Test Centre Stats

North West, England · DVSA car test centre

Carlisle driving test centre

Port Road Business Park, Port Road, Carlisle, CA2 7AF · wheelchair accessible

Tests here: car, motorcycle module 1 (off-road), motorcycle module 2 (on-road).

Waiting times to September 2026 and pass rates for 2025–26, from DVSA statistics published .

Median wait, September 2026

13.8 weeks

+3.6 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

58.7%

+8.7 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

179 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 21st of 32 North West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

20 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Carlisle in September 2026 had booked it a median of 13.8 weeks earlier: 2.2 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 1.2 weeks longer than the North West figure (12.6 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 10.2 weeks, so the wait has grown by 3.6 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 6.3 weeks to 13.8 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 20 weeks to reach a week with at least 10% of its test slots free (Great Britain: 19.7 weeks). Across the whole 24-week window, 4.7% of standard slots were still unbooked (Great Britain: 13.3%).

Waiting time over the last two years

Median weeks between booking a test and taking it, for tests taken each month.

  • Carlisle
  • North West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Carlisle, October 2024 to September 2026Carlisle: 13.8 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.05101520Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2613.8Weeks05101520Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2613.8Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Carlisle, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthCarlisleNorth WestGreat Britain
September 202613.812.611.6
August 20268.412.111.1
July 20268.412.711.1
June 20268.611.610.7
May 20268.110.09.7
April 20267.010.39.1
March 20267.09.19.0
February 20267.710.910.4
January 20266.410.310.1
December 20256.910.010.1
November 20256.39.110.4
October 20258.210.011.6
September 202510.210.612.4
August 202512.311.011.7
July 202515.311.912.0
June 202514.610.711.0
May 202515.311.311.3
April 202515.411.110.6
March 202513.311.610.4
February 202513.412.011.4
January 202511.911.011.0
December 202410.110.410.4
November 202411.110.19.9
October 20248.410.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Carlisle in September 2026, 34.9% had been booked within 7 weeks and 30.9% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Carlisle
North West
Great Britain

At Carlisle, 34.9% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 30.9% more than 21 weeks ahead.

Show these figures as a table
How far ahead tests taken in September 2026 were booked
Within 7 weeks7 to 14 weeks14 to 21 weeksOver 21 weeks
Carlisle34.9%15.5%18.8%30.9%
North West39.4%13.8%19.7%27.1%
Great Britain41.1%14.2%15.2%29.5%

If your test is booked here

Since 9 June 2026 a car test can only be moved to one of the three centres DVSA lists as nearest by road (or back to the centre where you first booked), and you get two changes in total. For a test booked at Carlisle, those three are below. Of the three, Carlisle LGV (Cars) (0.6 weeks) and Workington (7.8 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Carlisle in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Carlisle can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs CarlislePass rate 2025–26
Carlisle LGV (Cars)about 3 miles by roadabout 3 mi0.6 weeks−13.2 wk44.7%
Workingtonabout 33 miles by roadabout 33 mi7.8 weeks−6.0 wk61.9%
Dumfriesabout 35 miles by roadabout 35 mi16.3 weeks+2.5 wk53.9%

From DVSA's list of centres you can move your test to, which it says may change. The change service shows your actual options.

Pass rates

In 2025–26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 3,518 car tests were taken here and 58.7% passed, 8.7 points above the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 54.9%, so the rate rose by 3.8 points. First attempts did better: 59.9% of 1,866 first-time candidates passed, and 5.5% did it with no faults at all.

  • Carlisle
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    58.7%8.7 points above Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    59.9%9.4 points above Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    5.5%2.6 points above Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    58.8%8.0 points above Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    58.6%9.5 points above Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    69.4%5.8 points above Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars17% of tests here were in automatics
    48.9%4.3 points above Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Carlisle compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureCarlisleGreat Britain
All tests58.7%50.0%
First attempts59.9%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults5.5%2.9%
Men58.8%50.8%
Women58.6%49.1%
17-year-olds69.4%63.6%
Automatic cars48.9%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Carlisle
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Carlisle by financial yearPass rate at Carlisle in 2025–26: 58.7%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Carlisle, 2019–20: 45.2%45Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Carlisle, 2020–21: 58.0%58Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Carlisle, 2021–22: 57.7%58Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Carlisle, 2022–23: 53.9%54Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Carlisle, 2023–24: 55.9%56Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Carlisle, 2024–25: 54.9%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Carlisle, 2025–26: 58.7%59Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Carlisle, 2019–20: 45.2%45Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Carlisle, 2020–21: 58.0%58Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Carlisle, 2021–22: 57.7%58Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Carlisle, 2022–23: 53.9%54Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Carlisle, 2023–24: 55.9%56Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Carlisle, 2024–25: 54.9%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Carlisle, 2025–26: 58.7%59Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Carlisle by financial year
YearCarlisleGreat Britain
2019–2045.2%45.9%
2020–2158.0%49.8%
2021–2257.7%48.9%
2022–2353.9%48.4%
2023–2455.9%47.9%
2024–2554.9%48.7%
2025–2658.7%50.0%

Years run April to March; ’20 is 2020–21.

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 17 did best here, at 69.4%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1769.4% of 1,032
  • Age 1860.3% of 474
  • Age 1954.7% of 212
  • Age 2054.7% of 150
  • Age 2156.7% of 104
  • Age 2256.9% of 109
  • Age 2365.9% of 91
  • Age 2451.3% of 78
  • Age 2546.8% of 77

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 153 tests at Carlisle, about 43.5 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner leave (92). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner leave92
  • Weather and other acts of nature43
  • Examiner illness18

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Carlisle (Second Floor, Stocklund House, Castle Street, CA3 8SY), 0.6 mi away. In 2025–26, 41.7% of its 7,165 car theory tests were passes, 3.1 points below the Great Britain rate (44.8%). You can sit the theory test at any centre.

Nearby centres

The nearest centre with a shorter wait is Carlisle LGV (Cars), 1.9 mi away, at 0.6 weeks. Within the same list, Workington (31 mi) had a pass rate of 61.9%. You can book a new test at any centre in Great Britain, but once it's booked a car test can only be moved to the three centres DVSA names for that centre. Distances here are straight-line.

Centres near Carlisle, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Carlisle LGV (Cars)Shorter wait1.9 mi0.6 weeks44.7%
Dumfries28 mi16.3 weeks53.9%
WorkingtonShorter waitHigher pass rate31 mi7.8 weeks61.9%
Hexham34 mi17.9 weeks53.0%
HawickHigher pass rate38 mi15.9 weeks64.3%
Castle Douglas39 mi17.1 weeks53.4%
Kendal (Oxenholme Road)Shorter waitHigher pass rate41 mi8.9 weeks65.1%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Carlisle LGV (Cars): 0.6 weeksDumfries: 16.3 weeksWorkington: 7.8 weeksHexham: 17.9 weeksHawick: 15.9 weeksCastle Douglas: 17.1 weeksKendal (Oxenholme Road): 8.9 weeksCarlisleCarlisle

Reading these figures

  • The waiting time is a median for tests taken that month: half of candidates booked closer to their test date, half further ahead. It is not the earliest date you could book today, which can be sooner when tests are cancelled or extra ones are added.
  • DVSA marks figures from April 2025 onwards as provisional; they can be revised at the quarterly update.
  • Pass rates are published once a year; the latest cover April 2025 to March 2026. Waiting times are monthly, to September 2026.
  • The figures cover DVSA car tests only, not tests run by delegated examiners (such as some fleet and emergency service tests).

To book or move a test, use the official services: book your driving test or change your driving test on GOV.UK. DVSA explains when new tests are released. We have no link with DVSA and no access to its booking system.

Sources

DVSA, Driving test and theory test data: cars: tables DRT122F (waiting times), DRT121G (regional and national), DRT122A to DRT122E (pass rates), DRT122B (cancellations) and DRT112A (theory tests). Address and coordinates from GOV.UK's Find a driving test centre. Open Government Licence v3.0. Checked 3 November 2026.