Plymouth driving test centre

The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.

Plymouth's pass rate has been below Britain's pass rate every year since 2009, the first year DVSA has figures for it.

Quick answers

  • Where is it? Ernsettle Lane, Plymouth, PL5 2EY. Directions
  • What's the pass rate? 41% overall (manual 42%, automatic 35%), compared with the 50% national average.
  • How long is the wait? If you book now, expect about 1½ months. Check gov.uk for the real earliest date.
  • Is it hard to pass? Harder than most. Only 16 of Britain's 276 bigger centres had a lower pass rate.
  • What's nearby? None within half an hour. The nearest is Launceston, about a 33 minute drive away.

Waiting times

Over the last 12 months, the typical wait here averaged about 1½ 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 2 months.

Typical wait at PlymouthAcross Great Britain
Typical wait by year at Plymouth and across Great Britain
YearPlymouthGreat Britain
20192 months1½ months
20202½ months2½ months
20214 months4 months
20222 months2½ months
20232 months2½ months
20241 month2 months
20251½ months2½ months
20261½ months2½ 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 Plymouth. The nearest is Launceston, about a 33 minute drive away. Its pass rate is 46% and its typical wait about 1½ months.

Test centreDriving timePass rateTypical wait
OverallManualAutomatic
Launceston
20 miles by road
33 minutes46.3%48.4%34.8%1½ months

Driving times are without traffic.

Pass rate over the years

In the 12 months to March 2026, Plymouth's pass rate was 41%, compared with 50% across Great Britain.

The automatic pass rate here was lower than manual, as it is almost everywhere: 35%, compared with 42%. That gap is about the same as at most centres, but only 12 of the 267 centres that ran 100 or more automatic tests had a lower automatic pass rate. 22% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain.

Women had a higher pass rate than men here: 44%, compared with 38%. Across Great Britain it was the other way round: men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.

YearTestsPass ratePlace
OverallManualAutomatic
2025 to 202611,16740.7%42.4%34.5%260th of 276
2024 to 20259,86740.8%42.7%32.4%251st of 275
2023 to 20249,03740.3%41.5%33.6%256th of 277
2022 to 20239,34537.2%38.3%29.8%263rd of 271
2021 to 20227,67139.4%40.0%33.4%258th 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 Plymouth.

Frequently asked questions

What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Plymouth?

35% in the 12 months to March 2026, compared with Britain's automatic pass rate of 45%.

How can I get a test sooner at Plymouth?

Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there.

How busy is Plymouth test centre?

It ran 11,167 car tests in the 12 months to March 2026. Only 48 of Britain's 311 test centres ran more.

Can I move my test from Plymouth 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 Launceston, about a 33 minute drive away.

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.