Test Centre Stats

South West, England · DVSA car test centre

Exeter driving test centre

Thorverton Road, Marsh Barton, Exeter, EX2 8FS · wheelchair accessible

Tests here: car, motorcycle module 1 (off-road), motorcycle module 2 (on-road), ADI part 2, ADI part 3.

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

Median wait, September 2026

6.4 weeks

−3.1 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

46.8%

−3.2 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

49 of 314

1 = shortest wait; joint 7th of 22 South West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

5.5 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Exeter in September 2026 had booked it a median of 6.4 weeks earlier: 5.2 weeks shorter than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 2 weeks shorter than the South West figure (8.4 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 9.5 weeks, so the wait has shortened by 3.1 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 6.4 weeks to 10.6 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 5.5 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, 49.6% 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.

  • Exeter
  • South West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Exeter, October 2024 to September 2026Exeter: 6.4 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.051015Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 266.4Weeks051015Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 266.4Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Exeter, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthExeterSouth WestGreat Britain
September 20266.48.411.6
August 20267.68.311.1
July 20267.68.111.1
June 20266.67.010.7
May 20267.47.19.7
April 20268.67.19.1
March 202610.67.19.0
February 20269.09.010.4
January 20266.99.910.1
December 20259.010.110.1
November 202510.110.410.4
October 202510.310.611.6
September 20259.512.012.4
August 20259.911.111.7
July 202510.611.712.0
June 20257.611.111.0
May 202510.111.711.3
April 20257.410.910.6
March 20256.710.610.4
February 20256.911.311.4
January 20256.010.611.0
December 20246.810.710.4
November 20246.710.49.9
October 20248.310.79.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Exeter in September 2026, 52.9% had been booked within 7 weeks and 20.9% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Exeter
South West
Great Britain

At Exeter, 52.9% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 20.9% 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
Exeter52.9%14.4%11.8%20.9%
South West46.7%17.4%15.8%20.1%
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 Exeter, those three are below. None of the three had a median wait more than a week shorter than Exeter in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Exeter can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs ExeterPass rate 2025–26
Newton Abbotabout 14 miles by roadabout 14 mi16 weeks+9.6 wk53.8%
Tauntonabout 38 miles by roadabout 38 mi12.6 weeks+6.2 wk59.5%
Launcestonabout 42 miles by roadabout 42 mi6.4 weeksno change46.3%

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), 8,679 car tests were taken here and 46.8% passed, 3.2 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 47.9%, so the rate fell by 1.1 points. First attempts did worse: 45.6% of 4,182 first-time candidates passed, and 1.4% did it with no faults at all.

  • Exeter
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    46.8%3.2 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    45.6%4.9 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    1.4%1.5 points below Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    45.8%5.0 points below Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    48.0%1.1 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    56.1%7.5 points below Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars19% of tests here were in automatics
    38.5%6.1 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Exeter compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureExeterGreat Britain
All tests46.8%50.0%
First attempts45.6%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults1.4%2.9%
Men45.8%50.8%
Women48.0%49.1%
17-year-olds56.1%63.6%
Automatic cars38.5%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Exeter
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Exeter by financial yearPass rate at Exeter in 2025–26: 46.8%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Exeter, 2019–20: 48.3%48Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Exeter, 2020–21: 47.5%47Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Exeter, 2021–22: 45.1%45Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Exeter, 2022–23: 49.2%49Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Exeter, 2023–24: 48.7%49Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Exeter, 2024–25: 47.9%48Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Exeter, 2025–26: 46.8%47Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Exeter, 2019–20: 48.3%48Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Exeter, 2020–21: 47.5%47Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Exeter, 2021–22: 45.1%45Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Exeter, 2022–23: 49.2%49Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Exeter, 2023–24: 48.7%49Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Exeter, 2024–25: 47.9%48Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Exeter, 2025–26: 46.8%47Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Exeter by financial year
YearExeterGreat Britain
2019–2048.3%45.9%
2020–2147.5%49.8%
2021–2245.1%48.9%
2022–2349.2%48.4%
2023–2448.7%47.9%
2024–2547.9%48.7%
2025–2646.8%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 56.1%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1756.1% of 1,935
  • Age 1851.3% of 1,219
  • Age 1951.7% of 596
  • Age 2045.0% of 493
  • Age 2149.1% of 383
  • Age 2252.2% of 410
  • Age 2343.6% of 273
  • Age 2440.5% of 274
  • Age 2544.9% of 247

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 409 tests at Exeter, about 47.1 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (317). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness317
  • Examiner leave71
  • Weather and other acts of nature21

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Exeter (Ground Floor, Unit 11, The Depot, Belgrave Road, EX1 2FT), 1.9 mi away. In 2025–26, 50.6% of its 13,994 car theory tests were passes, 5.8 points above the Great Britain rate (44.8%). You can sit the theory test at any centre.

Nearby centres

None of the 8 nearest centres had a wait at least a week shorter than Exeter in September 2026. Within the same list, Newton Abbot (12 mi) had a pass rate of 53.8%. 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 Exeter, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Newton AbbotHigher pass rate12 mi16 weeks53.8%
TauntonHigher pass rate30 mi12.6 weeks59.5%
Plymouth35 mi7.1 weeks40.7%
Launceston36 mi6.4 weeks46.3%
BarnstapleHigher pass rate36 mi7.4 weeks51.4%
YeovilHigher pass rate41 mi13.1 weeks63.4%
DorchesterHigher pass rate46 mi10.6 weeks69.0%
BarryHigher pass rate50 mi9.1 weeks57.0%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Newton Abbot: 16 weeksTaunton: 12.6 weeksPlymouth: 7.1 weeksLaunceston: 6.4 weeksBarnstaple: 7.4 weeksYeovil: 13.1 weeksDorchester: 10.6 weeksBarry: 9.1 weeksExeterExeter

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.