Test Centre Stats

East of England, England · DVSA car test centre

Southend-on-Sea driving test centre

The Tickfield Centre, Tickfield Industrial Estate, Tickfield Ave, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6LL

Tests here: car.

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

Median wait, September 2026

17.6 weeks

+6.5 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

47.0%

−3.0 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

240 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 18th of 24 East of England

Weeks to 10% of slots free

23.8 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Southend-on-Sea in September 2026 had booked it a median of 17.6 weeks earlier: 6 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 5.6 weeks longer than the East of England figure (12 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 11.1 weeks, so the wait has grown by 6.5 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 5.3 weeks to 17.6 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 23.8 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, 3.7% 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.

  • Southend-on-Sea
  • East of England
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Southend-on-Sea, October 2024 to September 2026Southend-on-Sea: 17.6 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.05101520Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2617.6Weeks05101520Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2617.6Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Southend-on-Sea, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthSouthend-on-SeaEast of EnglandGreat Britain
September 202617.612.011.6
August 20267.511.911.1
July 20267.511.711.1
June 202611.011.410.7
May 20267.69.49.7
April 20267.79.09.1
March 202614.39.39.0
February 202613.311.010.4
January 20269.310.410.1
December 20255.310.110.1
November 20256.710.010.4
October 202510.011.611.6
September 202511.112.112.4
August 202514.410.911.7
July 20259.410.312.0
June 20258.69.311.0
May 20259.19.611.3
April 20259.18.310.6
March 20258.08.010.4
February 202511.48.611.4
January 202516.98.911.0
December 202418.09.710.4
November 202413.98.39.9
October 202417.17.99.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Southend-on-Sea in September 2026, 32.1% had been booked within 7 weeks and 41.8% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
Southend-on-Sea
East of England
Great Britain

At Southend-on-Sea, 32.1% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 41.8% 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
Southend-on-Sea32.1%10.5%15.6%41.8%
East of England42.2%11.0%11.7%35.1%
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 Southend-on-Sea, those three are below. Of the three, Basildon (3.7 weeks), Tilbury (5.2 weeks) and Brentwood (London) (5.3 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than Southend-on-Sea in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Southend-on-Sea can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs Southend-on-SeaPass rate 2025–26
Basildonabout 12 miles by roadabout 12 mi3.7 weeks−13.9 wk49.1%
Tilburyabout 21 miles by roadabout 21 mi5.2 weeks−12.4 wk50.4%
Brentwood (London)about 21 miles by roadabout 21 mi5.3 weeks−12.3 wk48.5%

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), 7,526 car tests were taken here and 47.0% passed, 3.0 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 48.1%, so the rate fell by 1.1 points. First attempts did about the same: 47.0% of 3,529 first-time candidates passed, and 1.9% did it with no faults at all.

  • Southend-on-Sea
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    47.0%3.0 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    47.0%3.5 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    1.9%1.0 points below Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    46.6%4.2 points below Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    47.5%1.6 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    56.0%7.6 points below Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars29% of tests here were in automatics
    41.0%3.6 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Southend-on-Sea compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureSouthend-on-SeaGreat Britain
All tests47.0%50.0%
First attempts47.0%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults1.9%2.9%
Men46.6%50.8%
Women47.5%49.1%
17-year-olds56.0%63.6%
Automatic cars41.0%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Southend-on-Sea
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Southend-on-Sea by financial yearPass rate at Southend-on-Sea in 2025–26: 47.0%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Southend-on-Sea, 2019–20: 47.6%48Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Southend-on-Sea, 2020–21: 55.8%56Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Southend-on-Sea, 2021–22: 53.7%54Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Southend-on-Sea, 2022–23: 51.1%51Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Southend-on-Sea, 2023–24: 48.6%49Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Southend-on-Sea, 2024–25: 48.1%48Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Southend-on-Sea, 2025–26: 47.0%47Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Southend-on-Sea, 2019–20: 47.6%48Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Southend-on-Sea, 2020–21: 55.8%56Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Southend-on-Sea, 2021–22: 53.7%54Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Southend-on-Sea, 2022–23: 51.1%51Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Southend-on-Sea, 2023–24: 48.6%49Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Southend-on-Sea, 2024–25: 48.1%48Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Southend-on-Sea, 2025–26: 47.0%47Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Southend-on-Sea by financial year
YearSouthend-on-SeaGreat Britain
2019–2047.6%45.9%
2020–2155.8%49.8%
2021–2253.7%48.9%
2022–2351.1%48.4%
2023–2448.6%47.9%
2024–2548.1%48.7%
2025–2647.0%50.0%

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

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 23 did best here, at 57.6%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1756.0% of 1,360
  • Age 1852.5% of 1,095
  • Age 1949.0% of 525
  • Age 2050.2% of 323
  • Age 2145.9% of 281
  • Age 2252.5% of 320
  • Age 2357.6% of 245
  • Age 2448.0% of 198
  • Age 2542.3% of 194

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 130 tests at Southend-on-Sea, about 17.3 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (120). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness120
  • Examiner leave8
  • Weather and other acts of nature2

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Southend-On-Sea (Third Floor, Tylers House, 5 Tylers Avenue, SS1 2BB), 0.8 mi away. In 2025–26, 45.3% of its 24,458 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 Basildon, 9.9 mi away, at 3.7 weeks. Within the same list, Basildon (9.9 mi) had a pass rate of 49.1%. 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 Southend-on-Sea, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
BasildonShorter waitHigher pass rate9.9 mi3.7 weeks49.1%
GillinghamShorter waitHigher pass rate14 mi12 weeks56.4%
Medway Ambley RoadShorter wait14 mi1 week–
TilburyShorter waitHigher pass rate16 mi5.2 weeks50.4%
ChelmsfordHigher pass rate18 mi20.9 weeks55.4%
Brentwood (London)Shorter wait18 mi5.3 weeks48.5%
Hornchurch (London)21 mi22.3 weeks46.3%
MaidstoneShorter waitHigher pass rate21 mi9.7 weeks60.2%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Basildon: 3.7 weeksGillingham: 12 weeksMedway Ambley Road: 1 weekTilbury: 5.2 weeksChelmsford: 20.9 weeksBrentwood (London): 5.3 weeksHornchurch (London): 22.3 weeksMaidstone: 9.7 weeksSouthend-on-SeaSouthend-on-Sea

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.