Grantham Somerby driving test centre
The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.
Grantham Somerby's pass rate has been above Britain's pass rate every year since DVSA's figures began in 2007.
Quick answers
- Where is it? Spitalgate Airfield, Blue Harbour, Grantham, NG31 7TX. Directions
- What's the pass rate? 58% overall (manual 61%, automatic 50%), compared with the 50% national average.
- How long is the wait? If you book now, expect about 4 months. Check gov.uk for the real earliest date.
- Is it hard to pass? Easier than most. Only 43 of Britain's 276 bigger centres had a higher pass rate.
- What's nearby? Melton Mowbray is the closest, 29 minutes away. Its pass rate is 70% and its typical wait about 4½ months.
Waiting times
Over the last 12 months, the typical wait here averaged about 3½ months, about the same as in the 12 months before.
Before the pandemic, from May 2019 to February 2020, the typical wait here averaged about 1½ months.
| Year | Grantham Somerby | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1½ months | 1½ months |
| 2020 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2021 | 3½ months | 4 months |
| 2022 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2023 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2024 | 3 months | 2 months |
| 2025 | 3½ months | 2½ months |
| 2026 | 3 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
Melton Mowbray is the only other centre within half an hour's drive. Its pass rate is higher than Grantham Somerby's, and its wait longer.
| Test centre | Driving time | Pass rate | Typical wait | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| Melton Mowbray 20 miles by road | 29 minutes | 69.7% | 71.3% | 62.6% | 4½ months |
Driving times are without traffic.
Pass rate over the years
In the 12 months to March 2026, Grantham Somerby's pass rate was 58%, compared with 50% across Great Britain.
The automatic pass rate here was lower than manual, as it is almost everywhere: 50%, compared with 61%. That gap is wider than at most centres. Only 59 of the 267 centres that ran 100 or more automatic tests had a higher automatic pass rate. 28% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain.
Men and women had the same pass rate here, 58%. Across Great Britain, men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| 2025 to 2026 | 7,318 | 57.9% | 61.0% | 49.9% | 44th of 276 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 5,959 | 58.1% | 59.7% | 52.0% | 36th of 275 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 6,416 | 54.4% | 55.2% | 50.2% | 65th of 277 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 5,583 | 52.1% | 52.6% | 47.4% | 95th of 271 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 5,404 | 54.8% | 55.6% | 45.0% | 78th 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 Grantham.
Frequently asked questions
What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Grantham Somerby?
50% in the 12 months to March 2026, compared with Britain's automatic pass rate of 45%.
How can I get a test sooner at Grantham Somerby?
Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there.
How busy is Grantham Somerby test centre?
It ran 7,318 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 Grantham Somerby 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 Melton Mowbray, about 29 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.