Test Centre Stats

South West, England · DVSA car test centre

Cheltenham driving test centre

Bishopsgate House, 94 All Saints Road, Cheltenham, GL52 2HQ

Tests here: car, ADI part 3.

Waiting times to September 2026 and pass rates for 2025–26, from DVSA statistics published .

Median wait, September 2026

17 weeks

−0.9 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

43.2%

−6.8 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

233 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 22nd of 22 South West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

24+ weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Cheltenham in September 2026 had booked it a median of 17 weeks earlier: 5.4 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 8.6 weeks longer than the South West figure (8.4 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 17.9 weeks, so the wait has shortened by 0.9 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 10.3 weeks to 20 weeks.

When DVSA took its snapshot on the last Monday of September 2026, no week in the next 24 had even 10% of its slots free. DVSA caps this measure at 24 weeks, so the true figure could be longer. Across the whole 24-week window, 4.1% of standard slots were still unbooked (Great Britain: 13.3%).

Waiting time over the last two years

Median weeks between booking a test and taking it, for tests taken each month.

  • Cheltenham
  • South West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Cheltenham, October 2024 to September 2026Cheltenham: 17 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.0102030Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2617.0Weeks0102030Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2617.0Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Cheltenham, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthCheltenhamSouth WestGreat Britain
September 202617.08.411.6
August 202613.58.311.1
July 202613.58.111.1
June 202612.37.010.7
May 202615.17.19.7
April 202613.97.19.1
March 202610.37.19.0
February 202620.09.010.4
January 202617.39.910.1
December 202515.310.110.1
November 202517.410.410.4
October 202518.110.611.6
September 202517.912.012.4
August 202513.111.111.7
July 202518.811.712.0
June 202520.111.111.0
May 202518.611.711.3
April 202520.010.910.6
March 202518.610.610.4
February 202517.311.311.4
January 202516.410.611.0
December 202413.510.710.4
November 202416.010.49.9
October 202416.010.79.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Cheltenham in September 2026, 32.3% had been booked within 7 weeks and 35.5% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Cheltenham
South West
Great Britain

At Cheltenham, 32.3% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 35.5% more than 21 weeks ahead.

Show these figures as a table
How far ahead tests taken in September 2026 were booked
Within 7 weeks7 to 14 weeks14 to 21 weeksOver 21 weeks
Cheltenham32.3%12.7%19.5%35.5%
South West46.7%17.4%15.8%20.1%
Great Britain41.1%14.2%15.2%29.5%

If your test is booked here

Since 9 June 2026 a car test can only be moved to one of the three centres DVSA lists as nearest by road (or back to the centre where you first booked), and you get two changes in total. For a test booked at Cheltenham, those three are below. Of the three, Swindon (12.1 weeks) and Worcester (14 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Cheltenham in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Cheltenham can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs CheltenhamPass rate 2025–26
Gloucesterabout 13 miles by roadabout 13 mi16.2 weeks−0.8 wk47.8%
Worcesterabout 26 miles by roadabout 26 mi14 weeks−3.0 wk51.9%
Swindonabout 30 miles by roadabout 30 mi12.1 weeks−4.9 wk51.1%

From DVSA's list of centres you can move your test to, which it says may change. The change service shows your actual options.

Pass rates

In 2025–26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 5,161 car tests were taken here and 43.2% passed, 6.8 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 46.7%, so the rate fell by 3.5 points. First attempts did about the same: 42.9% of 2,550 first-time candidates passed, and 1.0% did it with no faults at all.

  • Cheltenham
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    43.2%6.8 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    42.9%7.6 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    1.0%1.9 points below Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    44.6%6.2 points below Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    41.8%7.3 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    51.4%12.2 points below Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars20% of tests here were in automatics
    35.6%9.0 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Cheltenham compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureCheltenhamGreat Britain
All tests43.2%50.0%
First attempts42.9%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults1.0%2.9%
Men44.6%50.8%
Women41.8%49.1%
17-year-olds51.4%63.6%
Automatic cars35.6%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Cheltenham
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Cheltenham by financial yearPass rate at Cheltenham in 2025–26: 43.2%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Cheltenham, 2019–20: 46.9%47Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Cheltenham, 2020–21: 50.0%50Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Cheltenham, 2021–22: 50.1%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Cheltenham, 2022–23: 44.8%45Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Cheltenham, 2023–24: 46.3%46Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Cheltenham, 2024–25: 46.7%47Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Cheltenham, 2025–26: 43.2%43Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Cheltenham, 2019–20: 46.9%47Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Cheltenham, 2020–21: 50.0%50Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Cheltenham, 2021–22: 50.1%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Cheltenham, 2022–23: 44.8%45Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Cheltenham, 2023–24: 46.3%46Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Cheltenham, 2024–25: 46.7%47Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Cheltenham, 2025–26: 43.2%43Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Cheltenham by financial year
YearCheltenhamGreat Britain
2019–2046.9%45.9%
2020–2150.0%49.8%
2021–2250.1%48.9%
2022–2344.8%48.4%
2023–2446.3%47.9%
2024–2546.7%48.7%
2025–2643.2%50.0%

Years run April to March; ’20 is 2020–21.

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 17 did best here, at 51.4%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1751.4% of 1,145
  • Age 1844.8% of 832
  • Age 1946.3% of 350
  • Age 2040.8% of 240
  • Age 2140.5% of 252
  • Age 2245.2% of 230
  • Age 2343.9% of 187
  • Age 2542.7% of 157

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 159 tests at Cheltenham, about 30.8 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner leave (117). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner leave117
  • Examiner illness33
  • Weather and other acts of nature9

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Cheltenham (Ground Floor, The Coliseum, 18-20 Albion Street, GL52 2LP), 0.4 mi away. In 2025–26, 49.9% of its 9,110 car theory tests were passes, 5.1 points above the Great Britain rate (44.8%). You can sit the theory test at any centre.

Nearby centres

The nearest centre with a shorter wait is Worcester, 22 mi away, at 14 weeks. Within the same list, Gloucester (10 mi) had a pass rate of 47.8%. You can book a new test at any centre in Great Britain, but once it's booked a car test can only be moved to the three centres DVSA names for that centre. Distances here are straight-line.

Centres near Cheltenham, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
GloucesterHigher pass rate10 mi16.2 weeks47.8%
WorcesterShorter waitHigher pass rate22 mi14 weeks51.9%
SwindonShorter waitHigher pass rate25 mi12.1 weeks51.1%
MonmouthShorter waitHigher pass rate28 mi4.7 weeks51.0%
RedditchShorter waitHigher pass rate28 mi4 weeks51.4%
HerefordShorter waitHigher pass rate30 mi2.9 weeks58.8%
ChippenhamShorter waitHigher pass rate30 mi11.7 weeks56.4%
BanburyShorter wait32 mi12.1 weeks41.3%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Gloucester: 16.2 weeksWorcester: 14 weeksSwindon: 12.1 weeksMonmouth: 4.7 weeksRedditch: 4 weeksHereford: 2.9 weeksChippenham: 11.7 weeksBanbury: 12.1 weeksCheltenhamCheltenham

Reading these figures

  • The waiting time is a median for tests taken that month: half of candidates booked closer to their test date, half further ahead. It is not the earliest date you could book today, which can be sooner when tests are cancelled or extra ones are added.
  • "Weeks to 10% availability" stops at 24 because DVSA only releases tests 24 weeks ahead. A figure of 24 means "24 or more".
  • DVSA marks figures from April 2025 onwards as provisional; they can be revised at the quarterly update.
  • Pass rates are published once a year; the latest cover April 2025 to March 2026. Waiting times are monthly, to September 2026.
  • The figures cover DVSA car tests only, not tests run by delegated examiners (such as some fleet and emergency service tests).

To book or move a test, use the official services: book your driving test or change your driving test on GOV.UK. DVSA explains when new tests are released. We have no link with DVSA and no access to its booking system.

Sources

DVSA, Driving test and theory test data: cars: tables DRT122F (waiting times), DRT121G (regional and national), DRT122A to DRT122E (pass rates), DRT122B (cancellations) and DRT112A (theory tests). Address and coordinates from GOV.UK's Find a driving test centre. Open Government Licence v3.0. Checked 3 November 2026.