UK Driving Test Statistics 2024 to 2025

#Pass rate

The overall UK Category B pass rate sat at around 48% across 2024-2025. The figure has been stable within a 47% to 49% band for over a decade, with brief upward spikes during pandemic recovery years when test volume crashed.

First-time pass rate runs slightly lower at 47%, while the gap between best and worst centres has widened to nearly 35 percentage points.

#Volume and waiting times

• ~1.9 million practical car tests booked in 2024-2025
• ~570 active driving test centres across the UK
• National average wait time: ~16 weeks, up from ~6 weeks pre-pandemic
• Worst-affected centres: 24+ week waits in parts of London and the South East
• Best-affected centres: 4 to 6 week waits in Scottish islands and rural Wales

#Gender breakdown

Men passed at 51% on average; women at 47%. This roughly 4-point gap has been remarkably consistent over multiple decades. The gap narrows in younger candidates and widens slightly with age.

#Regional variation

• Scotland: average pass rate ~55%, the highest of any UK nation
• Wales: average pass rate ~52%
• Northern Ireland: average pass rate ~52% (different test structure)
• England: average pass rate ~47%, dragged down by London and the Midlands

#Top and bottom centres (illustrative)

The easiest UK centres consistently include Lerwick, Stornoway, and similar Scottish island and Highland locations, with pass rates above 65%. The toughest centres are concentrated in Greater London, Birmingham, and Greater Manchester, with pass rates as low as 30 to 35%.

#Test fees and revenue

Test fees alone generated roughly £140 million in 2024-2025 across all categories. The average learner pays for 1.7 practical attempts before passing, contributing to the per-pass cost gap between best-prepared and average candidates.

#Year-on-year trends

• Pass rate stable, ~48%
• Test volume up 4% versus 2023-2024
• Wait times up slightly versus 2023-2024
• Automatic share up to ~22% of all car tests, from ~18% the year before
• Female test share up to ~46%, the highest on record

#What the trends mean for learners

The combination of long waits and stable pass rates means choosing a centre and preparing thoroughly matters more, not less, than five years ago. A failed test is not just £62 lost, it is up to four months added to the journey to a full licence.