Carlisle driving test centre
The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.
Carlisle's pass rate is the highest it has been since DVSA's figures began in 2007.
Quick answers
- Where is it? Port Road Business Park, Port Road, Carlisle, CA2 7AF. Directions
- What's the pass rate? 59% overall (manual 61%, automatic 49%), compared with the 50% national average.
- How long is the wait? If you book now, expect about 3 months. Check gov.uk for the real earliest date.
- Is it hard to pass? Easier than most. Only 37 of Britain's 276 bigger centres had a higher pass rate.
- What's nearby? None within half an hour. The nearest is Dumfries, about 28 miles away in a straight line.
Waiting times
Over the last 12 months, the typical wait here averaged about 2 months, down from about 3 months in the 12 months before.
Before the pandemic, from May 2019 to February 2020, the typical wait here averaged about 1½ months.
| Year | Carlisle | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 months | 1½ months |
| 2020 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2021 | 2½ months | 4 months |
| 2022 | 1½ months | 2½ months |
| 2023 | 4 months | 2½ months |
| 2024 | 1½ months | 2 months |
| 2025 | 2½ months | 2½ months |
| 2026 | 2 months | 2½ months |
2019 starts in May and 2026 runs to September.
See how waits have changed across Britain in our report on driving test waiting times.
Other test centres nearby
No other test centre is within half an hour's drive of Carlisle. The nearest is Dumfries, about 28 miles away in a straight line.
Pass rate over the years
In the 12 months to March 2026, Carlisle's pass rate was 59%, compared with 50% across Great Britain. It has been above Britain's pass rate for the last six years.
The automatic pass rate here was lower than manual, as it is almost everywhere: 49%, compared with 61%. That gap is wider than at most centres. Its automatic pass rate is around the middle of the 267 centres that ran 100 or more automatic tests. 17% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain.
Men and women had the same pass rate here, 59%. Across Great Britain, men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| 2025 to 2026 | 3,518 | 58.7% | 60.7% | 48.9% | 38th of 276 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 3,684 | 54.9% | 55.9% | 47.8% | 59th of 275 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 1,852 | 55.9% | 57.9% | 43.7% | 49th of 277 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 3,398 | 53.9% | 55.0% | 41.8% | 69th of 271 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 4,335 | 57.7% | 57.9% | 53.2% | 50th of 280 |
Each year runs from April to March.
Compare every centre in our report on driving test pass rates.
Before your test
In the weeks before your test, ask your instructor to take you round the roads near the centre, and practise the faults learners make most often. If you're still looking for an instructor, see who teaches in Carlisle.
Frequently asked questions
What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Carlisle?
49% in the 12 months to March 2026, compared with Britain's automatic pass rate of 45%.
How can I get a test sooner at Carlisle?
Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there.
How busy is Carlisle test centre?
It ran 3,518 car tests in the 12 months to March 2026. That's around the middle for Britain's test centres.
Can I move my test from Carlisle to another centre?
Yes. You can move it to any centre with a free date, on gov.uk. Before you do, check your instructor can take you there, and bear in mind it's harder to pass on roads you don't know. The nearest other centre is Dumfries, about 28 miles away in a straight line.
Figures from DVSA: pass rates for the 12 months to March 2026, waits for September 2026, published 14 October 2026. Driving times by road, from OpenRouteService. How we worked these out.