55.1% is the current pass rate at Aberystwyth — above the UK average of 50.1%. Expect single-carriageway roads and genuinely rural sections on the test — the driving environment is different from a city centre, but the standard examiners hold candidates to is identical everywhere in the UK.
📍 Test Centre Address
Aberystwyth Football Club, Park Avenue
Aberystwyth, SY23 1PG
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Aberystwyth
The pass rate at Aberystwyth is 55.1%, above the UK national average of 50.1%. A higher pass rate typically reflects a road network where candidates can demonstrate skills clearly — but the DVSA standard is identical everywhere. Do not mistake the pass rate for a measure of examiner leniency.
Among Wales test centres, Aberystwyth's 55.1% pass rate places it 12th out of 25 — above Carmarthen (54.2%) and Newport (54.1%), and below Rhyl (56.9%) and Flint (56.3%). The highest in Wales is Welshpool at 66.2%; the lowest is Cardiff at 46.5%.
Pass rate sourced from DVSA open data (April 2024–March 2025). DVSA statistics ↗
Pass Rate Comparison — All Wales Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in Wales, sorted by pass rate. Aberystwyth is highlighted. All figures are sourced from DVSA open data where available.
| Test Centre | Pass Rate | vs UK avg (50.1%) |
|---|---|---|
| Welshpool | 66.2% | +16.1% |
| Haverfordwest | 64.6% | +14.5% |
| Holyhead | 63.7% | +13.6% |
| Bangor | 62.2% | +12.1% |
| Caernarfon | 62.1% | +12% |
| Llandudno | 60.4% | +10.3% |
| Newtown | 58% | +7.9% |
| Colwyn Bay | 57.9% | +7.8% |
| Barry | 57% | +6.9% |
| Rhyl | 56.9% | +6.8% |
| Flint | 56.3% | +6.2% |
| Aberystwyth ★ | 55.1% | +5% |
| Carmarthen | 54.2% | +4.1% |
| Newport | 54.1% | +4% |
| Pontypridd | 54% | +3.9% |
| Bridgend | 53.3% | +3.2% |
| Neath | 53.2% | +3.1% |
| Wrexham | 51.9% | +1.8% |
| Caerphilly | 51.4% | +1.3% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 51.2% | +1.1% |
| Llanelli | 51% | +0.9% |
| Aberdare | 50.8% | +0.7% |
| Port Talbot | 49.3% | -0.8% |
| Swansea | 48.2% | -1.9% |
| Cardiff | 46.5% | -3.6% |
Test Centres Near Aberystwyth
Before booking at Aberystwyth, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Aberystwyth — pass rate, route type, and typical wait for a slot can all vary more than you'd expect between centres just a few miles apart.
- Newtown driving test centre (33 miles — 58% pass rate)
- Carmarthen driving test centre (39 miles — 54.2% pass rate)
- Welshpool driving test centre (43 miles — 66.2% pass rate)
- Llanelli driving test centre (50 miles — 51% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Aberystwyth
Wales's road environment is the test at Aberystwyth — a combination of town driving and single-carriageway roads at the national speed limit, sometimes with passing places on the narrower stretches. Judging safe speed and positioning on roads with no lane markings is a skill candidates who've only learned in towns and cities often haven't built yet.
None of that changes the standard, though — the fault categories, pass mark, and examiner criteria at Aberystwyth are identical to any other DVSA centre in the country.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Aberystwyth
DVSA doesn't break fault data down by centre, so the list below is the national picture, weighted for the kind of roads you'll actually face at Aberystwyth and other Wales centres.
- Speed management: Carrying too much speed onto single-track roads or failing to reduce speed adequately at passing places and junctions.
- Junctions — observation: Emerging without adequate observation where roads are narrow and visibility limited by terrain.
- Road positioning: Incorrect positioning on roads without lane markings — candidates must demonstrate safe positioning without visual cues.
- Mirrors — change direction: Failing to check mirrors before slowing, stopping, or turning on rural roads.
- Response to signs: Missing or misreading signs for passing places, single-track sections, or speed limit changes.
Full breakdown: The 10 Most Common Driving Test Fails →
Booking Your Test at Aberystwyth
Book your practical driving test at Aberystwyth through the official DVSA service. You will need your provisional driving licence number and a debit or credit card. The current fee is £62 for weekday tests and £75 for evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
Your theory test certificate must be valid when you book — theory passes expire two years from the test date. Check yours before starting a booking.
Test centre availability in Wales can be limited at rural centres. If Aberystwyth has no slots in your target window, the nearest alternative is worth checking — the DVSA booking tool lists all centres within a radius.
Find a Driving Instructor Near Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth's 55.1% pass rate is above the national average — but that doesn't mean preparation matters less. Candidates who do well here tend to use an instructor who knows the local routes and can target the specific road types the examiner will test on.
ADIs are thinner on the ground near remote centres like Aberystwyth, so it's often worth the extra travel to find one who genuinely knows the single-track roads and passing places used on the test.
Search for ADIs near Aberystwyth using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "How comfortable are your pupils with single-track roads and passing places by the time they test at Aberystwyth, and do you cover the A-road sections too?" Any instructor worth their fee will give you a specific answer, not a vague one.
Find an Approved Driving Instructor near Aberystwyth →
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