BalaDriving Test Centre: Pass Rate & Routes
In 2025/26, DVSA examiners at Bala conducted 607 car practical tests and 374 candidates passed: a 61.6% pass rate, +11.6 points against the Great Britain average of 50.0%. That ranks 20 of 267 centres and 2 of 18 in Wales.
Practise Bala routes in the app
Driving Routes UK guides you round 12 practice routes near Bala with spoken directions, so you can drive the local roundabouts, junctions and speed changes before test day.
Bala pass rate in 2025/26
Pass rate trend at Bala
From 2021/22 to 2025/26 the pass rate rose from 54.6% to 61.6% (+7 points). Test volumes changed too, from 716 to 607 tests a year.
| Year (Apr–Mar) | Tests | Passes | Bala | GB average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 716 | 391 | 54.6% | 48.9% |
| 2022/23 | 591 | 303 | 51.3% | 48.4% |
| 2023/24 | 479 | 273 | 57% | 47.9% |
| 2024/25 | 574 | 351 | 61.1% | 48.7% |
| 2025/26 | 607 | 374 | 61.6% | 50.0% |
Month by month, 2025/26
The strongest month was April 2025 (72.1% from 43 tests) and the weakest was February 2026 (51%). Monthly rates move with small samples, so treat single months with caution.
Test centres near Bala
Distances are straight-line from the centre location. Pass rates are DVSA figures for 2025/26.
What the test at Bala involves
- About 40 minutes of driving, starting with an eyesight check and a “tell me” question.
- Around 20 minutes of independent driving, usually following a sat nav set by the examiner.
- One reversing manoeuvre: parallel park, bay park, or pull up on the right and reverse two car lengths.
- A “show me” question while you drive, and possibly an emergency stop.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the pass rate at Bala driving test centre?
- DVSA figures for 2025/26 show 374 passes from 607 car practical tests at Bala, a pass rate of 61.6%, above the Great Britain average of 50.0% for the same year.
- How many people pass first time at Bala?
- 228 of 352 first attempts passed in 2025/26 (64.8%). 13 learners passed their first test with zero driving faults.
- How many practice routes are there for Bala?
- The Driving Routes UK app has 12 practice route patterns around Bala. They are compiled practice routes, not official DVSA routes; examiners change routes for traffic and roadworks.
Pass rates: DVSA, car driving test data by test centre (DRT122A/C/E, April 2025 to March 2026, published June 2026), Open Government Licence v3.0. Practice routes are compiled by Driving Routes UK and are not official DVSA routes. Examiners vary routes for traffic and roadworks.