Car Test Centre, Wales

Pembroke Dock Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BPembroke DockHigh pass rate

The Pembroke Dock driving test centre is located in Pembroke Dock, Wales. 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)
57.9%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
2.1K
2024-25
National rank
#74
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
56.8%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

57.9%passed
failed44.6%

18.4K passed, 14.8K failed, 33.1K total

How Pembroke Dock compares

Pembroke Dock
57.9%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+9.2 pp

Pembroke Dock 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 Pembroke Dock ranks among 323 centres

Top 23%
Pembroke Dock ranks higher than 77% of UK car test centres
Rank
#74
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 5.3 pp
Male58.2%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female52.9%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults3.2%
198 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
12 weeks
Moderate demand
Weekly capacity
~86
estimated test slots per week
Trend
stable
availability direction

Wait times at Pembroke Dock have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is achievable but not immediate: learners booking at Pembroke Dock typically wait around 12 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Pembroke Dock
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

The Captain Superintendents Building
Royal Dockyard
Pembroke Dock
SA72 6TD
Wales

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

Tests offered at Pembroke Dock

  • 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 SA72 6TD, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Drivers booked at Pembroke Dock report to a DVSA centre in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire. The car routes used here are drawn from the streets the centre's examiners drive every week, so the test reflects local conditions rather than a generic syllabus. 33.1K tests through 2017-18-2024-25 puts Pembroke Dock in the comfortable middle of the volume distribution. The pass rate moves with real signal, not noise.

By raw pass rate Pembroke Dock sits at 57.9%, with the DVSA's national car average over the same window running at 48.7%. The gap (9.2 points clear of the UK figure) places the centre at rank #74 of 323, inside the top quarter of the country's car test centres. Across 1.1K first-attempt tests, Pembroke Dock passes 56.8% of candidates, against 49% nationally. The centre is a relatively forgiving venue for a first booking, by the DVSA's own data.

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
Wales
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
pembroke-dock

What learners should know about Pembroke Dock

  • Pembroke Dock passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the routes (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
  • First-time pass rate of 56.8% at Pembroke Dock 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.
  • Practising the test routes is the single thing that most reliably moves a candidate's pass odds. Most ADI instructors in Pembroke Dock will have a working knowledge of which routes Pembroke Dock uses.
  • Book through the official DVSA service (gov.uk/book-driving-test). Third-party "fast-track" sites charge a premium for the same booking; the DVSA's own cancellation feed is free.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Pembroke Dock

Ten minutes early is the right target at Pembroke Dock. Parking differs between DVSA centres, so it pays to scout the route on the DVSA centre finder the day before. Demand sits at moderate with a modelled wait of about 12 weeks, which generally leaves more room to choose a date. Bring the provisional photocard licence, the examiner checks for it first, and make sure your car is roadworthy with L plates and a working interior mirror.

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 pair of vehicle-safety questions, one show-me, one tell-me, then the examiner joins you for the road section. 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 a third of candidates get 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.

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; 57.9% of candidates at Pembroke Dock currently clear that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Pembroke Dock?
The current pass rate at Pembroke Dock driving test centre is 57.9%, calculated from 2.1K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 56.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 55.4% (from 33.1K tests).
Is Pembroke Dock an easy or hard test centre?
Pembroke Dock is ranked #74 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 57.9% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Centres with calmer suburban or rural routes tend to sit higher, while busy urban sites with tight junctions and multi-lane roundabouts usually sit lower.
How does Pembroke Dock compare to the UK average?
Pembroke Dock's pass rate is 9.2 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Pembroke Dock 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 Pembroke Dock each year?
Pembroke Dock has recorded 33.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 18.4K passed and 14.8K failed. See the yearly trend chart above to track how test volume and pass rate have shifted over recent reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Pembroke Dock?
The closest DVSA test centres to Pembroke Dock are Pembroke Dock (78.1%), Cardigan (49.8%), Aberporth (76.7%) and Carmarthen (54.4%). Of these, Pembroke Dock, Aberporth have higher current pass rates than Pembroke Dock's 57.9%. Cardigan, Carmarthen 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 Pembroke Dock?
Pembroke Dock currently sees moderate demand with an estimated wait of around 12 weeks. 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 Pembroke Dock and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Pembroke Dock 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 Pembroke Dock?
The estimated wait at Pembroke Dock is around 12 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 33.1K 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.