Sunderland Driving Test Centre
Sunderland in Sunderland currently passes 47.1% of tests, 1.6 points below the UK average of 48.7%. The sections below cover the year-by-year trend, who passes most often, how long learners wait, and how it stacks up against neighbouring centres.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Sunderland sits in the bottom half of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 28%, rank #233 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Hartlepool, about 16.7 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 55.5K passed, 66.9K failed, 122.5K total
How Sunderland compares
Sunderland is 1.6 points behind the national figure and ranked 233 of 323 in its category, a difference most candidates will not feel on the day.
Where Sunderland ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Since 2017-18 the rate at Sunderland has risen from 43.9% to 47.1%, a 3.2-point gain, peaking at 47.1% in 2024-25.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Sunderland
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 21 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Sunderland in May 2026 had waited 9.4 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 Sunderland
- car
- ADI part 2
- ADI part 3
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 SR5 3JJ, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Sunderland is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in Sunderland, North East. 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. 122.5K 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.
Sunderland runs close to the national curve: 47.1% pass rate, 1.6 points below the UK average of 48.7%. The rank is #233 of 323 car centres. 49.1% first-attempt pass at Sunderland, UK is 49%. The two numbers move together; whatever edge or drag the centre has on overall pass rate doesn't show up at the first-attempt level.
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 Sunderland
- Pass rate at Sunderland sits close to the UK average. Prepare for an ordinary level of difficulty: examiners apply the standard DVSA marking sheet, and the routes are a representative mix of local conditions.
- 122.5K 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.
- If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Sunderland area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Sunderland, 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 Sunderland
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Sunderland, and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder shows the exact location. This is a high-demand centre, modelled at roughly 14 to 18 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. If Gateshead is fully booked, Sunderland is the next closest centre, roughly 10 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 seven tests includes an emergency stop, a frequency the DVSA reduced in late 2025. 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.
The result is given immediately when you get back. Whatever the outcome, the examiner reads through the marked faults and prints your DL25 feedback form; pass and they take the provisional licence to trigger your full one by post. The threshold is the national one, 15 driving faults at most and zero serious or dangerous, which 47.1% of Sunderland's candidates reach right now.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Sunderland?
Is Sunderland an easy or hard test centre?
How does Sunderland compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Sunderland record?
Which driving test centres are near Sunderland?
When is the best time to book a test at Sunderland?
How do I book a test at Sunderland and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Sunderland?
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.