weeks, so an early booking plus a cancellation watch is the sensible approach. The examiner will ask to see your provisional photocard licence before anything else, and your car must carry L plates and a working interior mirror. If Nottingham (Colwick) is fully booked, Nottingham (Chilwell) is the next closest centre, roughly 5 miles away.

Once underway the test takes around 40 minutes and is the same wherever you sit it. The examiner verifies your eyesight at 20 metres, puts one show-me and one tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in three. The drive works through whatever mix of urban and outlying roads sits within about a twenty-minute radius, and at a centre this busy that usually means heavier traffic to read. Across DVSA marking nationally, the fault recorded most often on car tests is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.

There is no wait for the verdict, the examiner delivers it at the centre. They go over each fault recorded, hand you the DL25 feedback form, and on a pass retain your provisional licence so the full version arrives by post. To pass you need no more than 15 driving faults and not a single serious or dangerous one; 43.9% of candidates at Nottingham (Chilwell) currently clear that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Nottingham (Chilwell)?
The current pass rate at Nottingham (Chilwell) driving test centre is 43.9%, calculated from 10.6K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 44.2%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 43.6% (from 55.6K tests).
Is Nottingham (Chilwell) an easy or hard test centre?
Nottingham (Chilwell) is ranked #281 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 43.9% 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 Nottingham (Chilwell) compare to the UK average?
Nottingham (Chilwell)'s pass rate is 4.8 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Nottingham (Chilwell) has a slightly tougher pass rate than the UK average. Routes here may be more demanding than rural centres.
How many tests are taken at Nottingham (Chilwell) each year?
Nottingham (Chilwell) has recorded 55.6K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 24.2K passed and 31.4K failed. The trend chart on this page plots how both volume and pass rate have changed across the recent DVSA reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Nottingham (Chilwell)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Nottingham (Chilwell) are Nottingham (Colwick) (79.3%), Nottingham (Colwick) (84.2%), Watnall (53.9%) and Watnall (56.9%). Of these, Nottingham (Colwick), Nottingham (Colwick), Watnall, Watnall have higher current pass rates than Nottingham (Chilwell)'s 43.9%. 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 Nottingham (Chilwell)?
Nottingham (Chilwell) currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of about 15 to 19 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 Nottingham (Chilwell) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Nottingham (Chilwell) 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 Nottingham (Chilwell)?
The estimated wait at Nottingham (Chilwell) is about 15 to 19 weeks (high 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 55.6K 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.