Ullapool Driving Test Centre
Ullapool in Ullapool currently passes 62.6% of tests, 13.9 points above 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
Ullapool sits in the top quarter of car pass rates nationally (Top 11%, rank #34 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Gairloch, about 22.7 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 635 passed, 379 failed, 1.0K total
How Ullapool compares
The 13.9-point gap in candidates' favour at Ullapool (ranked 34 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 Ullapool ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Since 2017-18 the rate at Ullapool has risen from 59% to 74.6%, a 15.6-point gain, peaking at 78.4% in 2021-22.
Pass rate by demographic
Estimated wait time and demand
Booking is comparatively quick: on this estimate, learners booking at Ullapool would typically wait around 4 to 8 weeks from booking to test day.
This wait is an estimate modelled from regional demand and this centre's test volume, not a live booking figure. See how it is worked out on our methodology page, and check the DVSA booking service for live slots.
Centre details
Address
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Ullapool
- 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 IV26 2UW, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Ullapool is one of the DVSA's car test sites in Scotland, located in Ullapool, Highland at IV26 2UG. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. Volume here sits at 1.0K 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.
Ullapool passes higher than most. At 62.6% versus a UK average of 48.7%, it ranks #34 of 323 car centres, the top quarter of the network. The DVSA's first-attempt figure for Ullapool sits at 62.8%, 13.8 points clear of the 49% UK average. The gap is wide enough to matter when you're deciding which local centre to book.
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 Ullapool
- Don't read a higher pass rate as a softer test. Ullapool's rate reflects route geography more than examiner discretion, DVSA marking is centrally trained. Prepare for the same fault categories you'd prepare for anywhere.
- 62.8% of first-timers pass at Ullapool, 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 Ullapool will know the road types and junctions learners commonly meet near the centre.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Ullapool, 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 Ullapool
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Ullapool, and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder (postcode IV26 2UG) 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 Gairloch is fully booked, Ullapool is the next closest centre, roughly 23 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 Ullapool. 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 62.6% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Ullapool?
Is Ullapool an easy or hard test centre?
How does Ullapool compare to the UK average?
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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.