Darlington Driving Test Centre
Welcome to your personalised guide for the Darlington 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 Darlington.
How Darlington compares
Candidates testing here currently achieve a pass rate of 47.11%, which is slightly below the UK-wide average of 50.04%. Automatic car and first-attempt figures are shown for quick comparison.
- UK Overall Pass Rate
- 50.04%
- Darlington Overall
- 47.11%
- 2025/26 figures
- Darlington Automatic
- 40.53%
- Darlington 1st Attempt
- 48.89%
Additional breakdowns by gender are included below when data is available.
Male candidates
- UK male pass rate
- 50.80%
- Darlington male pass rate
- 44.74%
- Darlington male automatic
- 37.63%
- Darlington male first attempt
- 46.59%
Female candidates
- UK female pass rate
- 49.09%
- Darlington female pass rate
- 51.32%
- Darlington female automatic
- 43.66%
- Darlington female first attempt
- 52.28%
Pass Rate History
How the pass rate at Darlington has moved across every year DVSA has published, from 2007/08 to 2025/26, against the Great Britain average.
- Latest (2025/26)
- 47.1%
- Best year
- 62.1%
- 2020/21
- Change since 2007/08
- +1.1 pts
- Years published
- 18
View all 18 years as a table
| Year | Pass rate | GB average | Difference | Tests | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 47.1% | 50.0% | -2.9 | 12,183 | 5,740 |
| 2024/25 | 49.2% | 48.7% | +0.5 | 6,828 | 3,357 |
| 2023/24 | 55.1% | 47.9% | +7.2 | 6,944 | 3,825 |
| 2022/23 | 57.0% | 48.4% | +8.7 | 5,456 | 3,111 |
| 2021/22 | 55.0% | 48.9% | +6.1 | 3,317 | 1,823 |
| 2020/21 | 62.1% | 49.8% | +12.3 | 702 | 436 |
| 2019/20 | 51.5% | 45.9% | +5.6 | 3,337 | 1,718 |
| 2018/19 | 51.5% | 45.8% | +5.7 | 3,069 | 1,580 |
| 2017/18 | 49.2% | 46.3% | +2.9 | 3,740 | 1,839 |
| 2016/17 | 50.0% | 47.1% | +2.9 | 4,323 | 2,160 |
| 2015/16 | 48.3% | 47.0% | +1.3 | 3,477 | 1,680 |
| 2014/15 | 50.4% | 46.9% | +3.5 | 3,876 | 1,953 |
| 2013/14 | 50.7% | 47.1% | +3.7 | 3,915 | 1,986 |
| 2012/13 | 46.9% | 47.1% | -0.2 | 3,774 | 1,770 |
| 2011/12 | 49.3% | 46.9% | +2.4 | 4,123 | 2,032 |
| 2009/10 | 47.3% | 45.9% | +1.4 | 3,850 | 1,821 |
| 2008/09 | 49.0% | 45.3% | +3.7 | 4,409 | 2,159 |
| 2007/08 | 46.0% | 44.2% | +1.8 | 3,376 | 1,554 |
Waiting Times & Availability
How long people currently wait for a test at Darlington, and how much of the booking window is still open. DVSA figures for July 2026.
- Typical wait
- 8.9 weeks
- 3.0 weeks shorter than the GB median
- Change on last year
- +1.8 weeks
- vs July 2025
- Slots still bookable
- 37.2%
- 1,315 of 3,538 slots
- Weeks to open availability
- 15.5
- Until 10%+ of weekly slots are free
Typical wait over the last 24 months
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 | 8.9 wks | 3,538 | 2,223 | 37.2% |
| June 2026 | 7.1 wks | 3,803 | 2,345 | 38.3% |
| May 2026 | 6.7 wks | 4,975 | 2,637 | 47.0% |
| April 2026 | 6.4 wks | 4,694 | 2,654 | 43.5% |
| March 2026 | 5.7 wks | 4,536 | 2,842 | 37.3% |
| February 2026 | 4.9 wks | 4,567 | 2,982 | 34.7% |
| January 2026 | 5.6 wks | 4,426 | 3,126 | 29.4% |
| December 2025 | 6.3 wks | 4,221 | 3,333 | 21.0% |
| November 2025 | 6.4 wks | 4,037 | 3,785 | 6.2% |
| October 2025 | 6.9 wks | 4,176 | 4,025 | 3.6% |
| September 2025 | 6.3 wks | 4,344 | 4,034 | 7.1% |
| August 2025 | 5.9 wks | 3,534 | 3,388 | 4.1% |
| July 2025 | 7.1 wks | 2,375 | 2,266 | 4.6% |
| June 2025 | 9.1 wks | 2,364 | 2,274 | 3.8% |
| May 2025 | 6.7 wks | 2,172 | 2,075 | 4.5% |
| April 2025 | 5.4 wks | 1,790 | 1,690 | 5.6% |
| March 2025 | 7.0 wks | 1,335 | 1,262 | 5.5% |
| February 2025 | 9.0 wks | 1,431 | 1,360 | 5.0% |
| January 2025 | 8.1 wks | 1,514 | 1,440 | 4.9% |
| December 2024 | 9.6 wks | 1,638 | 1,566 | 4.4% |
| November 2024 | 8.4 wks | 1,806 | 1,760 | 2.5% |
| October 2024 | 10.4 wks | 2,123 | 1,973 | 7.1% |
| September 2024 | 8.4 wks | 2,341 | 2,067 | 11.7% |
| August 2024 | 7.8 wks | 2,369 | 1,990 | 16.0% |
Calculate Your Pass Rate
Estimate how your chances change at Darlington using the same filters available on our test centre finder.
Share a few details to estimate your pass rate at this test centre.
Results will compare your tailored prediction against Darlington and the UK averages.
Your estimated pass rate
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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
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 Darlington 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 Darlington Driving Test Centre?
- The pass rate is 47.11% as of 2026.
- How long is the wait for a driving test at Darlington?
- The typical wait between booking and taking a test at Darlington is 8.9 weeks, based on DVSA figures for July 2026. The Great Britain median is 11.9 weeks.
- How do I get to Darlington Driving Test Centre?
- Darlington Driving Test Centre is located at DVSA, Darlington. 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