Car Test Centre, England

Southall (London) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BSouthallUB1 1PSModerate

Southall (London) in Southall, England has a current pass rate of 46.2%, 2.5 points below the UK average of 48.7%. This page breaks down the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, the waiting time and how it compares with the rest of the UK, all from the DVSA quarterly data.

Pass rate (2024-25)
46.2%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
6.5K
2024-25
National rank
#250
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
43.2%
below UK avg

DVSA data last updated July 2026

Compare and decide

Southall (London) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 23%, rank #250 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Isleworth (Fleming Way), about 3.6 miles away.

Isleworth (Fleming Way)Best nearby
3.6 mi away
51.8%
+5.6 pp

Pass vs fail at a glance

46.2%passed
failed53.8%

All-time 29.0K passed, 42.1K failed, 71.1K total

How Southall (London) compares

Southall (London)
46.2%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-2.5 pp

The 2.5-point gap at Southall (London) (ranked 250 of 323 in its category) is real but small; local route familiarity moves your odds more than the venue does.

Where Southall (London) ranks among 323 centres

Bottom 23%
Southall (London) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#250
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Since 2017-18 the rate at Southall (London) has risen from 39.4% to 46.2%, a 6.8-point gain, peaking at 46.2% in 2024-25.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 6.6 pp
Male43.7%
0%UK avg 52.0%100%
Female37.1%
0%UK avg 48.0%100%
Zero faults0.6%
228 candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Waiting time at Southall (London)

Median wait, booking to test
16.4 weeks
What the typical learner who tested here had waited
Weeks to 10% availability
24 weeks
The older headline measure
Window appointments free
4.1%
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 Southall (London) in May 2026 had waited 16.4 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

295 Allenby Road
Southall
UB1 2HD
England

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

Tests offered at Southall (London)

  • 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 UB1 2HD, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Drivers booked at Southall (London) report to a DVSA centre in Southall, Greater London, postcode UB1 1PS. 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. Volume is not the issue at Southall (London). 71.1K tests sit on the record across 2017-18-2024-25, so the trend line below reflects real movement, not sample noise.

By raw pass rate Southall (London) sits at 46.2%, with the DVSA's national car average over the same window running at 48.7%. The gap (2.5 points below the UK figure) places the centre at rank #250 of 323, inside the bottom quarter of the country's car test centres. Southall (London) is one of the tougher venues for a first attempt. The DVSA reports 43.2% first-time pass against a UK average of 49%, 5.8 points down on the national figure.

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.

What learners should know about Southall (London)

  • Southall (London) 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.
  • 71.1K tests through this centre over the published window. At that throughput, competition for short-notice slots is constant, so make a habit of checking the official booking page often.
  • Practising the roads around the centre is the preparation that most reliably pays off. Most ADI instructors in Southall will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
  • Book through the official DVSA service (gov.uk/book-driving-test). Third-party "fast-track" sites charge a premium for the same booking; the official DVSA booking service is free.

Other test centres nearby

On the day at Southall (London)

Plan to arrive at Southall (London) about ten minutes before your slot. Parking varies between DVSA centres, so check the route and the surrounding streets on the DVSA centre finder (postcode UB1 1PS) a day or two ahead. With demand running very high here and waits near 24 to 28 weeks, it is worth holding any earlier cancellation slot you are offered. Bring your provisional photocard licence; the examiner will not start without it, and you will need a roadworthy car with L plates and a working interior mirror. If Yeading (London) is fully booked, Southall (London) is the next closest centre, roughly 2 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.

Results come immediately on return to the centre. The examiner talks you through any faults marked, prints the DL25 feedback form, and (if you passed) takes your provisional licence so the full one can be issued by post. A pass needs no more than 15 driving faults and zero serious or dangerous faults, the standard 46.2% of candidates at Southall (London) meet under current DVSA marking. First-time candidates pass less often than the headline suggests, 43.2% versus 46.2% overall, so a first booking is worth preparing thoroughly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Southall (London)?
The current pass rate at Southall (London) driving test centre is 46.2%, calculated from 6.5K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 43.2%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 40.8% (from 71.1K tests).
Is Southall (London) an easy or hard test centre?
Southall (London) is ranked #250 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 46.2% 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 Southall (London) compare to the UK average?
Southall (London)'s pass rate is 2.5 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. The 2.5-point gap at Southall (London) (ranked 250 of 323 in its category) is real but small; local route familiarity moves your odds more than the venue does.
How many driving tests does Southall (London) record?
Southall (London) has recorded 71.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 29.0K passed and 42.1K 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 Southall (London)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Southall (London) are Yeading (London) (46.9%), Greenford (Horsenden Lane) (40.5%), Isleworth (Fleming Way) (51.8%) and Pinner (London) (50.3%). Of these, Yeading (London), Isleworth (Fleming Way), Pinner (London) have higher current pass rates than Southall (London)'s 46.2%. Greenford (Horsenden Lane) sits 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 Southall (London)?
Southall (London) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of about 24 to 28 weeks. Across the UK, 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 Southall (London) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Southall (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 Southall (London)?
In the latest DVSA figures (May 2026), the median learner who took their test at Southall (London) had waited about 16.4 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 4.1% 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.