Wanstead (London) Driving Test Centre
Wanstead (London) in Wanstead records a 40.4% pass rate against a UK average of 48.7%, with a median wait of 17.3 weeks. This page covers the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, and a like-for-like comparison with other centres.
DVSA data last updated July 2026
Wanstead (London) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 6%, rank #304 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Enfield (Innova Business Park), about 7.3 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 39.3K passed, 72.5K failed, 111.8K total
How Wanstead (London) compares
Wanstead (London) sits 8.3 points under the national average, ranked 304 of 323 in its category. Routes here are likely more demanding than at rural centres; extra time on the local roads pays back directly.
Where Wanstead (London) ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Since 2017-18 the rate at Wanstead (London) has risen from 33.4% to 40.4%, a 7-point gain, peaking at 40.4% in 2024-25.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Wanstead (London)
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 24 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Wanstead (London) in May 2026 had waited 17.3 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 Wanstead (London)
- car
- 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 E11 2AW, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Of the DVSA car centres across England, Wanstead (London) is the one covering Wanstead, Greater London and the surrounding E11 2RJ area. The routes are built around the roads the centre's examiners can reach inside the test's time budget. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 111.8K 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.
If you've been told Wanstead (London) is "an easy centre" or "a hard one", the data won't fully back that. 40.4% is 8.3 points below the UK car average of 48.7%, which is rank #304 out of 323. Across 4.0K first attempts, the pass rate at Wanstead (London) is 39.3%, against 49% nationally. Booking your first test here is doable, but it's worth a few lessons around the centre before the date.
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 Wanstead (London)
- Wanstead (London) is in the lower tier of pass rates nationally. That isn't an indictment of the examiners, it reflects road layout, traffic density, and route mix. Prepare specifically for the centre, not generically.
- 39.3% first-time pass at Wanstead (London) means roughly 6 in ten first-timers fail and rebook. Plan for that possibility: keep your insurance going, don't return the L-plates after the test.
- Wanstead (London) is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA booking service daily for earlier slots rather than relying on the headline available date.
- Ask any instructor working Wanstead (London) 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 Wanstead (London), 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 Wanstead (London)
Arrive at Wanstead (London) with about ten minutes to spare and know your parking options in advance, they vary site to site across the DVSA network. The DVSA centre finder (postcode E11 2RJ) maps the centre and its surroundings. With very high demand and waits near 24 to 28 weeks, take any earlier slot the booking service offers rather than holding out. Don't set off without your provisional photocard licence; the test cannot start without it, and your car needs L plates and a working interior mirror. If Chingford (London) is fully booked, Wanstead (London) is the next closest centre, roughly 4 miles away.
Plan for a drive of roughly 40 minutes, identical in structure to every other DVSA centre. First comes the 20-metre eyesight check and a tell-me vehicle-safety question, then the examiner joins you for the road section, with one show-me question while you drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving by sat nav or by following signs to a named target, you tackle one of four set manoeuvres, and around one in seven candidates get 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 DVSA marking nationally, the fault recorded most often on car tests is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.
You find out there and then, back at Wanstead (London). The examiner runs through the faults on the DL25 feedback form and, on a pass, keeps your provisional licence so a full licence follows in the post. Clearing the test means staying under 16 driving faults, that is 15 or fewer, with no serious or dangerous fault; 40.4% of candidates here manage it on the current marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Wanstead (London)?
Is Wanstead (London) an easy or hard test centre?
How does Wanstead (London) compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Wanstead (London) record?
Which driving test centres are near Wanstead (London)?
When is the best time to book a test at Wanstead (London)?
How do I book a test at Wanstead (London) and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Wanstead (London)?
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.