Test Centre Stats

South East, England · DVSA car test centre

Herne Bay driving test centre

Altria Business Park, Margate Road, Thanet Way, Herne Bay, CT6 6GZ

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

8.6 weeks

−1.5 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

55.9%

+5.9 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

90 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 12th of 32 South East

Weeks to 10% of slots free

13 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Herne Bay in September 2026 had booked it a median of 8.6 weeks earlier: 3 weeks shorter than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 2.8 weeks shorter than the South East figure (11.4 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 10.1 weeks, so the wait has shortened by 1.5 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 4.9 weeks to 9.6 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 13 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, 34.8% 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.

  • Herne Bay
  • South East
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Herne Bay, October 2024 to September 2026Herne Bay: 8.6 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.051015Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 268.6Weeks051015Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 268.6Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Herne Bay, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthHerne BaySouth EastGreat Britain
September 20268.611.411.6
August 20267.011.011.1
July 20267.010.011.1
June 20267.19.610.7
May 20268.48.79.7
April 20266.19.09.1
March 20264.98.49.0
February 20269.610.110.4
January 20266.910.010.1
December 20257.710.710.1
November 20257.410.310.4
October 20257.312.311.6
September 202510.113.312.4
August 20259.913.011.7
July 202511.712.412.0
June 202511.711.311.0
May 20258.611.011.3
April 20258.710.610.6
March 20257.410.910.4
February 202510.411.011.4
January 20259.911.911.0
December 20248.911.010.4
November 202411.410.49.9
October 202411.611.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Herne Bay in September 2026, 47.1% had been booked within 7 weeks and 12.4% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Herne Bay
South East
Great Britain

At Herne Bay, 47.1% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 12.4% 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
Herne Bay47.1%15.6%24.9%12.4%
South East42.5%13.1%14.2%30.2%
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 Herne Bay, those three are below. Of the three, Canterbury (5.4 weeks) and Ashford (Kent) (7.1 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Herne Bay in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Herne Bay can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs Herne BayPass rate 2025–26
Canterburyabout 9 miles by roadabout 9 mi5.4 weeks−3.2 wk45.8%
Ashford (Kent)about 25 miles by roadabout 25 mi7.1 weeks−1.5 wk46.2%
Gillinghamabout 28 miles by roadabout 28 mi12 weeks+3.4 wk56.4%

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), 10,674 car tests were taken here and 55.9% passed, 5.9 points above the Great Britain rate (50.0%). That's close to the year before (55.4%). First attempts did about the same: 56.3% of 5,179 first-time candidates passed, and 6.3% did it with no faults at all.

  • Herne Bay
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    55.9%5.9 points above Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    56.3%5.8 points above Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    6.3%3.4 points above Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    56.0%5.2 points above Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    55.8%6.7 points above Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    65.7%2.1 points above Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars24% of tests here were in automatics
    52.2%7.6 points above Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Herne Bay compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureHerne BayGreat Britain
All tests55.9%50.0%
First attempts56.3%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults6.3%2.9%
Men56.0%50.8%
Women55.8%49.1%
17-year-olds65.7%63.6%
Automatic cars52.2%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Herne Bay
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Herne Bay by financial yearPass rate at Herne Bay in 2025–26: 55.9%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Herne Bay, 2019–20: 42.9%43Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Herne Bay, 2020–21: 44.9%45Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Herne Bay, 2021–22: 49.8%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Herne Bay, 2022–23: 51.5%52Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Herne Bay, 2023–24: 56.1%56Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Herne Bay, 2024–25: 55.4%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Herne Bay, 2025–26: 55.9%56Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Herne Bay, 2019–20: 42.9%43Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Herne Bay, 2020–21: 44.9%45Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Herne Bay, 2021–22: 49.8%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Herne Bay, 2022–23: 51.5%52Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Herne Bay, 2023–24: 56.1%56Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Herne Bay, 2024–25: 55.4%55Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Herne Bay, 2025–26: 55.9%56Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Herne Bay by financial year
YearHerne BayGreat Britain
2019–2042.9%45.9%
2020–2144.9%49.8%
2021–2249.8%48.9%
2022–2351.5%48.4%
2023–2456.1%47.9%
2024–2555.4%48.7%
2025–2655.9%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 65.7%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1765.7% of 2,031
  • Age 1858.3% of 1,349
  • Age 1953.8% of 718
  • Age 2057.0% of 486
  • Age 2156.9% of 448
  • Age 2258.5% of 448
  • Age 2354.7% of 406
  • Age 2554.7% of 340

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 325 tests at Herne Bay, about 30.4 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (176). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness176
  • Examiner leave127
  • Weather and other acts of nature22

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Canterbury (Suite E, The Clock Tower Building, Canterbury Lane, CT1 2LE), 6.5 mi away. In 2025–26, 47.4% of its 26,438 car theory tests were passes, 2.6 points above 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 Canterbury, 6.6 mi away, at 5.4 weeks. Within the same list, Maidstone (28 mi) had a pass rate of 60.2%. 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 Herne Bay, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
CanterburyShorter wait6.6 mi5.4 weeks45.8%
Ashford (Kent)Shorter wait19 mi7.1 weeks46.2%
FolkestoneShorter wait20 mi7.1 weeks42.4%
Southend-on-Sea23 mi17.6 weeks47.0%
Gillingham25 mi12 weeks56.4%
Medway Ambley RoadShorter wait25 mi1 week–
MaidstoneHigher pass rate28 mi9.7 weeks60.2%
Clacton-on-SeaShorter wait30 mi6.4 weeks48.2%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Canterbury: 5.4 weeksAshford (Kent): 7.1 weeksFolkestone: 7.1 weeksSouthend-on-Sea: 17.6 weeksGillingham: 12 weeksMedway Ambley Road: 1 weekMaidstone: 9.7 weeksClacton-on-Sea: 6.4 weeksHerne BayHerne Bay

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.