Pwllheli driving test centre
The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.
Pwllheli is one of Britain's 10 easiest driving test centres.
Quick answers
- Where is it? 33 A Cardiff Road, Pwllheli, LL53 5NT. Directions
- What's the pass rate? 68%, 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 four of Britain's 276 bigger centres had a higher pass rate.
- What's nearby? None within half an hour. The nearest is Bangor, about 27 miles away in a straight line.
Waiting times
Over the last 12 months, the typical wait here averaged about 3½ months, about the same as in the 12 months before.
The wait here has been longer than Britain's typical wait every year since DVSA's figures began in 2019.
Before the pandemic, from May 2019 to February 2020, the typical wait here averaged about 2 months.
| Year | Pwllheli | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 months | 1½ months |
| 2020 | 3 months | 2½ months |
| 2021 | 6 months | 4 months |
| 2022 | 3½ months | 2½ months |
| 2023 | 3 months | 2½ months |
| 2024 | 3½ months | 2 months |
| 2025 | 3½ months | 2½ months |
| 2026 | 3½ 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 Pwllheli. The nearest is Bangor, about 27 miles away in a straight line.
Pass rate over the years
In the 12 months to March 2026, Pwllheli's pass rate was 68%, compared with 50% across Great Britain. It has been above Britain's pass rate every year since DVSA's figures began in 2007.
11% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain. That's 80 automatic tests, too few to give a reliable automatic pass rate.
Men and women had the same pass rate here, 68%. Across Great Britain, men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 737 | 68.1% | 5th of 276 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 750 | 66.0% | 5th of 275 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 838 | 56.2% | 42nd of 277 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 572 | 59.8% | 21st of 271 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 534 | 63.5% | 12th 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.
Frequently asked questions
What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Pwllheli?
There were only 80 tests in automatic cars here in the 12 months to March 2026: too few for the pass rate to mean much.
How can I get a test sooner at Pwllheli?
Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there.
How busy is Pwllheli test centre?
It ran 737 car tests in the 12 months to March 2026. Only 47 of Britain's 311 test centres ran fewer.
Can I move my test from Pwllheli 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 Bangor, about 27 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.