Test Centre Stats

North West, England · DVSA car test centre

Heysham driving test centre

Office 106 Lancaster Training Services, 5 Penrod Way, Heysham, LA3 2UZ · wheelchair accessible

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

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

Median wait, September 2026

18.3 weeks

+7.4 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

59.2%

+9.2 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

253 of 314

1 = shortest wait; joint 29th of 32 North West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

12 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Heysham in September 2026 had booked it a median of 18.3 weeks earlier: 6.7 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 5.7 weeks longer than the North West figure (12.6 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 10.9 weeks, so the wait has grown by 7.4 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 9.9 weeks to 18.3 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 12 weeks to reach a week with at least 10% of its test slots free (Great Britain: 19.7 weeks). Across the whole 24-week window, 20.7% 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.

  • Heysham
  • North West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Heysham, October 2024 to September 2026Heysham: 18.3 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.05101520Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2618.3Weeks05101520Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2618.3Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Heysham, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthHeyshamNorth WestGreat Britain
September 202618.312.611.6
August 202618.112.111.1
July 202618.112.711.1
June 202617.311.610.7
May 202612.110.09.7
April 202615.610.39.1
March 202615.19.19.0
February 202614.910.910.4
January 202616.010.310.1
December 202514.510.010.1
November 202512.99.110.4
October 20259.910.011.6
September 202510.910.612.4
August 202512.911.011.7
July 202512.911.912.0
June 202510.410.711.0
May 202510.911.311.3
April 20257.711.110.6
March 20258.811.610.4
February 20257.912.011.4
January 202510.411.011.0
December 20249.610.410.4
November 20247.010.19.9
October 20246.910.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Heysham in September 2026, 24.9% had been booked within 7 weeks and 22.2% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Heysham
North West
Great Britain

At Heysham, 24.9% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 22.2% 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
Heysham24.9%12.6%40.3%22.2%
North West39.4%13.8%19.7%27.1%
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 Heysham, those three are below. Of the three, Kendal (Oxenholme Road) (8.9 weeks), Blackpool (9.1 weeks) and Preston (14.4 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Heysham in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Heysham can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs HeyshamPass rate 2025–26
Kendal (Oxenholme Road)about 24 miles by roadabout 24 mi8.9 weeks−9.4 wk65.1%
Prestonabout 31 miles by roadabout 31 mi14.4 weeks−3.9 wk56.3%
Blackpoolabout 31 miles by roadabout 31 mi9.1 weeks−9.2 wk51.8%

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), 3,692 car tests were taken here and 59.2% passed, 9.2 points above the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 55.0%, so the rate rose by 4.2 points. First attempts did better: 61.9% of 2,082 first-time candidates passed, and 7.1% did it with no faults at all.

  • Heysham
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    59.2%9.2 points above Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    61.9%11.4 points above Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    7.1%4.2 points above Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    59.2%8.4 points above Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    59.3%10.2 points above Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    70.2%6.6 points above Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars15% of tests here were in automatics
    48.7%4.1 points above Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Heysham compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureHeyshamGreat Britain
All tests59.2%50.0%
First attempts61.9%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults7.1%2.9%
Men59.2%50.8%
Women59.3%49.1%
17-year-olds70.2%63.6%
Automatic cars48.7%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Heysham
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Heysham by financial yearPass rate at Heysham in 2025–26: 59.2%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Heysham, 2019–20: 49.3%49Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Heysham, 2020–21: 56.3%56Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Heysham, 2021–22: 51.5%51Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Heysham, 2022–23: 55.3%55Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Heysham, 2023–24: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Heysham, 2024–25: 55.0%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Heysham, 2025–26: 59.2%59Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Heysham, 2019–20: 49.3%49Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Heysham, 2020–21: 56.3%56Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Heysham, 2021–22: 51.5%51Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Heysham, 2022–23: 55.3%55Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Heysham, 2023–24: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Heysham, 2024–25: 55.0%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Heysham, 2025–26: 59.2%59Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Heysham by financial year
YearHeyshamGreat Britain
2019–2049.3%45.9%
2020–2156.3%49.8%
2021–2251.5%48.9%
2022–2355.3%48.4%
2023–2454.6%47.9%
2024–2555.0%48.7%
2025–2659.2%50.0%

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

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 24 did best here, at 70.4%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1770.2% of 771
  • Age 1859.7% of 419
  • Age 1964.1% of 237
  • Age 2064.2% of 204
  • Age 2164.2% of 179
  • Age 2260.2% of 166
  • Age 2357.8% of 135
  • Age 2470.4% of 108
  • Age 2565.4% of 107

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 466 tests at Heysham, about 126.2 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (342). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness342
  • Examiner leave124

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Barrow (Unit 9, 12 Duke Street, LA14 1LF), 14 mi away. In 2025–26, 43.0% of its 3,666 car theory tests were passes, 1.8 points below 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 Barrow In Furness, 15 mi away, at 6.4 weeks. Within the same list, Barrow In Furness (15 mi) had a pass rate of 69.6%. 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 Heysham, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Barrow In FurnessShorter waitHigher pass rate15 mi6.4 weeks69.6%
BlackpoolShorter wait19 mi9.1 weeks51.8%
PrestonShorter wait20 mi14.4 weeks56.3%
Kendal (Oxenholme Road)Shorter waitHigher pass rate20 mi8.9 weeks65.1%
Southport (Liverpool)27 mi18 weeks56.5%
Blackburn with DarwenShorter wait28 mi13.1 weeks46.6%
ChorleyShorter wait29 mi5.4 weeks52.8%
Nelson31 mi18.9 weeks51.7%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Barrow In Furness: 6.4 weeksBlackpool: 9.1 weeksPreston: 14.4 weeksKendal (Oxenholme Road): 8.9 weeksSouthport (Liverpool): 18 weeksBlackburn with Darwen: 13.1 weeksChorley: 5.4 weeksNelson: 18.9 weeksHeyshamHeysham

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.
  • 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.