Test Centre Stats

South West, England · DVSA car test centre

Plymouth driving test centre

Ernesettle Lane, Plymouth, PL5 2EY

Tests here: car, motorcycle module 1 (off-road), 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

7.1 weeks

+0.1 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

40.7%

−9.3 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

61 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 9th of 22 South West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

9 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Plymouth in September 2026 had booked it a median of 7.1 weeks earlier: 4.5 weeks shorter than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 1.3 weeks shorter than the South West figure (8.4 weeks). That's about where it was in September 2025 (7 weeks). Over the last 12 months it ranged from 5 weeks to 8.6 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 9 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, 44.6% 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.

  • Plymouth
  • South West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Plymouth, October 2024 to September 2026Plymouth: 7.1 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.051015Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 267.1Weeks051015Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 267.1Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Plymouth, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthPlymouthSouth WestGreat Britain
September 20267.18.411.6
August 20267.08.311.1
July 20267.08.111.1
June 20268.67.010.7
May 20266.47.19.7
April 20267.07.19.1
March 20266.17.19.0
February 20267.09.010.4
January 20266.09.910.1
December 20255.610.110.1
November 20256.910.410.4
October 20255.010.611.6
September 20257.012.012.4
August 20258.611.111.7
July 20257.411.712.0
June 20256.711.111.0
May 20257.411.711.3
April 20256.410.910.6
March 20255.910.610.4
February 20256.411.311.4
January 20253.910.611.0
December 20244.710.710.4
November 20244.410.49.9
October 20245.310.79.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Plymouth in September 2026, 49.9% had been booked within 7 weeks and 9.5% more than 21 weeks before.

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

At Plymouth, 49.9% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 9.5% 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
Plymouth49.9%17.1%23.4%9.5%
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 Plymouth, those three are below. Of the three, Bodmin (5.4 weeks) had a median wait at least a week shorter than Plymouth in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Plymouth can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs PlymouthPass rate 2025–26
Launcestonabout 20 miles by roadabout 20 mi6.4 weeks−0.7 wk46.3%
Bodminabout 29 miles by roadabout 29 mi5.4 weeks−1.7 wk47.5%
Newton Abbotabout 34 miles by roadabout 34 mi16 weeks+8.9 wk53.8%

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), 11,167 car tests were taken here and 40.7% passed, 9.3 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). That's close to the year before (40.8%). First attempts did worse: 38.8% of 4,589 first-time candidates passed, and 1.6% did it with no faults at all.

  • Plymouth
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    40.7%9.3 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    38.8%11.7 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    1.6%1.3 points below Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    38.3%12.5 points below Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    43.7%5.4 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    51.2%12.4 points below Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars22% of tests here were in automatics
    34.5%10.1 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Plymouth compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasurePlymouthGreat Britain
All tests40.7%50.0%
First attempts38.8%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults1.6%2.9%
Men38.3%50.8%
Women43.7%49.1%
17-year-olds51.2%63.6%
Automatic cars34.5%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Plymouth
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Plymouth by financial yearPass rate at Plymouth in 2025–26: 40.7%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Plymouth, 2019–20: 38.6%39Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Plymouth, 2020–21: 42.4%42Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Plymouth, 2021–22: 39.4%39Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Plymouth, 2022–23: 37.2%37Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Plymouth, 2023–24: 40.3%40Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Plymouth, 2024–25: 40.8%41Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Plymouth, 2025–26: 40.7%41Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Plymouth, 2019–20: 38.6%39Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Plymouth, 2020–21: 42.4%42Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Plymouth, 2021–22: 39.4%39Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Plymouth, 2022–23: 37.2%37Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Plymouth, 2023–24: 40.3%40Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Plymouth, 2024–25: 40.8%41Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Plymouth, 2025–26: 40.7%41Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Plymouth by financial year
YearPlymouthGreat Britain
2019–2038.6%45.9%
2020–2142.4%49.8%
2021–2239.4%48.9%
2022–2337.2%48.4%
2023–2440.3%47.9%
2024–2540.8%48.7%
2025–2640.7%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 51.2%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1751.2% of 1,794
  • Age 1844.8% of 1,509
  • Age 1942.6% of 759
  • Age 2043.7% of 581
  • Age 2143.2% of 477
  • Age 2244.1% of 454
  • Age 2344.4% of 408
  • Age 2442.4% of 382

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 140 tests at Plymouth, about 12.5 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (140). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness140

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Plymouth (First Floor, Princess Court, Princess Street, PL1 2EX), 3.8 mi away. In 2025–26, 49.0% of its 13,278 car theory tests were passes, 4.2 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 Bodmin, 23 mi away, at 5.4 weeks. Within the same list, Launceston (15 mi) had a pass rate of 46.3%. 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 Plymouth, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
LauncestonHigher pass rate15 mi6.4 weeks46.3%
BodminShorter waitHigher pass rate23 mi5.4 weeks47.5%
Newton AbbotHigher pass rate27 mi16 weeks53.8%
ExeterHigher pass rate35 mi6.4 weeks46.8%
BarnstapleHigher pass rate46 mi7.4 weeks51.4%
CamborneShorter wait50 mi4.4 weeks40.6%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Launceston: 6.4 weeksBodmin: 5.4 weeksNewton Abbot: 16 weeksExeter: 6.4 weeksBarnstaple: 7.4 weeksCamborne: 4.4 weeksPlymouthPlymouth

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.