PassRates.uk
Car Test Centre, England

Sidcup (London) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BSidcupDA14 6FJHigh pass rate

The Sidcup (London) driving test centre is located in Sidcup, England (DA14 6FJ). 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)
59%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
12.8K
2024-25
National rank
#61
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
59.8%
above UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

59%passed
failed50.3%

52.1K passed, 52.7K failed, 104.8K total

How Sidcup (London) compares

Sidcup (London)
59%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
+10.3 pp

Sidcup (London) 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 Sidcup (London) ranks among 323 centres

Top 19%
Sidcup (London) ranks higher than 81% of UK car test centres
Rank
#61
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 6.3 pp
Male52.8%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female46.5%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults3%
1.2K candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
26 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~273
estimated test slots per week
Trend
worsening
availability direction

Wait times at Sidcup (London) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Sidcup (London) typically wait around 26 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Sidcup
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

2 Crayside
Five Arches Business Estate
Maidstone Road
Sidcup
DA14 5AG
England

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

Tests offered at Sidcup (London)

  • 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 DA14 5AG, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Drivers booked at Sidcup (London) report to a DVSA centre in Sidcup, Greater London, postcode DA14 6FJ. 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. Sidcup (London) runs at high cadence: 104.8K tests across 2017-18-2024-25 put it among the busier DVSA centres in the country. The headline numbers carry weight because the sample carries weight.

By raw pass rate Sidcup (London) sits at 59%, with the DVSA's national car average over the same window running at 48.7%. The gap (10.3 points clear of the UK figure) places the centre at rank #61 of 323, inside the top quarter of the country's car test centres. 59.8% of first-timers pass at Sidcup (London), 10.8 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.

Country
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
sidcup-london

What learners should know about Sidcup (London)

  • Above-average pass rate at Sidcup (London) 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.
  • First-time pass rate of 59.8% at Sidcup (London) 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.
  • Volume at Sidcup (London) 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.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Sidcup (London) routes. Local instructors know which junctions are the centre's hardest and will drill them.
  • 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

Belvedere (London)
57.7K tests, Rank #316
38.3%
Bromley (London)
37.1K tests, Rank #141
51.7%
Erith (London)
13.9K tests, Rank #64
64.6%
Erith (London)
12.4K tests, Rank #176
61.4%
Erith (London)
69.3K tests, Rank #191
49.3%
Driver Training Centre (Hastings)
69 tests, Rank #43
66.7%
See all centres in Sidcup→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Sidcup (London)

Aim to be at Sidcup (London) ten minutes early. Because parking and waiting facilities are not the same at every DVSA centre, check the approach on the DVSA centre finder (postcode DA14 6FJ) before the day. Demand is very high and the modelled wait is close to 26 weeks, so an early booking and a cancellation alert are both worth setting up. The examiner needs to see your provisional photocard licence to begin, and the car you bring must be roadworthy, fitted with L plates and a working interior mirror. If Belvedere (London) is fully booked, Sidcup (London) is the next closest centre, roughly 4 miles away.

The practical lasts about 40 minutes and uses the standard DVSA format nationwide. After an eyesight check at 20 metres and one show-me and one tell-me question, the examiner sits in for the drive. Roughly 20 minutes of that is independent driving, either following a sat nav set by the examiner or following road signs, and you will complete one of four set manoeuvres; about one in three tests includes an emergency stop. 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 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 Sidcup (London). 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 59% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Sidcup (London)?
The current pass rate at Sidcup (London) driving test centre is 59%, calculated from 12.8K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 59.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 49.7% (from 104.8K tests).
Is Sidcup (London) an easy or hard test centre?
Sidcup (London) is ranked #61 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 59% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Higher pass rates often correlate with quieter rural or suburban routes; lower rates with dense urban centres featuring complex junctions and multi-lane roundabouts.
How does Sidcup (London) compare to the UK average?
Sidcup (London)'s pass rate is 10.3 percentage points above the UK national average of 48.7%. Sidcup (London) 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 Sidcup (London) each year?
Sidcup (London) has recorded 104.8K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 52.1K passed and 52.7K 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 Sidcup (London)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Sidcup (London) are Belvedere (London) (38.3%), Bromley (London) (51.7%), Erith (London) (64.6%) and Erith (London) (61.4%). Of these, Erith (London), Erith (London) have higher current pass rates than Sidcup (London)'s 59%. Belvedere (London), Bromley (London) 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 Sidcup (London)?
Sidcup (London) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of around 26 weeks. Waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. A flexible test date helps: booking into a quieter month often shortens the wait and opens up more available slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Sidcup (London) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Sidcup (London) 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 Sidcup (London)?
The estimated wait at Sidcup (London) is around 26 weeks (very high 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 104.8K 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.