What is the UK driving test pass rate?

The UK average pass rate for the Category B (car) practical driving test is around 48%, though it varies significantly between test centres, from roughly 35% at the hardest urban centres to over 65% at the easiest rural ones.

Which UK driving test centre has the highest pass rate?

Small rural test centres (particularly in Scotland and the Scottish Islands) consistently show the highest pass rates, often above 65%. Lerwick in Shetland leads the UK at around 68.5%.

Where does the data come from?

All statistics come from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) quarterly statistical release on GOV.UK. The dataset is released under the Open Government Licence and is updated automatically each quarter.

Does PassRates.uk show motorcycle and HGV pass rates?

Yes. The data covers the Category B (car) practical test, motorcycle Module 1 and Module 2 tests, and heavy-vehicle (LGV/HGV) tests for every UK test centre.

England, Driving test centres

Driving Test Pass Rates in Cowling

Cowling has 1 DVSA driving test centre with a volume-weighted average pass rate of 52.5% 4.5 pp above the UK national average of 48%. The full ranking, gender split, first-time pass rate and centre-by-centre data is below.

Centres

in Cowling

Avg pass rate

52.5%

+4.5 pp vs UK

UK average

48%

national benchmark

Total tests

9.7K

lifetime, all centres

About Cowling

Cowling is a English city served by a single of 1 DVSA practical driving test centre. Together, these centres have processed 9.7K tests on record, every result tracked here is sourced from the DVSA's quarterly statistical release and aggregated to give a like-for-like view of how each centre performs.

As a whole, Cowling runs slightly ahead of the UK average. The city-wide pass rate of 52.5% is 4.5 percentage points above the UK figure of 48%, suggesting modestly favourable test conditions overall.

Chorley is the only centre in Cowling, with a current pass rate of 52.5%. Whether you're booking your first attempt or a retest, taking lessons on the actual Cowling test routes, not just generic local roads, is the single biggest preparation lever available to candidates here.

Cowling vs the UK average

Cowling

volume-weighted average

52.5%

+4.5 pp vs UK

UK 48%

0%25%50%75%100%

Cowling above the UK average pass rate by 4.5 percentage points. Pass rates in Cowling sit close to the UK norm, expect a typical level of difficulty.

Easiest & hardest centres in Cowling

Highest pass rate

Chorley

9.7K tests, #126

52.5%

Pass rate by gender across Cowling

Male pass rate

52.9%

weighted city average

Female pass rate

52%

weighted city average

Across Cowling's test centres, men pass at 52.9% and women at 52% a gender gap of 0.9 percentage points in favour of male candidates. Across the UK, the gap is around 5 percentage points on average.

All test centres in Cowling

Chorley

9.7K tests, Car, National rank #126

About these statistics

Pass rates shown above are aggregated across all available years of DVSA quarterly statistical data for each centre. Rates are volume-weighted across the city, larger centres carry proportionally more weight than smaller ones. Centres with fewer than 500 tests on record are flagged as low-sample to avoid statistically noisy comparisons. Always factor in your own preparation, instructor recommendations, and route familiarity, pass rates are a useful signal, not a guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How many driving test centres are in Cowling?

There are 1 DVSA driving test centre in Cowling, England.

What is the average driving test pass rate in Cowling?

Across the 1 test centre in Cowling, the volume-weighted average pass rate is 52.5%, compared to a UK national average of 48%. That puts Cowling above the UK average by 4.5 percentage points.

Which is the easiest driving test centre in Cowling?

Chorley currently has the highest pass rate in Cowling at 52.5%, based on 9.7K recorded tests.

Which is the hardest driving test centre in Cowling?

There isn't a clear "hardest" centre in Cowling, the pass rates between centres are too close to call.

Which Cowling centre has the best first-time pass rate?

Chorley has the highest first-time pass rate in Cowling at 54.6%. First-time pass rate measures the percentage of candidates who pass on their first attempt, a useful indicator of difficulty for new candidates.

How do I book a driving test in Cowling?

All UK driving tests are booked via the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test. You'll need your provisional licence number, a theory test pass certificate, and a payment method. Choose any of the centres listed above when selecting your location.

What does a UK driving test cost in Cowling?

The standard DVSA car practical driving test fee in Cowling is £62 on weekdays and £75 on weekends and evenings, the same across all UK test centres. There are no additional location-based fees. Always book through gov.uk to avoid third-party markups.

Is the pass rate higher at smaller centres in Cowling?

Not always. Smaller centres in Cowling can show higher percentages but also fluctuate more year to year because of small sample sizes, centres with fewer than 500 tests on record are flagged as "Low sample" above. Volume-weighted averages give a fairer picture.

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Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government License v3.0. 5.1K passes recorded across 1 Cowling centre. Last refreshed 2026-05-01.