KENDAL has been named the best place in Great Britain to pass a driving test first time.
The research, conducted by car parts search platform PartHunt24, looked at GOV.UK data on first-attempt driving test pass rates across 299 test centres in Great Britain during the 2024-25 financial year. The study only included test centres with at least 500 first-attempt tests before ranking them by the percentage of learners who passed their practical driving test on their first attempt.
The test centres with the highest percentage of learners passing on their first attempt were named the best places in Great Britain to pass first time.
Great Britain’s best test centres for passing first time:
| Rank | Test centre | First-attempt tests | First-attempt passes | First-time pass rate |
| 1 | Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | 1,230 | 842 | 68.5% |
| 2 | Dorchester | 2,759 | 1,842 | 66.8% |
| 3 | Chichester | 3,170 | 2,048 | 64.6% |
| 4 | Newtown | 957 | 617 | 64.5% |
| 5 | Melton Mowbray | 1,342 | 862 | 64.2% |
| 6 | Ipswich | 6,007 | 3,847 | 64.0% |
| =7 | Barrow in Furness | 1,098 | 697 | 63.5% |
| =7 | Haddington | 1,094 | 695 | 63.5% |
| 8 | Bangor | 2,009 | 1,273 | 63.4% |
| 9 | Cumnock | 506 | 320 | 63.2% |
| 10 | Abergavenny | 2,706 | 1,704 | 63.0% |
Kendal takes the top spot, with a first-time pass rate of 68.5%. The Lake District test centre recorded 842 first-time passes from 1,230 first-attempt tests, putting it well above the GB average of 48.9%.
Dorchester ranks second, with a first-time pass rate of 66.8%. The Dorset test centre recorded 1,842 first-time passes from 2,759 first-attempt tests.
Chichester places third, with 2,048 learners passing first time from 3,170 first-attempt tests. This gives the West Sussex test centre a first-time pass rate of 64.6%.
Newtown ranks fourth, making it the highest-ranking Welsh test centre in the study. The Powys test centre recorded 617 first-time passes from 957 first-attempt tests, giving it a pass rate of 64.5%.
Melton Mowbray follows in fifth, with a first-time pass rate of 64.2%. The Leicestershire test centre saw 862 learners pass first time from 1,342 first-attempt tests.
Ipswich ranks sixth, with one of the highest test volumes in the top 10. The Suffolk test centre recorded 3,847 first-time passes from 6,007 first-attempt tests, giving it a pass rate of 64.0%.
Barrow in Furness and Haddington rank joint seventh, with both test centres recording a first-time pass rate of 63.5%. Barrow in Furness saw 697 learners pass first time from 1,098 first-attempt tests, while Haddington recorded 695 passes from 1,094 tests.
Bangor ranks eighth, with a first-time pass rate of 63.4%. The Welsh test centre recorded 1,273 first-time passes from 2,009 first-attempt tests.
Cumnock places ninth, with 320 learners passing first time from 506 first-attempt tests. This gives the Scottish test centre a first-time pass rate of 63.2%.
Abergavenny completes the top 10, with a first-time pass rate of 63.0%. The Welsh test centre recorded 1,704 first-time passes from 2,706 first-attempt tests.
Great Britain’s worst test centres for passing first time:
| Rank | Test centre | First-attempt tests | First-attempt passes | First-time pass rate |
| 1 | Wolverhampton | 4,544 | 1,402 | 30.9% |
| 2 | Featherstone | 5,198 | 1,694 | 32.6% |
| 3 | Wednesbury | 3,783 | 1,256 | 33.2% |
| 4 | Barking (Tanner Street) | 3,273 | 1,126 | 34.4% |
| 5 | Chingford (London) | 5,458 | 1,890 | 34.6% |
| 6 | Glasgow (Shieldhall) | 2,950 | 1,042 | 35.3% |
| 7 | Belvedere (London) | 1,869 | 664 | 35.5% |
| 8 | Leicester (Cannock Street) | 5,054 | 1,815 | 35.9% |
| 9 | Luton | 3,811 | 1,419 | 37.2% |
| 10 | Speke (Liverpool) | 2,773 | 1,033 | 37.3% |
On the other hand, Wolverhampton has the lowest first-time pass rate out of all test centres in Great Britain. Just 1,402 of 4,544 learners passed on their first attempt, giving the centre a first-time pass rate of 30.9%.
Featherstone has the second-lowest first-time pass rate, at 32.6%. The West Yorkshire test centre recorded 1,694 first-time passes from 5,198 first-attempt tests.
Wednesbury ranks third from bottom, with a first-time pass rate of 33.2%. According to the data, 1,256 of 3,783 learners passed their practical test first time.
Barking’s Tanner Street test centre places fourth among the lowest-ranking locations. The East London centre recorded 1,126 first-time passes from 3,273 first-attempt tests, giving it a pass rate of 34.4%.
Chingford, in London, ranks fifth from bottom, with a first-time pass rate of 34.6%. Out of 5,458 first-attempt tests, 1,890 ended in a pass.
Glasgow’s Shieldhall test centre follows in sixth, with a first-time pass rate of 35.3%. The centre recorded 1,042 first-time passes from 2,950 first-attempt tests.
Belvedere ranks seventh among the lowest first-time pass rates in Great Britain. The London test centre saw 664 learners pass first time from 1,869 first-attempt tests, giving it a pass rate of 35.5%.
Leicester’s Cannock Street test centre places eighth, with a first-time pass rate of 35.9%. The centre recorded 1,815 first-time passes from 5,054 first-attempt tests.
Luton ranks ninth from bottom, with a first-time pass rate of 37.2%. According to the data, 1,419 of 3,811 learners passed their test first time.
Speke, in Liverpool, completes the bottom 10, with a first-time pass rate of 37.3%. The test centre recorded 1,033 first-time passes from 2,773 first-attempt tests.
A spokesperson at PartHunt24 commented: “The gap between Kendal and Wolverhampton is striking. In Kendal, almost seven in 10 learners passed their driving test first time, compared to just three in 10 in Wolverhampton.
“That is a huge difference for people booking a test and hoping to avoid the cost and stress of having to retake it.
“Smaller towns appear heavily in the top rankings. Kendal, Dorchester and Chichester all have first-time pass rates far above the GB average, which may point to the advantage of quieter roads, less complex junctions and test routes that learners can become more familiar with.
“By contrast, many of the lowest-ranking centres are in larger urban areas, where learners are more likely to face heavier traffic, busier roundabouts, more lane changes and less predictable road conditions.
“That does not mean learners should travel across the country just to take a test, but it does show how much the local driving environment can affect the pressure candidates face on the day.
“For learners in tougher test areas, the data is a reminder to practise in as many real-world conditions as possible.
“Getting comfortable with busy junctions, stop-start traffic and unfamiliar roads can make a big difference, especially when the test centre itself has a lower first-time pass rate.”
