Norris Green (Liverpool) Driving Test Centre Pass Rate 2024-25
Norris Green driving test centre returned a 38.7% pass rate in 2024-25 on 13,265 practical car tests, placing it 10.0 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. The figure marks a partial recovery from the centre's 2023-24 low of 36.3%, the worst result in the seven years of DVSA published data for this location. One feature of the 2024-25 data stands out against the national pattern: female candidates at Norris Green passed at 40.0%, outperforming male candidates at 37.6%, a reversal of the UK-wide norm where men typically pass at marginally higher rates than women.
- Pass rate 2024-25
- 38.7%on 13,265 tests at Norris Green
- Below UK average
- -10.0ppnational average 48.7%, 2024-25
- Female pass rate
- 40.0%females outperform males at this centre
- First-time rate
- 38.6%5,297 first-attempt candidates 2024-25
- Year-on-year change
- +2.4pppartial recovery from 2023-24 low of 36.3%
The 2024-25 result in context
At 38.7%, Norris Green sits 10.0 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7% for 2024-25. That is a large gap by any measure: most centres within 5 percentage points of the national average are described as roughly typical, and a 10-point deficit places Norris Green well into the lower tier of high-confidence centres. The 13,265 tests conducted in 2024-25 represent the largest test volume at this location in the seven years of DVSA published data, and the sample is large enough that the headline figure is statistically stable. The 95% confidence interval is approximately plus or minus 0.8 percentage points either side of 38.7%, meaning the centre's below-average performance is not attributable to a thin or unrepresentative sample.
Liverpool's other practical test location, Speke, returned 38.6% in 2024-25 on 6,986 tests, a figure within 0.1 percentage points of Norris Green. The two Liverpool-area centres are statistically indistinguishable on the headline rate, and both sit around 10 percentage points below the national average. This alignment suggests the below-average result reflects something broadly consistent across the Liverpool test environment, rather than a local issue specific to Norris Green. Urban density, traffic conditions, and the candidate pool characteristics of a major northern city all contribute to the pattern.
Pass rate history at Norris Green
The pass rate at Norris Green has declined substantially over the seven years of available DVSA data. The centre recorded 43.7% in 2017-18, at the time 4 to 5 percentage points below the national average of that year. By 2019-20 the rate had fallen to 40.2%, and the pandemic-interrupted 2021-22 result of 41.1% represented a brief partial recovery rather than a sustained improvement. The downward trend resumed in 2022-23 (38.2%) and accelerated to a seven-year low of 36.3% in 2023-24, a full 7.4 percentage point fall from the 2017-18 opening figure. The 2024-25 result of 38.7% is the first year-on-year increase in three years, though it still leaves the centre below its 2019-20 position.
Male and female pass rates at Norris Green
The gender split at Norris Green in 2024-25 inverts the usual UK pattern. Female candidates passed at 40.0% on 6,093 tests, outperforming male candidates who passed at 37.6% on 7,172 tests, a gap of 2.4 percentage points in favour of women. Nationally in 2024-25, male candidates passed at 49.5% and female candidates at 47.6%, a 1.9 percentage point advantage for men. The reversal at Norris Green is notable: both groups are substantially below their national equivalents, but the relative position of the two is the opposite of what the national figures would predict. With both sexes at high test volumes the result is statistically detectable rather than the product of a thin sample.
First-time candidates at Norris Green
The first-time pass rate at Norris Green in 2024-25 was 38.6% from 5,297 first-attempt candidates. The figure is 0.1 percentage points below the overall 38.7% rate, a margin that is effectively the same when rounded to one decimal place. This near-identical result between the overall and first-time figures means the centre's performance is not notably skewed by repeat candidates improving their result across multiple attempts. For candidates approaching their first practical test at Norris Green, the first-time rate of 38.6% is the directly relevant benchmark.
How Norris Green compares to nearby centres
The most striking comparison in the Liverpool area is with Southport, roughly 17 miles to the north. Southport returned 59.2% in 2024-25 on 7,231 tests, a 20.5 percentage point advantage over Norris Green and a result that places it well into the upper tier of UK test centres. The contrast illustrates how much local road environment and demand patterns can influence outcomes: Southport's routes run through lower-density coastal and suburban terrain, while Norris Green's routes traverse the urban north Liverpool road network.
The two other centres within roughly 10 miles of Norris Green show a more compressed range. St Helens, approximately 8 miles to the east, returned 40.2% in 2024-25 on 9,776 tests. Widnes, approximately 10 miles to the south-east, returned 40.1% on 5,673 tests. Together with Speke's 38.6% (6,986 tests), these four centres form a cluster of below-average results in the Merseyside and south Lancashire area, with rates 8 to 10 percentage points below the national average. Candidates with flexibility over centre choice who are willing to travel significantly further will find Southport the standout option in the wider region.
What test routes at Norris Green involve
Norris Green is located in the north of Liverpool, and test routes from the centre cover a road network that includes the residential streets of the Norris Green and Croxteth areas alongside the busier arterial routes that cross north Liverpool. The A580 East Lancashire Road, one of the most heavily used dual carriageway corridors in the north-west of England, is within the test area and presents candidates with the higher-speed, multi-lane driving that is among the most demanding elements of any practical test. The grid of ring roads and radial routes feeding central Liverpool brings significant commercial traffic, bus lanes, and pedestrian crossings into play on the approaches to the city.
Urban north Liverpool presents a concentration of test fault triggers: box junctions, busy roundabouts, signal-controlled crossings with short cycle times, and stretches of road where stopping positions and lane discipline demand consistent attention under live traffic pressure. Many candidates in this area prepare predominantly on the quieter residential streets that make up the bulk of the Norris Green ward, which can leave them less comfortable on the A580 and the heavier cross-city routes that appear on test. The difference in pace and decision frequency between a quiet residential street and a busy arterial road is significant, and candidates who have not practised that transition specifically are more likely to encounter difficulty at those points in their test.
How to prepare for your Norris Green test
- 01Include sessions on the A580 East Lancashire Road
The A580 is a dual carriageway that passes through the north Liverpool test area and is one of the higher-speed, multi-lane roads candidates are likely to encounter. If your current lessons have focused on residential driving, ask your instructor to schedule sessions specifically on this road. Merging, maintaining appropriate speed, and anticipating lane changes under live dual carriageway traffic are skills that need direct practice, not just familiarity with quieter streets. Candidates who have not driven on the A580 before test day are likely to find it the most demanding element of their route.
- 02Practise box junctions and busy crossroads
Urban north Liverpool has several signal-controlled crossroads and box junctions where rules about not blocking the box apply. Entering a box junction incorrectly is a source of serious faults at urban test centres. Spend time with your instructor reviewing the rule: you may only enter if your exit is clear, regardless of whether traffic lights are in your favour. Build the habit of checking the exit before committing. Candidates who have prepared only on residential roads may not have encountered box junctions enough to apply the rule automatically under test pressure.
- 03Build mirror discipline for bus-lane and pedestrian environments
Liverpool's north side has bus lanes on key routes into the city. Driving in or crossing bus lanes without checking mirrors and confirming they are clear during permitted hours is a common source of faults. Similarly, pedestrian crossings with short signal cycles require mirror checks before stopping or moving off. Candidates who develop a consistent mirror routine specific to these road types, rather than relying on the routine they use on residential streets, will be better prepared for the conditions on and around the test routes.
- 04Consider Southport if you can travel further
Southport returned 59.2% in 2024-25 on 7,231 tests, a 20.5 percentage point advantage over Norris Green. If your instructor covers the Southport area and a journey of approximately 17 miles is feasible, it is worth discussing whether the Southport routes suit your current level of preparation. The difference in road environment is significant: Southport's lower-density, coastal-suburban routes tend to produce fewer of the high-pressure junction decisions that typify north Liverpool driving. The gap in pass rates is large enough to be worth factoring into a centre choice if travel is practical.
- 05Book as soon as your instructor advises you are ready
With 13,265 tests conducted in 2024-25, Norris Green is one of the highest-volume centres in the north-west. Wait times at high-demand urban centres can run to several weeks or more, particularly from late summer into autumn. Book as soon as your instructor considers you test-ready and check the DVSA cancellation service regularly if your allocated date is further away than you would like. An earlier test date reduces the risk of skills fading between your last lessons and test day.
“A 38.7% pass rate means that fewer than two in five candidates passes at Norris Green on any given test day. That figure reflects the demands of the urban north Liverpool road environment as much as it reflects candidate preparation. Candidates who understand that difference and train specifically for the A580, the box junctions and the bus-lane routes around the centre are targeting the gap between a 38.7% result and the national average.”
Sources and further reading
The figures, fees, and procedures referenced in this article are verifiable on the official gov.uk pages below. PassRates.uk is built on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s open data, published under the Open Government Licence.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Norris Green driving test centre?
Norris Green driving test centre returned a pass rate of 38.7% in 2024-25, based on 13,265 practical car tests. That is 10.0 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7% for the same year.
Is Norris Green a hard test centre to pass at?
Yes, relative to the national picture. At 38.7% in 2024-25, Norris Green is well below the UK average of 48.7% and in the lower tier of high-confidence centres. The test routes draw on the urban north Liverpool road network, including sections of the A580 East Lancashire Road and busier arterial routes into the city. Candidates who have prepared specifically for these road types will be better placed than those whose experience is limited to quieter residential streets.
How does Norris Green compare to other Liverpool test centres?
Speke, the other Liverpool practical test location, returned 38.6% in 2024-25 on 6,986 tests, within 0.1 percentage points of Norris Green. Both centres are around 10 percentage points below the national average. Southport, approximately 17 miles north, returned 59.2% on 7,231 tests and is the highest-performing centre in the wider Liverpool region. St Helens (40.2%, 9,776 tests) and Widnes (40.1%, 5,673 tests) are also below average but closer to the national figure than either Liverpool centre.
Do male or female candidates pass more often at Norris Green?
In 2024-25, female candidates at Norris Green passed at 40.0% on 6,093 tests, outperforming male candidates who passed at 37.6% on 7,172 tests. This 2.4 percentage point advantage for women reverses the national pattern, where male candidates in 2024-25 passed at 49.5% compared to 47.6% for female candidates.
What is the first-time pass rate at Norris Green?
The first-time pass rate at Norris Green was 38.6% in 2024-25, based on 5,297 first-attempt candidates. This is effectively the same as the overall rate of 38.7%, meaning the centre is not particularly driven by repeat candidates improving across attempts.
Has the Norris Green pass rate been improving or declining?
The overall trend since 2017-18 has been downward. The centre started at 43.7% in 2017-18 and fell to a seven-year low of 36.3% in 2023-24. The 2024-25 result of 38.7% is the first year-on-year increase in three years and represents a partial recovery of 2.4 percentage points, though the centre remains well below its 2017-18 level.
Which centre near Liverpool has the highest pass rate?
Southport returned 59.2% in 2024-25 on 7,231 tests, the highest result among centres within practical travelling distance of Liverpool. That is a 20.5 percentage point advantage over Norris Green. Candidates who can travel approximately 17 miles north will find Southport the strongest option in the wider Liverpool region based on 2024-25 data.
Every candidate behind these numbers passed a theory test first. Nationally 44.8% of attempts clear it.
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Written by Vikas Dulgunde, the software engineer behind PassRates.uk. The figures come straight from the DVSA open dataset; see the methodology.
Source DVSA, Open Government Licence v3.0
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