Theory test pass rates by centre, 2025/26
The national car theory pass rate is 44.8%, from 2,920,342 tests. That single figure hides a 16.5 point spread: Guildford records 54% while Bradford records 37.5%. Below is every centre with enough tests to rank, and an honest explanation of what the difference does and does not mean.
Highest theory test pass rates
| Theory test centre | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Guildford | 54% | 14,826 |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 53.6% | 9,660 |
| Cambridge | 52.8% | 25,043 |
| Brighton | 52.4% | 18,387 |
| Blandford Forum | 52.4% | 2,047 |
| Southwark | 52% | 68,847 |
| Morden | 51.7% | 42,181 |
| Harrogate | 51.3% | 7,802 |
| Kendal | 51.2% | 4,348 |
| Exeter | 50.6% | 13,994 |
Lowest theory test pass rates
| Theory test centre | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Bradford | 37.5% | 42,749 |
| Uxbridge | 38.1% | 83,604 |
| Dudley | 40% | 28,272 |
| Ilford | 40.2% | 92,249 |
| Wolverhampton | 40.3% | 36,811 |
| Leicester | 40.4% | 61,224 |
| Boston | 40.4% | 7,094 |
| Birmingham | 40.6% | 78,958 |
| Haverfordwest | 40.8% | 4,177 |
| Middlesbrough | 40.9% | 34,351 |
The busiest theory test centres
Volume matters when reading any rate: the busiest centres sit well below the national average, and because they conduct so many tests they pull that average down.
| Theory test centre | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Ilford | 40.2% | 92,249 |
| Manchester | 42.4% | 88,658 |
| Uxbridge | 38.1% | 83,604 |
| Birmingham | 40.6% | 78,958 |
| Glasgow | 44.1% | 75,311 |
| Liverpool | 45.6% | 69,093 |
| Southwark | 52% | 68,847 |
| North Finchley | 43.7% | 67,769 |
| Leicester | 40.4% | 61,224 |
| Leeds | 43.3% | 56,711 |
What the spread actually means
The test is the same everywhere. Every candidate answers questions from the same official bank, under the same conditions, with the same pass mark. No centre gives an easier paper, and travelling to one with a higher published rate will not improve your own odds. This is different from the practical test, where local roads genuinely vary and centre choice is a real decision.
So why do rates differ? Because the candidates differ. A centre serving an area where most people arrive well prepared and on a first attempt will record a higher rate than one serving a larger, more mixed population with more retakes. The figure describes the people who booked there, not the difficulty of the paper.
What is worth acting on is the national rate itself. At 44.8%, more candidates fail than pass. The most useful response to that is preparation under real conditions rather than centre shopping: sit a full mock test at the real length and pass mark and see where you actually stand.
Frequently asked questions
What is the theory test pass rate in 2025/26?
The national car theory test pass rate is 44.8%, across 2,920,342 tests in 2025/26. Slightly more than half of candidates fail, which is why the test is worth preparing for properly rather than treating as a formality.
Does the theory test pass rate vary by test centre?
Yes, and by more than most candidates expect. Across the 128 centres with enough tests to rank, rates run from 37.5% at Bradford to 54% at Guildford, a spread of 16.5 percentage points. The questions are identical everywhere, so the difference reflects who books at each centre rather than the test being easier in one place.
Is the theory test easier at some centres?
No. Every candidate answers questions drawn from the same official bank under the same conditions and the same pass mark, so no centre offers an easier test. What differs is the mix of candidates: centres serving areas with more first-time, well-prepared candidates record higher rates. Travelling to a centre with a higher published rate will not improve your own chances.
Why is the theory test pass rate so much lower than it used to be?
The rate has fallen over the long run as the question bank and the hazard perception element have been revised and as the multiple-choice section moved away from questions that could be answered by memorisation. Preparation that relies on remembering answers rather than understanding the rules performs poorly against the current format.
Method and source
Figures come from DVSA table DRT112A, car theory test pass rates by test centre, published under the Open Government Licence and updated quarterly. This page covers 2025/26, the most recent year in the release, and shows the 128 centres of 196 that conducted at least 2,000 tests. Smaller centres are excluded because a pass rate built on a few hundred tests moves on noise rather than signal, which is how rankings end up putting a tiny outlier above a city centre running tens of thousands of tests.
Theory centres are not driving test centres. Theory tests are sat at a separate network of theory test centres. A town may appear in both networks without the two being the same place, so the names here are deliberately not linked to our practical test centre pages.
Where DVSA withholds a value because it could identify an individual, it is treated as absent rather than zero. Figures for the current year remain provisional until the full year is published. View the source data on gov.uk.