Test Centre Stats

South East, England · DVSA car test centre

Eastbourne driving test centre

1 Coastguard Cottages, 84 Wartling Road, Eastbourne, BN22 7PT

Tests here: car, motorcycle module 2 (on-road), ADI part 2, ADI part 3.

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

Median wait, September 2026

13.4 weeks

+1.8 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

55.4%

+5.4 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

175 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 22nd of 32 South East

Weeks to 10% of slots free

24+ weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Eastbourne in September 2026 had booked it a median of 13.4 weeks earlier: 1.8 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 2 weeks longer than the South East figure (11.4 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 11.6 weeks, so the wait has grown by 1.8 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 6.7 weeks to 13.7 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, 6.2% 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.

  • Eastbourne
  • South East
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Eastbourne, October 2024 to September 2026Eastbourne: 13.4 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.05101520Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2613.4Weeks05101520Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2613.4Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Eastbourne, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthEastbourneSouth EastGreat Britain
September 202613.411.411.6
August 202613.711.011.1
July 202613.710.011.1
June 20267.49.610.7
May 20267.78.79.7
April 20269.49.09.1
March 20267.98.49.0
February 20267.410.110.4
January 20267.110.010.1
December 20258.110.710.1
November 20256.710.310.4
October 202511.312.311.6
September 202511.613.312.4
August 202511.613.011.7
July 202512.012.412.0
June 202515.611.311.0
May 202514.411.011.3
April 202513.110.610.6
March 202513.110.910.4
February 202515.511.011.4
January 202515.711.911.0
December 202416.111.010.4
November 202417.210.49.9
October 202411.811.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Eastbourne in September 2026, 38.7% had been booked within 7 weeks and 35.3% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Eastbourne
South East
Great Britain

At Eastbourne, 38.7% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 35.3% 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
Eastbourne38.7%13.5%12.5%35.3%
South East42.5%13.1%14.2%30.2%
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 Eastbourne, those three are below. Of the three, Tunbridge Wells (10.6 weeks) and Burgess Hill (12.1 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Eastbourne in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Eastbourne can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs EastbournePass rate 2025–26
Hastings (Ore)about 18 miles by roadabout 18 mi17.1 weeks+3.7 wk52.4%
Tunbridge Wellsabout 31 miles by roadabout 31 mi10.6 weeks−2.8 wk64.5%
Burgess Hillabout 32 miles by roadabout 32 mi12.1 weeks−1.3 wk45.5%

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), 6,031 car tests were taken here and 55.4% passed, 5.4 points above the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 52.1%, so the rate rose by 3.3 points. First attempts did better: 56.6% of 3,065 first-time candidates passed, and 2.0% did it with no faults at all.

  • Eastbourne
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    55.4%5.4 points above Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    56.6%6.1 points above Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    2.0%about the same as Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    54.8%4.0 points above Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    56.2%7.1 points above Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    65.2%1.6 points above Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars27% of tests here were in automatics
    50.2%5.6 points above Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Eastbourne compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureEastbourneGreat Britain
All tests55.4%50.0%
First attempts56.6%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults2.0%2.9%
Men54.8%50.8%
Women56.2%49.1%
17-year-olds65.2%63.6%
Automatic cars50.2%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Eastbourne
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Eastbourne by financial yearPass rate at Eastbourne in 2025–26: 55.4%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Eastbourne, 2019–20: 51.7%52Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Eastbourne, 2020–21: 54.9%55Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Eastbourne, 2021–22: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Eastbourne, 2022–23: 52.2%52Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Eastbourne, 2023–24: 48.1%48Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Eastbourne, 2024–25: 52.1%52Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Eastbourne, 2025–26: 55.4%55Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Eastbourne, 2019–20: 51.7%52Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Eastbourne, 2020–21: 54.9%55Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Eastbourne, 2021–22: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Eastbourne, 2022–23: 52.2%52Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Eastbourne, 2023–24: 48.1%48Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Eastbourne, 2024–25: 52.1%52Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Eastbourne, 2025–26: 55.4%55Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Eastbourne by financial year
YearEastbourneGreat Britain
2019–2051.7%45.9%
2020–2154.9%49.8%
2021–2254.6%48.9%
2022–2352.2%48.4%
2023–2448.1%47.9%
2024–2552.1%48.7%
2025–2655.4%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 65.2%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1765.2% of 1,058
  • Age 1857.9% of 848
  • Age 1958.9% of 428
  • Age 2060.6% of 282
  • Age 2162.8% of 234
  • Age 2262.7% of 209
  • Age 2361.1% of 208
  • Age 2454.0% of 189
  • Age 2548.0% of 171

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 174 tests at Eastbourne, about 28.9 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (151). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness151
  • Examiner leave23

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Eastbourne (Ground Floor, Senlac House, 53-58 Seaside, BN22 7NE), 0.9 mi away. In 2025–26, 45.1% of its 6,958 car theory tests were passes, close to 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 Burgess Hill, 23 mi away, at 12.1 weeks. Within the same list, Tunbridge Wells (25 mi) had a pass rate of 64.5%. 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 Eastbourne, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Hastings (Ore)14 mi17.1 weeks52.4%
Burgess HillShorter wait23 mi12.1 weeks45.5%
Tunbridge WellsShorter waitHigher pass rate25 mi10.6 weeks64.5%
Crawley30 mi17.8 weeks42.7%
WorthingHigher pass rate31 mi13.7 weeks59.8%
SevenoaksHigher pass rate34 mi15 weeks59.0%
MaidstoneShorter waitHigher pass rate34 mi9.7 weeks60.2%
Ashford (Kent)Shorter wait35 mi7.1 weeks46.2%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Hastings (Ore): 17.1 weeksBurgess Hill: 12.1 weeksTunbridge Wells: 10.6 weeksCrawley: 17.8 weeksWorthing: 13.7 weeksSevenoaks: 15 weeksMaidstone: 9.7 weeksAshford (Kent): 7.1 weeksEastbourneEastbourne

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.