Pass rate data:
sources & methodology.
Everything behind our UK driving test pass rates explorer: where the numbers come from, what they cover, how the averages and rankings are computed, and how journalists and researchers can reuse them.
Where the data comes from.
All pass-rate figures are drawn from the official DVSA driving test statistics published on gov.uk (the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's "driving test, theory test and driving instructor" statistical collection). The figures are Crown copyright, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0, which permits reuse with attribution to the source.
The current dataset covers the 2025/26 financial year (April 2025 to March 2026). We compile the published centre-level figures into a single dataset that powers the interactive explorer and our individual test centre guides.
What the dataset covers, and how the numbers are computed.
- Measure: the practical (category B, car) driving test pass rate at each centre - tests passed as a percentage of all tests conducted at that centre in the period.
- Coverage: 293 test centres with a published 2025/26 pass rate. A small number of very low-volume island and Highland centres are excluded where the DVSA does not publish a reliable figure.
- Rounding: centre pass rates are shown to the nearest whole percent, as published.
- Rankings: centres are ordered by pass rate; centres with the same rounded rate share a position. "Easiest" and "hardest" labels describe pass-rate rank only, not the difficulty of any individual test.
- National average: we quote 50.0% for 2025/26, the DVSA's published national figure, which is weighted by test volume. Note that a simple unweighted mean of the 293 centre rates comes out slightly higher (around 51.5%), because small rural centres with high pass rates count equally in an unweighted average. We use the DVSA's weighted figure as the headline number.
- Interpretation caveat: a high pass rate does not make a centre "easy" for any individual learner. Candidate mix, test volume and local road complexity all differ by centre.
What this data can and cannot tell you.
Pass rates measure outcomes, not difficulty. Before drawing conclusions from the rankings, bear these limitations in mind:
- Candidate mix differs by centre. A centre serving mostly first-time urban learners will look "harder" than one serving experienced rural drivers, even with identical examiners and standards.
- Small centres are volatile. At a centre conducting a few hundred tests a year, a handful of results moves the rate by whole percentage points. Treat single-year figures for low-volume centres with caution.
- The examiner standard is national. The DVSA applies the same assessment criteria everywhere. Differences between centres reflect roads, traffic and candidates, not easier or stricter marking.
- Year-on-year comparisons need care. Centre openings, closures and catchment changes mean a centre's rate can move for reasons unrelated to the driving conditions around it.
If you are reporting on a specific centre and want the volume context behind its rate, ask us - we will tell you when a figure is too thin to carry a headline.
How often the data is updated.
The dataset is versioned by DVSA financial year. We refresh it when the DVSA publishes its next full-year centre-level statistics, and review interim quarterly releases as they appear. The explorer page always states the period its figures cover, so you can cite it unambiguously. The current version is 2025/26.
Reusing this data in your reporting.
You are welcome to reuse our compiled figures, rankings and comparisons in articles, broadcasts and research, free of charge. We ask two things:
- Attribute the analysis to GetMyPass, with a link to the explorer at getmypass.co.uk/driving-test-pass-rates-by-centre/.
- Credit the underlying data to DVSA / gov.uk (Open Government Licence v3.0), since the raw figures are Crown copyright.
Press and data enquiries: for regional cuts of the data, comparisons for a specific patch, comment or interview requests, email info@getmypass.co.uk. We can usually turn around a custom table (for example, your county's centres ranked, or year-on-year angles when new figures land) within a working day.
See the data in use.
Writing about driving tests?
We'll crunch the numbers.
Custom cuts of the 2025/26 pass-rate data, regional rankings and comment are free for journalists and researchers - just attribute GetMyPass and link the explorer.