UK Driving Test Pass Rates Compared, Side by Side
The headline 48.66 percent UK pass rate (2024-25) is the volume-weighted average of dozens of cohorts that each behave differently. Sidcup (London) runs 59 percent. Wolverhampton runs 33.4 percent. Peebles in the Scottish Borders runs 67 percent. Chingford (London) runs 36.5 percent. The most useful number for a learner is not the national average. It is the average for their cohort at their centre on their booking pattern. This guide stacks every comparison on one page.
- National volume-weighted
- 48.66%DVSA DRT122A 2024-25, 327 centres with 2024-25 data
- UK centre spread (rankable)
- 33.3ppDorchester 66.7 vs Wolverhampton 33.4 (2024-25, >=1,000 tests)
- Within-London spread
- 22.5ppSidcup (London) 59 vs Chingford (London) 36.5 (2024-25)
- Age cohort gap
- 24.7pp17 yo 60.75 vs 55+ 36.01 (2024-25)
- Centre quintile gap
- 6.0pplowest-volume Q1 53.78 vs highest-volume Q5 47.74 (2024-25)
- London vs UK
- 0.9ppLondon 47.79 vs UK 48.66 (2024-25, volume-weighted)
How to read a pass rate comparison
A pass rate comparison is only useful when the cohorts being compared are visible. Comparing Sidcup (London) at 59 percent (2024-25) with Chingford (London) at 36.5 percent (2024-25) tells you those two centres are different. It does not tell you whether you would pass at either, because the candidates testing at each centre are different. Sidcup (London) draws a higher share of suburban candidates with private practice access. Chingford (London) draws a higher share of inner-London learners taking professional instruction on dense urban routes. The 22.5 percentage point within-London spread is part centre, part cohort.
The honest comparison sets cohort and preparation as constants and varies one factor at a time. The four main factors that drive pass rate variation, in order of magnitude: centre choice (up to 33.3 percentage points UK-wide, 22.5 within London), age cohort (up to 24.9 across the published age series), preparation hours (typically 15 to 20 with a full DVSA framework), region (under 1pp between London and the rest of the UK, though wider for Wales). This guide compares each factor against the others.
Comparison 1: pass rate by city
| City | Pass rate (2024-25) | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol (Brislington, Avonmouth) | 52.79% | 21,463 | |
| Cardiff | 51.27% | 14,852 | |
| Leeds | 50.18% | 7,346 | |
| Manchester (8 centres) | 47.85% | 89,700 | |
| London (25 centres, volume-weighted) | 47.79% | 245,155 | |
| Gosforth (Newcastle area) | 47.50% | 10,234 | |
| Sheffield (Handsworth, Middlewood) | 46.39% | 19,147 | |
| Birmingham (5 centres) | 45.38% | 70,559 | |
| Edinburgh (Currie, Musselburgh) | 45.12% | 15,275 | |
| Liverpool (5 centres) | 42.85% | 30,942 | |
| Glasgow (3 centres) | 41.33% | 24,830 |
The city-level picture is the broadest comparison. The spread between Bristol (52.79 percent, 2024-25) and Glasgow (41.33 percent, 2024-25) is 11.5 percentage points, smaller than the within-London spread. London sits roughly at the national average, contrary to the common assumption that London is uniformly hard. The London internal variation (Sidcup (London) 59 vs Chingford (London) 36.5) is the actionable number, not the city-wide aggregate. For city-specific breakdowns, the driving test passing rates UK cities guide covers all 30 UK cities, and the research/london-vs-uk-pass-rate page covers the London-specific picture.
Comparison 2: pass rate by region
The regional picture is surprisingly narrow. The 8.25 percentage point spread between Wales (54.14 percent, 2024-25) and West Midlands (45.89 percent, 2024-25) is smaller than the within-London spread (22.5pp) and considerably smaller than the inter-centre spread UK-wide (33.3pp). Scotland sits near the UK average at 47.56 percent (2024-25) despite the common assumption that Scotland is dominated by easy rural centres; the Scottish urban centres (Glasgow 41.33, Edinburgh 45.12) pull the regional average down. The research/wait-time-by-region page covers the wait time picture by region, which correlates with pass rate but less strongly than centre-level volume does.
Comparison 3: pass rate by centre size (volume gap)
| Quintile | Centre profile | Pass rate (2024-25) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 (lowest volume) | 55 centres, 513-3,015 tests/yr | 53.78% | |
| Q2 (low) | 55 centres, 3,032-5,305 tests/yr | 51.25% | |
| Q3 (mid) | 56 centres, 5,306-7,174 tests/yr | 48.56% | |
| Q4 (high) | 55 centres, 7,231-9,720 tests/yr | 47.54% | |
| Q5 (highest volume) | 56 centres, 9,776-21,961 tests/yr | 47.74% |
Three drivers behind the volume gap: route environment (high-volume centres feature dense urban routes with cycle infrastructure, box junctions, and frequent pedestrian crossings), cohort (high-volume centres see learners with less private practice on average), and examiner workload (high-volume centres rotate more examiners, though all mark to the same national standard). The research/test-centre-volume-vs-pass-rate page covers the statistical workup, and the driving test volume by region guide covers the practical implications for centre choice.
Comparison 4: pass rate by age cohort
The age gap is driven by exposure rather than capability. 17 year olds have spent their lives observing road behaviour as passengers, building unconscious familiarity with junctions, speed and other drivers. Older learners often had less of that exposure. Adult learners who complete the full DVSA framework typically lift their pass rate from a baseline by 15 to 20 percentage points, closing most of the gap. The research/pass-rate-by-age page covers the cohort analysis, and the learning to drive over 40 guide covers the adult-learner picture.
Comparison 5: pass rate by gender
In 2024-25 male candidates pass at 49.50 percent and female candidates at 47.61 percent (volume-weighted across the per-centre dataset), a 1.90 percentage point gap that has narrowed sharply from 7.20 points in 2018-19 and 4.76 in 2020-21. The drivers are structural: male candidates take more hours of professional instruction on average, are more likely to have private practice access, and book tests at slightly older average ages within the under-25 cohort. The research/gender-gap-driving-test page covers the adjusted analysis.
Comparison 6: pass rate by time of day
| Time slot | Pass rate | Rationale | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:30 to 08:30 | ~45% | Early-rise stress, traffic rising | |
| 08:30 to 09:30 | ~47% | Commuter traffic peak | |
| 09:30 to 11:00 | ~50% | Traffic settles, candidate calm | |
| 11:00 to 13:00 | ~51% | Best window, late morning | |
| 13:00 to 14:30 | ~49% | Post-lunch dip but quiet roads | |
| 14:30 to 16:00 | ~48% | School run begins, busy | |
| 16:00 to 17:30 | ~46% | Rush hour, slot avoided where possible |
The slot effect is the smallest of the comparable variables but it is the cheapest to apply. Booking a late-morning slot is free and is widely reported by instructors as a calmer window than the worst slots, though the DVSA publishes no pass rates by hour. For full slot analysis, the how pass rates vary by time of day guide covers the framework, and the morning vs afternoon test slots guide covers the binary comparison.
Comparison 7: pass rate by attempt number
Across the per-centre 2024-25 dataset the first-time pass rate is 48.91 percent, marginally above the all-attempt 48.66 percent. The headline overall numbers hide a real pattern: candidates who fail first and dedicate two weeks of targeted practice to the fault category that failed them pass second at 58 to 62 percent. Candidates who rebook quickly without targeted practice pass second at around 42 percent. The retake effect is therefore really a preparation effect. The research/retake-patterns page covers the post-fail analysis, and the driving test second attempt pass rate guide covers the practical reading.
The combined comparison: stacking the effects
- 01Start with your age cohort baseline
17 yo: 60.75 (2024-25). 18-19: 51.81. 20-24: 49.82. 25-34: 45.12. 35-44: 40.08. 45-54: 36.53. 55+: 36.01. This is your starting point before any decisions.
- 02Apply preparation lift (15 to 20 pp)
Full DVSA framework (45+22 hours plus 2 mocks) lifts every cohort by 15 to 20 percentage points. This is the largest single lever you control.
- 03Apply centre choice (up to 33 pp)
Top-ranked rankable centres on 2024-25 latest-year (Dorchester, Kendal, Chichester, Bangor) pass at 64 to 67 percent; rolling-3yr fallback centres (Arbroath, Forfar, Peebles, Lerwick) reach 67 to 73 percent (3yr avg). Bottom-ranked rankable centres (Wolverhampton, Featherstone) at 33 to 34 percent in 2024-25. The centre choice can swing odds by 30+ points if you have geographic mobility.
- 04Apply slot timing (~5 pp)
Late-morning slot is widely reported as a calmer window than the worst slots (DVSA publishes no by-hour rates). Small effect but free.
- 05Apply slot seasonality (~4 pp)
Summer slots run roughly 4 percentage points above winter at the same centre. The effect is partly cohort timing rather than weather.
The reference table of tables
Every comparison above has a dedicated /research page with the statistical workup. The full catalogue: /research/test-centre-volume-vs-pass-rate for the volume gap, /research/london-vs-uk-pass-rate for the London picture, /research/pass-rate-by-age for the age gradient, /research/gender-gap-driving-test for the gender analysis, /research/seasonality for the temporal effects, /research/wait-time-by-region for the regional wait picture, /research/test-volume-trends for the post-COVID rise, /research/pass-rate-vs-population-density for the density gradient, and /research/retake-patterns for the second-attempt analysis.
“A pass rate comparison is only honest when the cohorts being compared are visible. The 22.5 percentage point within-London spread is part centre and part cohort. The 24.9 percentage point age gap is part exposure and part preparation. The honest comparison varies one factor at a time and stacks the effects deliberately.”
Comparison summary: where to focus
For a learner with geographic mobility, the centre comparison is the biggest single lever. For a learner pinned to a local centre, the preparation comparison is the biggest lever. For both, the slot timing comparison is the cheapest. For an adult learner, the cohort comparison sets expectations honestly. The pass driving test first time tips guide covers how to apply these comparisons in practice.
How this connects with the wider statistics picture
For the narrative hub guide covering the same data, see the UK driving test statistics 2026 guide. For the city-level breakdown, see the driving test passing rates UK cities guide. For the centre volume practical implications, see the driving test volume by region guide. For the failure-side framing of the same data, see the driving test fail rate by centre guide. For the practical preparation framework that lifts everyone by 15 to 20 percentage points, see the pass driving test first time tips guide. For the booking changes affecting 2026 volumes, see the DVSA booking rule change May 2026 guide.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest and lowest pass rate UK driving test centre in 2026?
Among centres with at least 1,000 tests in the 2024-25 current period (the rankable floor), the headline #1 easiest is Dorchester at 66.7 percent, followed by Kendal (Oxenholme Road) at 64.8 percent and Chichester at 64.2 percent. Small island and rural centres (Arbroath, Forfar, Peebles, Lerwick) show higher pass rates on rolling 3-year data but conduct fewer than 1,000 tests in any single year so they appear in the secondary rolling-3yr tier rather than the headline. The lowest is Wolverhampton at 33.4 percent (2024-25), followed by Featherstone 34.1 percent and Wednesbury 36.4 percent. The 33.3 percentage point spread between Dorchester and Wolverhampton is the largest inter-centre gap among rankable UK centres on single-year data. The structural drivers are route environment and cohort, not test difficulty. The easiest vs hardest test centres guide covers the rankings, and the research/test-centre-volume-vs-pass-rate page covers the volume statistical workup.
How do UK driving test pass rates compare across cities in 2026?
Bristol leads major cities at 52.79 percent (2024-25), followed by Cardiff 51.27, Leeds 50.18, Manchester 47.85, London 47.79 (volume-weighted across 25 centres), Gosforth 47.50, Sheffield 46.39, Birmingham 45.38, Edinburgh 45.12, Liverpool 42.85, Glasgow 41.33. The 11.5 percentage point spread between Bristol and Glasgow is driven by centre composition rather than test difficulty. London is roughly at the UK national average, with the within-London spread (Sidcup (London) 59 vs Chingford (London) 36.5, a 22.5pp gap) being the actionable variation. The driving test passing rates UK cities guide covers all 30 UK cities.
Why do older learners have lower UK driving test pass rates?
The 24.74 percentage point gap between 17 year olds (60.75 percent, 2024-25) and the 55+ cohort (36.01 percent, 2024-25) is driven by exposure rather than capability. 17 year olds have spent their lives observing road behaviour as passengers, building unconscious familiarity with junctions, speed and other drivers. Older learners often had less of that exposure. The gap closes substantially with full DVSA preparation: adult learners typically lift their pass rate by 15 to 20 percentage points from the baseline. The learning to drive over 40 guide covers the adult-learner picture and the research/pass-rate-by-age page covers the cohort analysis.
Are pass rates higher at smaller UK driving test centres?
Modestly yes. When centres with a usable annual sample (>=500 tests in 2024-25) are sorted by volume into quintiles, the lowest-volume quintile (Q1, 513-3,015 tests/yr) averages 53.78 percent versus the highest-volume quintile (Q5, 9,776-21,961 tests/yr) at 47.74 percent, a 6.04 percentage point gap. The drivers are route environment (smaller centres have less dense urban routes), cohort (smaller centres see learners with more private practice on average), and examiner workload (smaller centres have fewer examiners, though marking is standardised nationally). Pearson r for log(volume) vs pass rate is -0.461, statistically significant. The why rural test centres easier guide covers the practical reading.
Does the time of day affect UK driving test pass rates?
Modestly yes. Late-morning slots (11am to 1pm) pass at around 51 percent versus early-morning slots (7:30 to 8:30) at around 45 percent (instructor-reported figures, not DVSA-published), a 6 percentage point spread. The drivers are traffic patterns (peak commuter traffic 8am to 9am stresses candidates), candidate alertness (early-morning anxiety compounds), and route quietness (mid-morning sees lower density). Booking a late-morning slot is free and lifts expected pass rate by 4 to 6 percentage points. The DVSA does not publish hour-of-day data; the pattern comes from instructor reports and mock-test data. See the how pass rates vary by time of day guide.
How do UK regions compare on pass rate?
In 2024-25 (volume-weighted): Wales 54.14 percent, South East 50.70, South West 49.54, East of England 48.97, North West 48.47, East Midlands 48.14, London 47.79, Yorkshire and the Humber 47.74, Scotland 47.56, North East 47.16, West Midlands 45.89. The 8.25 percentage point spread between Wales and West Midlands is the regional range. London sits near the UK national average, contrary to the common assumption that London is uniformly hard. Scotland sits below the UK average because the urban Scottish centres (Glasgow, Edinburgh) pull the regional weighted aggregate down. The research/wait-time-by-region page covers the regional wait picture.
What is the gender gap on UK driving test pass rates?
In 2024-25 male candidates pass at 49.50 percent and female candidates at 47.61 percent (volume-weighted across the per-centre dataset), a 1.90 percentage point gap that has narrowed sharply from 7.20 points in 2018-19 and 4.76 points in 2020-21. The drivers are structural rather than capability-based: male candidates take more hours of professional instruction on average, are more likely to have private practice access, and book tests at slightly older average ages within the under-25 cohort. The male vs female pass rates guide covers the practical reading.
Can I stack centre choice, slot timing, and preparation for the best UK pass rate odds?
The factors do compound, but they describe cohorts, not individuals. Well-prepared younger candidates at low-volume rural centres pass at much higher rates than under-prepared older candidates at high-volume metropolitan centres such as Wolverhampton, and the gap between those two cohorts is large. What you cannot do is read a personal probability off the combination: the centre and preparation move the odds, but your own result is not fixed by them. See the pass driving test first time tips guide for the practical steps.
Related guides
Independent UK driving test analytics, reviewed against the latest DVSA quarterly statistical release.
Written byVikas Dulgunde, the software engineer behind PassRates.uk. The figures come straight from the DVSA open dataset; see themethodology.
Continue reading
A 2026 inversion of the pass-rate framing: the 5 toughest UK driving test centres by fail rate (Wolverhampton 66.6%, Featherstone 65.9%, Wednesbury 63.6%, Chingford (London) 63.5%, Gateshead 62.6%) and the route features that explain why.
The 2026 statistical overview of UK driving tests: 48.7% national pass rate, around 1.84M annual Cat B tests, roughly 7 percentage point volume gap between high and low-volume centres, 14.9 week wait gap, 15.6 percentage point age gap between cohorts. A hub guide cross-linking all 9 /research/* pages on passrates.uk.