Test Centre Stats

North West, England · DVSA car test centre

Widnes driving test centre

Everite Road, Widnes, WA8 8PT

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

9.1 weeks

+2.4 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

42.7%

−7.3 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

101 of 314

1 = shortest wait; joint 11th of 32 North West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

18.3 weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at Widnes in September 2026 had booked it a median of 9.1 weeks earlier: 2.5 weeks shorter than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 3.5 weeks shorter than the North West figure (12.6 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 6.7 weeks, so the wait has grown by 2.4 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 5.7 weeks to 9.1 weeks.

On the last Monday of September 2026 it would have taken about 18.3 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, 15.6% 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.

  • Widnes
  • North West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Widnes, October 2024 to September 2026Widnes: 9.1 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.051015Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 269.1Weeks051015Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 269.1Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at Widnes, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthWidnesNorth WestGreat Britain
September 20269.112.611.6
August 20266.912.111.1
July 20266.912.711.1
June 20269.011.610.7
May 20267.410.09.7
April 20267.410.39.1
March 20266.19.19.0
February 20265.710.910.4
January 20267.110.310.1
December 20257.410.010.1
November 20256.39.110.4
October 20256.110.011.6
September 20256.710.612.4
August 20255.611.011.7
July 20256.611.912.0
June 202511.110.711.0
May 202512.411.311.3
April 202513.011.110.6
March 202512.411.610.4
February 202512.712.011.4
January 20257.011.011.0
December 20248.710.410.4
November 20249.910.19.9
October 20248.010.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at Widnes in September 2026, 44.8% had been booked within 7 weeks and 10.2% more than 21 weeks before.

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

At Widnes, 44.8% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 10.2% 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
Widnes44.8%13.9%31.1%10.2%
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 Widnes, those three are below. Of the three, Speke (Liverpool) (7.5 weeks) had a median wait at least a week shorter than Widnes in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at Widnes can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs WidnesPass rate 2025–26
Speke (Liverpool)about 6 miles by roadabout 6 mi7.5 weeks−1.6 wk40.5%
St Helens (Liverpool)about 10 miles by roadabout 10 mi11.4 weeks+2.3 wk40.9%
Norris Green (Liverpool)about 11 miles by roadabout 11 mi18 weeks+8.9 wk37.8%

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), 6,846 car tests were taken here and 42.7% passed, 7.3 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 40.1%, so the rate rose by 2.6 points. First attempts did worse: 41.3% of 2,699 first-time candidates passed, and 1.1% did it with no faults at all.

  • Widnes
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    42.7%7.3 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    41.3%9.2 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    1.1%1.8 points below Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    42.0%8.8 points below Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    43.7%5.4 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    52.5%11.1 points below Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars26% of tests here were in automatics
    37.6%7.0 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at Widnes compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureWidnesGreat Britain
All tests42.7%50.0%
First attempts41.3%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults1.1%2.9%
Men42.0%50.8%
Women43.7%49.1%
17-year-olds52.5%63.6%
Automatic cars37.6%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • Widnes
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at Widnes by financial yearPass rate at Widnes in 2025–26: 42.7%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100Widnes, 2019–20: 45.7%46Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20Widnes, 2020–21: 54.4%54Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21Widnes, 2021–22: 49.9%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22Widnes, 2022–23: 41.8%42Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23Widnes, 2023–24: 41.4%41Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24Widnes, 2024–25: 40.1%40Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25Widnes, 2025–26: 42.7%43Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100Widnes, 2019–20: 45.7%46Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19Widnes, 2020–21: 54.4%54Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20Widnes, 2021–22: 49.9%50Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21Widnes, 2022–23: 41.8%42Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22Widnes, 2023–24: 41.4%41Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23Widnes, 2024–25: 40.1%40Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24Widnes, 2025–26: 42.7%43Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at Widnes by financial year
YearWidnesGreat Britain
2019–2045.7%45.9%
2020–2154.4%49.8%
2021–2249.9%48.9%
2022–2341.8%48.4%
2023–2441.4%47.9%
2024–2540.1%48.7%
2025–2642.7%50.0%

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

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 20 did best here, at 53.2%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1752.5% of 930
  • Age 1849.4% of 894
  • Age 1944.0% of 496
  • Age 2053.2% of 297
  • Age 2145.5% of 312
  • Age 2242.0% of 281
  • Age 2342.0% of 262
  • Age 2438.6% of 267
  • Age 2543.0% of 230

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 276 tests at Widnes, about 40.3 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (158). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness158
  • Examiner leave79
  • Weather and other acts of nature39

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Liverpool (Suite 1, Ground Floor, 10 Duke Street, L1 5AS), 9.2 mi away. In 2025–26, 45.6% of its 69,093 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 Speke (Liverpool), 4.8 mi away, at 7.5 weeks. Within the same list, Warrington (8.6 mi) had a pass rate of 55.5%. 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 Widnes, with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Speke (Liverpool)Shorter wait4.8 mi7.5 weeks40.5%
St Helens (Liverpool)6.9 mi11.4 weeks40.9%
WarringtonHigher pass rate8.6 mi17.1 weeks55.5%
Norris Green (Liverpool)8.6 mi18 weeks37.8%
ChesterShorter waitHigher pass rate10 mi7.5 weeks47.3%
WallaseyHigher pass rate11 mi12.6 weeks54.3%
NorthwichShorter waitHigher pass rate12 mi7.3 weeks57.6%
UptonHigher pass rate13 mi12.1 weeks52.6%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Speke (Liverpool): 7.5 weeksSt Helens (Liverpool): 11.4 weeksWarrington: 17.1 weeksNorris Green (Liverpool): 18 weeksChester: 7.5 weeksWallasey: 12.6 weeksNorthwich: 7.3 weeksUpton: 12.1 weeksWidnesWidnes

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.