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.

Guide · Updated 27 April 2026

1 min read

Pass rate vs first-time pass rate: which one matters?

A centre's "pass rate" includes every retake. The "first-time pass rate" measures only first attempts. The difference can be 10 percentage points, and it changes how you read the data.

#How the two metrics differ

Overall pass rate counts every test attempt: a candidate who fails three times then passes contributes one pass and three fails to the total. First-time pass rate is per-person: it tracks what percentage of unique candidates pass on their first attempt.

#Why the gap matters

A centre with a high overall pass rate but a low first-time figure has many candidates returning multiple times. That tells you the centre is not as forgiving for under-prepared first-attempters. A centre where the two figures are close is more reliably approachable.

#UK averages

Overall UK pass rate: about 48 percent
First-time UK pass rate: about 47 percent
Typical centre gap: 5 to 10 percentage points

#Which to prioritise

For a first-time candidate, the first-time pass rate is the better signal. It strips out the retake distortion and answers the question you actually care about: what are my odds of passing on my first attempt? Use the overall figure as a sanity check.

#When the gap is suspicious

If a centre's overall pass rate is 60 percent but first-time is 40 percent, candidates are being recycled aggressively. That centre is harder than the headline number suggests. Pick the centre with a smaller gap if all else is equal.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UK first-time driving test pass rate?

Around 47 percent, slightly below the 48 percent overall figure. The gap is small at the national level but bigger at individual centres.

Why is first-time pass rate more useful than overall pass rate?

It strips out the distortion from candidates retaking the test multiple times. The overall figure can mask difficulty if many candidates need three or four attempts to pass.

Which centres have the highest first-time pass rate?

Rural Scottish centres dominate the first-time rankings, with Lerwick, Mallaig and Stornoway typically above 60 percent. See the full list at https://passrates.uk/rankings/best-first-time.

PassRates.uk Editorial

Independent UK driving test analytics, reviewed against the latest DVSA quarterly statistical release.

Published 27 April 2026Updated 27 April 2026Source DVSA · OGL v3.0

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