Best & Worst Driving Test Centres in North East England
The North East covers Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Northumberland and the Tees Valley, from Berwick on the Scottish border down to Middlesbrough. Across the 11 North East England test centres, car pass rates ranged from 37.5% to 55.5% in April 2025 to March 2026.
Quick answer: In North East England, Alnwick is the easiest by pass rate (55.5%) and Gateshead the hardest (37.5%). The national average is 50.0%.
Centres
11
Pass-rate range
37.5%–55.5%
Mean of centres
49.9%
Tests conducted
77,123
All 11 North East England test centres, ranked
Highest pass rate first. Each centre links to its full breakdown.
| # | Test centre | Pass rate | Tests | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alnwick | 55.5% | 1,282 | 108 / 317 |
| 2 | Berwick-On-Tweed | 53.9% | 666 | 127 / 317 |
| 3 | Durham | 53.2% | 9,451 | 136 / 317 |
| 4 | Hexham | 53.0% | 1,388 | 142 / 317 |
| 5 | Sunderland | 51.1% | 10,436 | 185 / 317 |
| 6 | Hartlepool | 51.0% | 5,847 | 188 / 317 |
| 7 | Blyth | 50.9% | 6,973 | 192 / 317 |
| 8 | Gosforth | 48.4% | 10,531 | 227 / 317 |
| 9 | Middlesbrough | 47.7% | 8,854 | 236 / 317 |
| 10 | Darlington | 47.1% | 12,183 | 242 / 317 |
| 11 | Gateshead | 37.5% | 9,512 | 312 / 317 |
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Frequently asked questions about driving test centres in North East England
Which is the easiest driving test centre in North East England?
By pass rate, Alnwick is the easiest place to pass in North East England, with a car practical pass rate of 55.5% for April 2025 to March 2026 (DVSA table DRT122A). It ranks 108 of all UK centres. A higher local pass rate usually reflects quieter roads, not an easier exam.
Which is the hardest driving test centre in North East England?
Gateshead has the lowest car practical pass rate in North East England at 37.5% for April 2025 to March 2026. Every examiner marks to the same national standard, so a lower rate reflects busier or more complex local roads rather than a tougher test.
What is the average driving test pass rate in North East England?
Across the 11 DVSA car test centres in North East England, pass rates ranged from 37.5% to 55.5% for April 2025 to March 2026. The simple mean of these centres is 49.9% — 0.1 points below the national average of 50.0%. (This mean is a GeraRide calculation across the listed centres, not an official regional figure.)
How many driving test centres are there in North East England?
This page covers 11 DVSA car practical test centres located in North East England, which together conducted 77,123 tests in April 2025 to March 2026. Centres are grouped by the region their town sits in; all pass-rate figures are exactly as published by the DVSA in table DRT122A.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), table DRT122A — Driving test and theory test data (cars). Reporting period April 2025 to March 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-25. Centres are grouped into North East England by the location of each test centre’s town; the mean is a GeraRide calculation across the listed centres, not an official regional figure. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.