Test Centre Stats

North West, England · DVSA car test centre

Preston driving test centre

Chain Caul Road, Preston, PR2 2PD · wheelchair accessible

Tests here: car, 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

14.4 weeks

−2.6 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

56.3%

+6.3 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

189 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 22nd of 32 North West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

21.8 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Preston in September 2026 had booked it a median of 14.4 weeks earlier: 2.8 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 1.8 weeks longer than the North West figure (12.6 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 17 weeks, so the wait has shortened by 2.6 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 13.1 weeks to 21.4 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 21.8 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, 12.8% 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.

  • Preston
  • North West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Preston, October 2024 to September 2026Preston: 14.4 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.0102030Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2614.4Weeks0102030Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2614.4Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Preston, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthPrestonNorth WestGreat Britain
September 202614.412.611.6
August 202618.412.111.1
July 202618.412.711.1
June 202614.611.610.7
May 202615.610.09.7
April 202616.110.39.1
March 202613.19.19.0
February 202613.110.910.4
January 202615.410.310.1
December 202519.310.010.1
November 202520.69.110.4
October 202521.410.011.6
September 202517.010.612.4
August 202515.911.011.7
July 202516.911.912.0
June 202516.910.711.0
May 202516.411.311.3
April 202515.911.110.6
March 202515.311.610.4
February 202513.612.011.4
January 202514.611.011.0
December 202413.110.410.4
November 202413.110.19.9
October 202412.410.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Preston in September 2026, 40.1% had been booked within 7 weeks and 38.5% more than 21 weeks before.

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

At Preston, 40.1% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 38.5% 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
Preston40.1%9.3%12.2%38.5%
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 Preston, those three are below. Of the three, Chorley (5.4 weeks), Blackpool (9.1 weeks) and Blackburn with Darwen (13.1 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Preston in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Preston can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs PrestonPass rate 2025–26
Chorleyabout 12 miles by roadabout 12 mi5.4 weeks−9.0 wk52.8%
Blackburn with Darwenabout 14 miles by roadabout 14 mi13.1 weeks−1.3 wk46.6%
Blackpoolabout 16 miles by roadabout 16 mi9.1 weeks−5.3 wk51.8%

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), 9,194 car tests were taken here and 56.3% passed, 6.3 points above the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 53.7%, so the rate rose by 2.6 points. First attempts did about the same: 56.9% of 5,178 first-time candidates passed, and 4.9% did it with no faults at all.

  • Preston
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    56.3%6.3 points above Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    56.9%6.4 points above Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    4.9%2.0 points above Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    58.2%7.4 points above Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    54.0%4.9 points above Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    70.2%6.6 points above Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars27% of tests here were in automatics
    49.0%4.4 points above Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Preston compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasurePrestonGreat Britain
All tests56.3%50.0%
First attempts56.9%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults4.9%2.9%
Men58.2%50.8%
Women54.0%49.1%
17-year-olds70.2%63.6%
Automatic cars49.0%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Preston
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Preston by financial yearPass rate at Preston in 2025–26: 56.3%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Preston, 2019–20: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Preston, 2020–21: 59.9%60Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Preston, 2021–22: 56.9%57Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Preston, 2022–23: 61.1%61Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Preston, 2023–24: 56.7%57Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Preston, 2024–25: 53.7%54Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Preston, 2025–26: 56.3%56Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Preston, 2019–20: 54.6%55Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Preston, 2020–21: 59.9%60Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Preston, 2021–22: 56.9%57Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Preston, 2022–23: 61.1%61Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Preston, 2023–24: 56.7%57Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Preston, 2024–25: 53.7%54Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Preston, 2025–26: 56.3%56Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Preston by financial year
YearPrestonGreat Britain
2019–2054.6%45.9%
2020–2159.9%49.8%
2021–2256.9%48.9%
2022–2361.1%48.4%
2023–2456.7%47.9%
2024–2553.7%48.7%
2025–2656.3%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 70.2%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1770.2% of 1,304
  • Age 1864.1% of 1,082
  • Age 1960.6% of 568
  • Age 2061.4% of 425
  • Age 2157.4% of 366
  • Age 2255.4% of 332
  • Age 2357.1% of 378
  • Age 2458.1% of 327
  • Age 2560.7% of 290

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 625 tests at Preston, about 68.0 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (435). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness435
  • Examiner leave156
  • Weather and other acts of nature34

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Preston (Sixth Floor, Marshall House, Ring Way, PR1 2QD), 2.1 mi away. In 2025–26, 43.9% of its 54,263 car theory tests were passes, close to 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 Chorley, 8.9 mi away, at 5.4 weeks. Within the same list, Heysham (20 mi) had a pass rate of 59.2%. 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 Preston, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
ChorleyShorter wait8.9 mi5.4 weeks52.8%
BlackpoolShorter wait12 mi9.1 weeks51.8%
Blackburn with DarwenShorter wait12 mi13.1 weeks46.6%
Southport (Liverpool)13 mi18 weeks56.5%
Atherton (Manchester)Shorter wait19 mi10 weeks44.3%
Bolton (Manchester)Shorter wait19 mi12.4 weeks51.8%
HeyshamHigher pass rate20 mi18.3 weeks59.2%
St Helens (Liverpool)Shorter wait21 mi11.4 weeks40.9%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Chorley: 5.4 weeksBlackpool: 9.1 weeksBlackburn with Darwen: 13.1 weeksSouthport (Liverpool): 18 weeksAtherton (Manchester): 10 weeksBolton (Manchester): 12.4 weeksHeysham: 18.3 weeksSt Helens (Liverpool): 11.4 weeksPrestonPreston

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.