Stranraer Driving Test Centre
Stranraer in Stranraer, Scotland has a current pass rate of 67.6%, 18.9 points above 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.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Stranraer sits in the top 10% of UK car pass rates nationally (Top 5%, rank #15 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Campbeltown, about 42.6 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 2.7K passed, 1.6K failed, 4.3K total
How Stranraer compares
The 18.9-point gap in candidates' favour at Stranraer (ranked 15 of 323 in its category) is among the wider spreads in the network, consistent with quieter local roads rather than any difference in how examiners mark.
Where Stranraer ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
The direction of travel here is upward: Stranraer has added 9.6 points since 2017-18, from 63.8% to 73.4%, with its strongest year at 73.4% in 2024-25.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Stranraer
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Stranraer in May 2026 had waited 17.4 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
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Stranraer
- Car
Accessibility & facilities
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 DG9 8EH, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Of the DVSA car centres across Scotland, Stranraer is the one covering Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway and the surrounding DG9 7RT area. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. Volume here sits at 4.3K over 2017-18-2024-25. That's the territory where a noisy quarter can shift the rate by two or three percentage points, so read the trend chart in context rather than reacting to any single bar.
If you've been told Stranraer is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 67.6% is 18.9 points clear of the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #15 out of 323. 65.1% of first-timers pass at Stranraer, 16.1 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.
What learners should know about Stranraer
- Stranraer passes higher than the UK average, but the marking sheet is identical to every other DVSA centre. The bias is in the local road mix (less traffic, simpler junction geometry); the standard is national.
- 65.1% of first-timers pass at Stranraer, so the centre is on the forgiving side. If your instructor is signing you off as test-ready, your own preparation matters far more than the venue.
- Practising the roads around the centre is the preparation that most reliably pays off. Most ADI instructors in Stranraer will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Stranraer, cancellations appear on the official DVSA booking service throughout the day. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for the best chance of catching one.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Stranraer
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Stranraer, and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder (postcode DG9 7RT) shows the exact location. Modelled waits here sit around 4 to 8 weeks at low demand, which tends to mean less competition for a date that suits you. You must have your provisional photocard licence on you, plus a car with L plates and a working interior mirror for the examiner. If Girvan is fully booked, Stranraer is the next closest centre, roughly 24 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 you a tell-me safety question, then sits in for the drive, with one show-me question while you are driving. 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 seven 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 DVSA marking nationally, the fault recorded most often on car tests is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.
You will know the result before you leave Stranraer. 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 67.6% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Stranraer?
Is Stranraer an easy or hard test centre?
How does Stranraer compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Stranraer record?
Which driving test centres are near Stranraer?
When is the best time to book a test at Stranraer?
How do I book a test at Stranraer and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Stranraer?
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.