Best & Worst Driving Test Centres in South West England
The South West runs from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire down through Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly, with many quieter rural routes. Across the 22 South West England test centres, car pass rates ranged from 40.6% to 75.0% in April 2025 to March 2026.
Quick answer: In South West England, Isles of Scilly is the easiest by pass rate (75.0%) and Camborne the hardest (40.6%). The national average is 50.0%.
Centres
22
Pass-rate range
40.6%–75.0%
Mean of centres
52.9%
Tests conducted
153,125
All 22 South West England test centres, ranked
Highest pass rate first. Each centre links to its full breakdown.
| # | Test centre | Pass rate | Tests | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isles of Scilly | 75.0% | 8 | 1 / 317 |
| 2 | Dorchester | 69.0% | 4,353 | 16 / 317 |
| 3 | Yeovil | 63.4% | 7,493 | 35 / 317 |
| 4 | Weston-super-Mare | 61.0% | 4,443 | 47 / 317 |
| 5 | Taunton | 59.5% | 8,259 | 55 / 317 |
| 6 | Chippenham | 56.4% | 9,629 | 94 / 317 |
| 7 | Bristol (Avonmouth) | 55.5% | 9,400 | 105 / 317 |
| 8 | Trowbridge | 55.2% | 3,074 | 114 / 317 |
| 9 | Newton Abbot | 53.8% | 6,591 | 129 / 317 |
| 10 | Poole | 53.4% | 10,375 | 133 / 317 |
| 11 | Bristol (Kingswood) | 51.9% | 14,863 | 160 / 317 |
| 12 | Barnstaple | 51.4% | 5,562 | 179 / 317 |
| 13 | Swindon | 51.1% | 12,857 | 184 / 317 |
| 14 | Salisbury | 48.5% | 6,630 | 225 / 317 |
| 15 | Gloucester | 47.8% | 7,420 | 234 / 317 |
| 16 | Bodmin | 47.5% | 6,392 | 237 / 317 |
| 17 | Exeter | 46.8% | 8,679 | 250 / 317 |
| 18 | Penzance | 46.5% | 507 | 253 / 317 |
| 19 | Launceston | 46.3% | 3,991 | 258 / 317 |
| 20 | Cheltenham | 43.2% | 5,161 | 284 / 317 |
| 21 | Plymouth | 40.7% | 11,167 | 301 / 317 |
| 22 | Camborne | 40.6% | 6,271 | 303 / 317 |
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Frequently asked questions about driving test centres in South West England
Which is the easiest driving test centre in South West England?
By pass rate, Isles of Scilly is the easiest place to pass in South West England, with a car practical pass rate of 75.0% for April 2025 to March 2026 (DVSA table DRT122A). It ranks 1 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 South West England?
Camborne has the lowest car practical pass rate in South West England at 40.6% 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 South West England?
Across the 22 DVSA car test centres in South West England, pass rates ranged from 40.6% to 75.0% for April 2025 to March 2026. The simple mean of these centres is 52.9% — 2.9 points above 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 South West England?
This page covers 22 DVSA car practical test centres located in South West England, which together conducted 153,125 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 South West 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.