Edinburgh Musselburgh driving test centre
The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.
The wait at Edinburgh Musselburgh has grown. Over the last 12 months the typical wait averaged about 4 months, up from about 2½ months in the 12 months before.
Quick answers
- Where is it? Olivebank, Newhailes Road, EH21 6SJ. Directions
- What's the pass rate? 49% overall (manual 51%, automatic 45%), compared with the 50% national average.
- How long is the wait? If you book now, expect about 4½ months. Check gov.uk for the real earliest date.
- Is it hard to pass? About average: it's around the middle of Britain's 276 bigger test centres.
- What's nearby? Haddington is the closest, 19 minutes away. Its pass rate is 58% and its typical wait about 5½ months. Livingston, 29 minutes away, has a shorter wait, about 2 months, and a pass rate of 56%.
Waiting times
Before the pandemic, from May 2019 to February 2020, the typical wait here averaged about 2 months.
| Year | Edinburgh Musselburgh | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 months | 1½ months |
| 2020 | 2½ months | 2½ months |
| 2021 | 4 months | 4 months |
| 2022 | 1½ months | 2½ months |
| 2023 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2024 | 1½ months | 2 months |
| 2025 | 3 months | 2½ months |
| 2026 | 4 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
There are three other centres within half an hour's drive. Of those, Livingston has the shortest wait, about 2 months, and Haddington the highest pass rate, 58%.
| Test centre | Driving time | Pass rate | Typical wait | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| Haddington 14 miles by road | 19 minutes | 57.5% | 60.3% | 46.3% | 5½ months |
| Edinburgh (Currie) 14 miles by road | 22 minutes | 41.6% | 43.6% | 36.0% | 4½ months |
| Livingston 24 miles by road | 29 minutes | 55.7% | 58.0% | 47.6% | 2 months |
Driving times are without traffic.
Pass rate over the years
In the 12 months to March 2026, Edinburgh Musselburgh's pass rate was 49%, compared with 50% across Great Britain. It has been below Britain's pass rate for the last eight years.
The automatic pass rate here was lower than manual, as it is almost everywhere: 45%, compared with 51%. That gap is about the same as at most centres. Its automatic pass rate is around the middle of the 267 centres that ran 100 or more automatic tests. 28% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain.
Women had a higher pass rate than men here: 50%, compared with 49%. Across Great Britain it was the other way round: men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| 2025 to 2026 | 6,850 | 49.4% | 51.3% | 44.6% | 173rd of 276 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 7,800 | 47.0% | 48.9% | 40.9% | 190th of 275 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 8,573 | 44.1% | 45.0% | 40.2% | 218th of 277 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 8,007 | 46.8% | 48.4% | 39.2% | 171st of 271 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 6,685 | 47.2% | 48.6% | 37.7% | 186th 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 Edinburgh.
Frequently asked questions
What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Edinburgh Musselburgh?
45% in the 12 months to March 2026, compared with Britain's automatic pass rate of 45%.
How can I get a test sooner at Edinburgh Musselburgh?
Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there. Or book a centre nearby: Livingston, 29 minutes away, had a typical wait of about 2 months.
How busy is Edinburgh Musselburgh test centre?
It ran 6,850 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 Edinburgh Musselburgh 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 closest other centre is Haddington, about 19 minutes away by road.
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.