PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Nottingham (Colwick) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BCity of NottinghamModerate

Nottingham (Colwick) posts a 45.5% pass rate, with Nottingham (Chilwell) the nearest alternative about 8 miles away. Read on for its full DVSA history, first-time pass rate, waiting time and demographic breakdown.

By Vikas DulgundeUpdated MethodologySources
Pass rate (2024-25)
45.5%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
11.8K
2024-25
National rank
#264
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
47%
below UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Nottingham (Colwick) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 19%, rank #264 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Melton Mowbray, about 15.4 miles away.

Melton MowbrayBest nearby
15.4 mi away
63.9%
+18.4 pp
All centres in City of Nottingham→See every centre on the map→Best centre for me→

Pass vs fail at a glance

45.5%passed
failed54.5%

All-time 58.4K passed, 68.0K failed, 126.4K total

How Nottingham (Colwick) compares

Nottingham (Colwick)
45.5%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-3.2 pp

Nottingham (Colwick) sits 3.2 points under the national average, ranked 264 of 323 in its category. Routes here are likely more demanding than at rural centres; extra time on the local roads pays back directly.

Where Nottingham (Colwick) ranks among 323 centres

Bottom 19%
Nottingham (Colwick) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#264
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Stability is the story at Nottingham (Colwick): 46.5% in 2017-18, 45.5% now, and every year in between inside a 3.9-point band.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 5.2 pp
Male48.8%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female43.6%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults0.6%
448 candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Waiting time at Nottingham (Colwick)

Median wait, booking to test
14.9 weeks
What the typical learner who tested here had waited
Weeks to 10% availability
24 weeks
The older headline measure
Window appointments free
5.2%
Share of the 24-week window still open

The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Nottingham (Colwick) in May 2026 had waited 14.9 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

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 (Colwick)

  • 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

Of the DVSA car centres across England, Nottingham (Colwick) is the one covering City of Nottingham, East Midlands. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. By volume, Nottingham (Colwick) is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 126.4K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.

If you've been told Nottingham (Colwick) is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 45.5% is 3.2 points below the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #264 out of 323. First-attempt figure: 47%. UK first-attempt average: 49%. Nottingham (Colwick) runs 2 points behind, candidates who succeed here on the first try are usually the ones who've practised the local road mix.

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

What learners should know about Nottingham (Colwick)

  • Nottingham (Colwick) doesn't deviate much from the national curve, so generic preparation advice (mock tests, mirror discipline, junction observation) applies here in the same shape it would anywhere.
  • Volume at Nottingham (Colwick) is among the highest in the network. Don't take the first available date on faith, refreshing the DVSA booking page across a few days regularly turns up cancellations.
  • Ask any instructor working Nottingham (Colwick) about the centre's "usual fails", they'll have two or three specific junctions or manoeuvres in mind. Practise those until they're automatic before your date.
  • If you missed the earlier slots at Nottingham (Colwick), 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

Nottingham (Chilwell)
7.9 mi, 55.6K tests, Rank #281
43.9%
-1.6 pp
Watnall
8.4 mi, 40.7K tests, Rank #114
53.9%
+8.4 pp
Loughborough
13.3 mi, 83.0K tests, Rank #283
43.7%
-1.8 pp
Ashfield
13.5 mi, 109.4K tests, Rank #148
51.2%
+5.7 pp
Melton MowbrayBest nearby
15.4 mi, 37.6K tests, Rank #30
63.9%
+18.4 pp
Leicester (Wigston)
22.3 mi, 161.9K tests, Rank #282
43.9%
-1.6 pp
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 (Colwick)

Arrive at Nottingham (Colwick) 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 15 to 19 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 Nottingham (Chilwell) is fully booked, Nottingham (Colwick) is the next closest centre, roughly 8 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 tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive and asks one show-me question while you are driving. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of the set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in seven. 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; 45.5% of candidates at Nottingham (Colwick) currently clear that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Nottingham (Colwick)?
The current pass rate at Nottingham (Colwick) driving test centre is 45.5%, calculated from 11.8K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 47%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 46.2% (from 126.4K tests).
Is Nottingham (Colwick) an easy or hard test centre?
Nottingham (Colwick) is ranked #264 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 45.5% 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 (Colwick) compare to the UK average?
Nottingham (Colwick)'s pass rate is 3.2 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Nottingham (Colwick) sits 3.2 points under the national average, ranked 264 of 323 in its category. Routes here are likely more demanding than at rural centres; extra time on the local roads pays back directly.
How many driving tests does Nottingham (Colwick) record?
Nottingham (Colwick) has recorded 126.4K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 58.4K passed and 68.0K 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 Nottingham (Colwick)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Nottingham (Colwick) are Nottingham (Chilwell) (43.9%), Watnall (53.9%), Loughborough (43.7%) and Ashfield (51.2%). Of these, Watnall, Ashfield have higher current pass rates than Nottingham (Colwick)'s 45.5%. Nottingham (Chilwell), Loughborough 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 Nottingham (Colwick)?
Nottingham (Colwick) 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. 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 Nottingham (Colwick) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Nottingham (Colwick) 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 (Colwick)?
In the latest DVSA figures (May 2026), the median learner who took their test at Nottingham (Colwick) had waited about 14.9 weeks between booking and test day. DVSA's older measure, the number of weeks until at least 10% of slots are free, was 24 weeks. About 5.2% of appointments in the 24-week booking window were still available. 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.