DurhamDriving Test Centre: Pass Rate & Routes
In 2025/26, DVSA examiners at Durham conducted 9,451 car practical tests and 5,027 candidates passed: a 53.2% pass rate, +3.2 points against the Great Britain average of 50.0%. That ranks 96 of 267 centres and 2 of 9 in North East.
Practise Durham routes in the app
Driving Routes UK guides you round 17 practice routes near Durham with spoken directions, so you can drive the local roundabouts, junctions and speed changes before test day.
Durham pass rate in 2025/26
Pass rate trend at Durham
From 2021/22 to 2025/26 the pass rate fell from 62.5% to 53.2% (-9.3 points). Test volumes changed too, from 5,795 to 9,451 tests a year.
| Year (Apr–Mar) | Tests | Passes | Durham | GB average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 5,795 | 3,623 | 62.5% | 48.9% |
| 2022/23 | 7,617 | 4,246 | 55.7% | 48.4% |
| 2023/24 | 9,516 | 4,573 | 48.1% | 47.9% |
| 2024/25 | 8,228 | 4,083 | 49.6% | 48.7% |
| 2025/26 | 9,451 | 5,027 | 53.2% | 50.0% |
Month by month, 2025/26
The strongest month was June 2025 (61% from 580 tests) and the weakest was January 2026 (47.5%). Monthly rates move with small samples, so treat single months with caution.
Test centres near Durham
Distances are straight-line from the centre location. Pass rates are DVSA figures for 2025/26.
What the test at Durham 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 Durham driving test centre?
- DVSA figures for 2025/26 show 5,027 passes from 9,451 car practical tests at Durham, a pass rate of 53.2%, above the Great Britain average of 50.0% for the same year.
- How many people pass first time at Durham?
- 2,669 of 4,867 first attempts passed in 2025/26 (54.8%). 166 learners passed their first test with zero driving faults.
- How many practice routes are there for Durham?
- The Driving Routes UK app has 17 practice route patterns around Durham. 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.