Car Test Centre, Scotland

Pitlochry Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BPitlochryPH16 5BXHigh pass rate

The Pitlochry driving test centre is located in Pitlochry, Scotland (PH16 5BX). 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)
66.6%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
1.3K
2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume)
National rank
#20
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
67.9%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

66.6%passed
failed33.4%

881 passed, 441 failed, 1.3K total

How Pitlochry compares

Pitlochry
66.6%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+17.9 pp

Pitlochry performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.

Where Pitlochry ranks among 323 centres

Top 6%
Pitlochry ranks higher than 94% of UK car test centres
Rank
#20
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 9.6 pp
Male71.8%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female62.2%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults5.4%
72 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
7 weeks
Lower demand
Weekly capacity
~10
estimated test slots per week
Trend
stable
availability direction

Wait times at Pitlochry have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is comparatively quick: learners booking at Pitlochry typically wait around 7 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Pitlochry
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 Hall
West Moulin Road
Pitlochry
PH16 5EA
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Pitlochry

  • 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 PH16 5EA, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Pitlochry is one of the DVSA's car test sites in Scotland, located in Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross at PH16 5BX. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. 1.3K tests across 2016-17-2024-25, a workable sample but on the lighter side. Single-period swings can look dramatic without actually meaning much, the multi-year aggregate is the more honest number.

Pitlochry passes higher than most. At 66.6% versus a UK average of 48.7%, it ranks #20 of 323 car centres, the top ten percent of the network. First-attempt pass rate at Pitlochry: 67.9%, against 49% nationally. That's a 18.9-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
pitlochry

What learners should know about Pitlochry

  • Above-average pass rate at Pitlochry 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.
  • 67.9% of first-timers pass at Pitlochry. If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, that figure is a fair guide, the centre isn't the variable, your preparation is.
  • Ask any instructor working Pitlochry 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 Pitlochry, the DVSA's official cancellation pool refreshes constantly. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for better odds.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Pitlochry

Turn up at Pitlochry 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 (postcode PH16 5BX). At low demand and roughly 7 weeks' wait, getting a date that works for you is usually straightforward. 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 Aberfeldy is fully booked, Pitlochry is the next closest centre, roughly 8 miles away.

The test runs for around 40 minutes and follows the same DVSA format used at every centre. The examiner checks your eyesight at 20 metres, asks one show-me and one tell-me question, then sits in for the drive. About 20 minutes of it is independent driving, either following a sat nav the examiner sets up or following road signs to a named place. You will do one of four set manoeuvres, and roughly one in three candidates is asked to perform 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 Pitlochry. 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 66.6% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Pitlochry?
The current pass rate at Pitlochry driving test centre is 66.6%, calculated from 1.3K tests in 2007-08 to 2024-25 (lifetime, low volume). The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 67.9%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 66.6% (from 1.3K tests).
Is Pitlochry an easy or hard test centre?
Pitlochry is ranked #20 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 66.6% 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 Pitlochry compare to the UK average?
Pitlochry's pass rate is 17.9 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Pitlochry performs well above the UK average. Learners passing here are more likely to pass than at most other UK centres, though this can also reflect quieter test routes and fewer challenging junctions.
How many tests are taken at Pitlochry each year?
Pitlochry has recorded 1.3K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 881 passed and 441 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 Pitlochry?
The closest DVSA test centres to Pitlochry are Aberfeldy (51.9%), Crieff (61.3%), Perth (Arran Road) (65.5%) and Perth (Arran Road) (46%). Pitlochry's 66.6% is the highest current pass rate among them. Aberfeldy, Crieff, Perth (Arran Road), Perth (Arran Road) 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 Pitlochry?
Pitlochry currently sees low demand with an estimated wait of around 7 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 Pitlochry and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Pitlochry 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 Pitlochry?
The estimated wait at Pitlochry is around 7 weeks (low 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 1.3K 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.