Sunderland driving test centre
The pass rate, how long you'll wait for a test, and the other centres nearby.
Sunderland's pass rate is the highest it has been since DVSA's figures began in 2007.
Quick answers
- Where is it? Sunderland Dtc, Riverbank Road, North Hylton Industrial Estate, Sunderland, SR5 3JJ. Directions
- What's the pass rate? 51% overall (manual 54%, automatic 43%), compared with the 50% national average.
- How long is the wait? If you book now, expect about 2 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? Gateshead is the closest, 20 minutes away. Its pass rate is 38% and its typical wait about 2½ months.
Waiting times
Over the last 12 months, the typical wait here averaged about 2½ months, down from about 3½ months in the 12 months before. Waits here have been falling, so yours could be shorter.
Before the pandemic, from May 2019 to February 2020, the typical wait here averaged about 1½ months.
| Year | Sunderland | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1½ months | 1½ months |
| 2020 | 2½ months | 2½ months |
| 2021 | 5 months | 4 months |
| 2022 | 3 months | 2½ months |
| 2023 | 2 months | 2½ months |
| 2024 | 2 months | 2 months |
| 2025 | 3½ months | 2½ months |
| 2026 | 2½ 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 two other centres within half an hour's drive. Of those, Gateshead has the shortest wait, about 2½ months, and Gosforth the highest pass rate, 48%.
Pass rate over the years
In the 12 months to March 2026, Sunderland's pass rate was 51%, compared with 50% across Great Britain. The year before, it was below Britain's pass rate.
The automatic pass rate here was lower than manual, as it is almost everywhere: 43%, compared with 54%. 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. 23% of tests here were in automatic cars, compared with 29% across Great Britain.
Men and women had the same pass rate here, 51%. Across Great Britain, men's pass rate was 51% and women's 49%.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| 2025 to 2026 | 10,436 | 51.1% | 53.6% | 42.7% | 147th of 276 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 9,084 | 47.1% | 49.5% | 37.6% | 185th of 275 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 10,814 | 45.8% | 47.5% | 37.0% | 192nd of 277 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 9,608 | 46.7% | 47.4% | 41.2% | 173rd of 271 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 4,929 | 45.3% | 46.1% | 37.6% | 218th 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 Sunderland.
Frequently asked questions
What's the pass rate for automatic cars at Sunderland?
43% in the 12 months to March 2026, compared with Britain's automatic pass rate of 45%.
How can I get a test sooner at Sunderland?
Check gov.uk often: tests other people cancel come back up there.
How busy is Sunderland test centre?
It ran 10,436 car tests in the 12 months to March 2026. Only 62 of Britain's 311 test centres ran more.
Can I move my test from Sunderland 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 Gateshead, about 20 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.