Bedford Driving Test Centre

Welcome to your personalised guide for the Bedford Driving Test Centre. Explore tailored pass-rate forecasts, peak traffic windows for your chosen day, and everything you need to plan a confident driving test in Bedford.

How Bedford compares

Candidates testing here currently achieve a pass rate of 53.72%, which is slightly above the UK-wide average of 50.04%. Automatic car and first-attempt figures are shown for quick comparison.

UK Overall Pass Rate
50.04%
Bedford Overall
53.72%
2025/26 figures
Bedford Automatic
46.85%
Bedford 1st Attempt
54.36%

Additional breakdowns by gender are included below when data is available.

Male candidates

UK male pass rate
50.80%
Bedford male pass rate
54.82%
Bedford male automatic
49.00%
Bedford male first attempt
55.85%

Female candidates

UK female pass rate
49.09%
Bedford female pass rate
52.34%
Bedford female automatic
45.52%
Bedford female first attempt
52.60%

Pass Rate History

How the pass rate at Bedford has moved across every year DVSA has published, from 2007/08 to 2025/26, against the Great Britain average.

Latest (2025/26)
53.7%
Best year
56.0%
2022/23
Change since 2007/08
+9.5 pts
Years published
10
Bedford Great Britain average
40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 2008 2010 2012 2023 2025 2026 2007/08 — Bedford 44.2%, Great Britain 44.2% 2008/09 — Bedford 43.9%, Great Britain 45.3% 2009/10 — Bedford 45.0%, Great Britain 45.9% 2010/11 — Bedford 47.1%, Great Britain 46.3% 2011/12 — Bedford 45.6%, Great Britain 46.9% 2021/22 — Bedford 54.3%, Great Britain 48.9% 2022/23 — Bedford 56.0%, Great Britain 48.4% 2023/24 — Bedford 52.7%, Great Britain 47.9% 2024/25 — Bedford 49.9%, Great Britain 48.7% 2025/26 — Bedford 53.7%, Great Britain 50.0% 53.7% 50.0%
View all 10 years as a table
Year Pass rate GB average Difference Tests Passes
2025/26 53.7% 50.0% +3.7 8,854 4,756
2024/25 49.9% 48.7% +1.2 8,958 4,472
2023/24 52.7% 47.9% +4.8 8,665 4,564
2022/23 56.0% 48.4% +7.6 5,501 3,079
2021/22 54.3% 48.9% +5.4 4,595 2,494
2011/12 45.6% 46.9% -1.3 6,751 3,081
2010/11 47.1% 46.3% +0.8 6,729 3,172
2009/10 45.0% 45.9% -0.9 6,201 2,792
2008/09 43.9% 45.3% -1.3 6,736 2,960
2007/08 44.2% 44.2% +0.0 6,865 3,037

Waiting Times & Availability

How long people currently wait for a test at Bedford, and how much of the booking window is still open. DVSA figures for July 2026.

Typical wait
27.1 weeks
15.2 weeks longer than the GB median
Change on last year
+8.7 weeks
vs July 2025
Slots still bookable
0.4%
4 of 1,024 slots
Weeks to open availability
19.5
Until 10%+ of weekly slots are free

Typical wait over the last 24 months

0 7 14 21 28 Aug 24 Dec 24 Apr 25 Aug 25 Dec 25 Apr 26 Jul 26 GB 11.9 August 2024 — 10.7 weeks September 2024 — 13.1 weeks October 2024 — 13.5 weeks November 2024 — 12.9 weeks December 2024 — 17.1 weeks January 2025 — 18.4 weeks February 2025 — 18.6 weeks March 2025 — 15.3 weeks April 2025 — 9.1 weeks May 2025 — 16.7 weeks June 2025 — 15.3 weeks July 2025 — 18.4 weeks August 2025 — 17.0 weeks September 2025 — 19.4 weeks October 2025 — 21.3 weeks November 2025 — 17.1 weeks December 2025 — 17.3 weeks January 2026 — 21.8 weeks February 2026 — 23.1 weeks March 2026 — 19.4 weeks April 2026 — 16.8 weeks May 2026 — 15.6 weeks June 2026 — 25.1 weeks July 2026 — 27.1 weeks 27.1

Median weeks between booking a test and taking it. The grey line is the Great Britain median for July 2026.

View monthly figures as a table
Month Typical wait Slots offered Booked Still bookable
July 2026 27.1 wks 1,024 1,020 0.4%
June 2026 25.1 wks 1,251 1,241 0.8%
May 2026 15.6 wks 1,387 1,368 1.4%
April 2026 16.8 wks 1,405 1,399 0.4%
March 2026 19.4 wks 1,649 1,643 0.4%
February 2026 23.1 wks 2,000 1,957 2.2%
January 2026 21.8 wks 2,421 2,380 1.7%
December 2025 17.3 wks 2,571 2,551 0.8%
November 2025 17.1 wks 2,578 2,557 0.8%
October 2025 21.3 wks 2,656 2,636 0.8%
September 2025 19.4 wks 3,184 3,163 0.7%
August 2025 17.0 wks 2,986 2,958 0.9%
July 2025 18.4 wks 3,202 3,181 0.7%
June 2025 15.3 wks 3,545 3,519 0.7%
May 2025 16.7 wks 3,618 3,573 1.2%
April 2025 9.1 wks 3,142 2,996 4.6%
March 2025 15.3 wks 2,998 2,866 4.4%
February 2025 18.6 wks 3,043 2,906 4.5%
January 2025 18.4 wks 3,162 3,004 5.0%
December 2024 17.1 wks 3,039 2,888 5.0%
November 2024 12.9 wks 3,114 2,975 4.5%
October 2024 13.5 wks 3,414 3,276 4.0%
September 2024 13.1 wks 3,432 3,248 5.4%
August 2024 10.7 wks 3,447 3,306 4.1%

Calculate Your Pass Rate

Estimate how your chances change at Bedford using the same filters available on our test centre finder.

Centre average: 53.72% · UK average: 50.04%

Share a few details to estimate your pass rate at this test centre.

Results will compare your tailored prediction against Bedford and the UK averages.

Traffic Planner

Plan the calmest test slot with hourly traffic levels between 06:00 and 21:00 based on typical Google Maps conditions.

Traffic insights will appear here once loaded. Pick your potential driving test date to explore expected congestion.

Source: Google Maps

Traffic data temporarily unavailable.
Low traffic Moderate Heavy Severe

Tip: Nearby schools often create extra congestion around 08:30–09:30 and 15:00–16:00. Avoid those peaks where possible.

Key Tips for Passing at Bedford Driving Test Centre

  • Familiarize yourself with the local roads and common test routes.
  • Practice driving during the test centre's peak hours to get used to traffic conditions.
  • Ensure you're comfortable with maneuvers that are frequently tested in this area.
  • Consider taking a mock test with a local instructor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the pass rate at Bedford Driving Test Centre?
The pass rate is 53.72% as of 2026.
How long is the wait for a driving test at Bedford?
The typical wait between booking and taking a test at Bedford is 27.1 weeks, based on DVSA figures for July 2026. The Great Britain median is 11.9 weeks.
How do I get to Bedford Driving Test Centre?
Bedford Driving Test Centre is located at Bedford Heights, Bedford. You can view the map above for directions.
When is the quietest time to book a test?
Use the traffic planner on this page to check hourly congestion from 06:00–21:00. Aim for the green (low traffic) slots and steer clear of the amber/red periods that often align with school runs and evening rush hour.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency data, for the financial year ending March 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence