Car Test Centre, Scotland

Stirling Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BStirlingFK8 2DDTougher than average

The Stirling driving test centre is located in Stirling, Scotland (FK8 2DD). 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)
38.7%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
4.1K
2024-25
National rank
#313
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
37.8%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

38.7%passed
failed55.9%

26.1K passed, 33.0K failed, 59.1K total

How Stirling compares

Stirling
38.7%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-10 pp

Stirling has a markedly lower pass rate than the UK average. This is typical of busy urban centres with complex routes, be prepared for multi-lane roundabouts, traffic and tight manoeuvring.

Where Stirling ranks among 323 centres

Top 4%
Stirling sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#313
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 4.8 pp
Male46.6%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female41.8%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults1.2%
237 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
14 weeks
High demand
Weekly capacity
~154
estimated test slots per week
Trend
stable
availability direction

Wait times at Stirling have remained broadly stable through recent reporting periods. Booking is achievable but not immediate: learners booking at Stirling typically wait around 14 weeks from booking to test day.

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

Government Buildings
2 St Ninians Road
Stirling
FK8 2HF
Scotland

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

Tests offered at Stirling

  • 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 FK8 2HF, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Stirling is one of the DVSA's car test sites in Scotland, located in Stirling at FK8 2DD. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 59.1K tests over 2017-18-2024-25 is large enough that any rounding you see between sites is just rounding, not disagreement on the underlying data.

Stirling is not where the easier car tests happen. The 38.7% pass rate sits 10 points below the UK average of 48.7%, putting the centre #313 of 323 nationally. First-attempt figure: 37.8%. UK first-attempt average: 49%. Stirling runs 11.2 points behind, candidates who succeed here on the first try are usually the ones who've driven the local routes specifically.

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
stirling

What learners should know about Stirling

  • A lower pass rate at Stirling usually means specific local junctions or routes that catch out candidates trained elsewhere. Book route-familiarisation lessons with an instructor who works this centre, not one who covers a different patch.
  • 37.8% first-time pass at Stirling means roughly six in ten first-timers fail and rebook. Plan for that possibility: keep your insurance going, don't return the L-plates after the test.
  • Stirling is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA cancellation feed daily for earlier slots rather than relying on the headline available date.
  • Ask any instructor working Stirling 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 Stirling, 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 Stirling

Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Stirling, and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder (postcode FK8 2DD) shows the exact location. This is a high-demand centre, modelled at roughly 14 weeks to a slot, so book as far ahead as you can and keep an eye on cancellations. You must have your provisional photocard licence on you, plus a car with L plates and a working interior mirror for the examiner.

Expect about 40 minutes once you set off, to the same national DVSA script. It opens with an eyesight check at 20 metres and one show-me plus one tell-me question, after which the examiner rides along for the drive. Around 20 minutes of that is independent driving, guided either by a sat nav the examiner provides or by road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and a one-in-three chance of 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.

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 38.7% of candidates at Stirling meet under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Stirling?
The current pass rate at Stirling driving test centre is 38.7%, calculated from 4.1K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 37.8%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 44.1% (from 59.1K tests).
Is Stirling an easy or hard test centre?
Stirling is ranked #313 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 38.7% 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 Stirling compare to the UK average?
Stirling's pass rate is 10 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Stirling has a markedly lower pass rate than the UK average. This is typical of busy urban centres with complex routes, be prepared for multi-lane roundabouts, traffic and tight manoeuvring.
How many tests are taken at Stirling each year?
Stirling has recorded 59.1K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 26.1K passed and 33.0K 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 Stirling?
The closest DVSA test centres to Stirling are Stirling (73.3%), Grangemouth (46.4%), Grangemouth (79.2%) and Airdrie (41.3%). Of these, Stirling, Grangemouth, Grangemouth, Airdrie have higher current pass rates than Stirling's 38.7%. 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 Stirling?
Stirling currently sees high demand with an estimated wait of around 14 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 Stirling and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Stirling 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 Stirling?
The estimated wait at Stirling is around 14 weeks (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 59.1K 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.