48.5% is the current pass rate at Brentwood — below the UK average of 50.1%. Commuter-town roads have their own rhythm here — heavier A-road traffic on the approach routes, busy patches near the railway station, and dual carriageway sections leading out to the motorway. Speed management across all of that matters more than pure town-centre driving.
📍 Test Centre Address
89 Warley Hill
Brentwood, CM14 5JN
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Brentwood
The pass rate at Brentwood is 48.5%, close to the national average of 50.1%. At this centre, the road conditions don't significantly tilt the outcome in either direction — which means the result depends almost entirely on preparation. Candidates who have put in the work on junction observation and mirror habits pass here at standard rates; those who haven't fail for the same reasons they'd fail anywhere else.
Among East of England test centres, Brentwood's 48.5% pass rate places it 24th out of 28 — above Harlow (46.8%) and Bury St Edmunds (46.2%), and below Colchester (50.6%) and Basildon (49.1%). The highest in East of England is Thetford at 63.4%; the lowest is Luton at 39.2%.
Pass rate sourced from DVSA open data (April 2024–March 2025). DVSA statistics ↗
Pass Rate Comparison — All East of England Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in East of England, sorted by pass rate. Brentwood is highlighted. All figures are sourced from DVSA open data where available.
| Test Centre | Pass Rate | vs UK avg (50.1%) |
|---|---|---|
| Thetford | 63.4% | +13.3% |
| Ipswich | 62.3% | +12.2% |
| Felixstowe | 61.7% | +11.6% |
| Norwich | 61.7% | +11.6% |
| March | 61.3% | +11.2% |
| Ely | 60.8% | +10.7% |
| St Ives | 59.6% | +9.5% |
| Wisbech | 58.7% | +8.6% |
| Great Yarmouth | 56.8% | +6.7% |
| Huntingdon | 56.1% | +6% |
| Chelmsford | 55.4% | +5.3% |
| Stevenage | 55.3% | +5.2% |
| Witham | 55.2% | +5.1% |
| Hertford | 55.1% | +5% |
| Welwyn Garden City | 54.4% | +4.3% |
| Cambridge | 53.8% | +3.7% |
| Bedford | 53.7% | +3.6% |
| Braintree | 53.7% | +3.6% |
| Kings Lynn | 51.9% | +1.8% |
| Hemel Hempstead | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| St Albans | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| Colchester | 50.6% | +0.5% |
| Basildon | 49.1% | -1% |
| Brentwood ★ | 48.5% | -1.6% |
| Harlow | 46.8% | -3.3% |
| Bury St Edmunds | 46.2% | -3.9% |
| Watford | 46.2% | -3.9% |
| Luton | 39.2% | -10.9% |
Test Centres Near Brentwood
Before booking at Brentwood, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Brentwood — 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.
- Romford driving test centre (5 miles — 46.3% pass rate)
- Basildon driving test centre (8 miles — 49.1% pass rate)
- Hainault driving test centre (8 miles — 46.8% pass rate)
- Goodmayes driving test centre (9 miles — 43.7% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Brentwood
Brentwood's test routes are built around commuter-town traffic — A-road approaches carrying more through-traffic than a typical suburban road, where matching speed safely and holding a proper following distance matters more than it would elsewhere. Station approach roads and park-and-ride routes bring short-stay stopping, taxis, and cyclists into the mix, often at the same junction.
Most routes also include a dual carriageway stretch — joining, staying in lane, and exiting safely at national speed limit are all watched closely. This is usually where the difference between a candidate who's practised dual carriageways and one who hasn't becomes obvious to the examiner.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Brentwood
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 Brentwood and other East of England centres.
- Speed — dual carriageway: Failing to accelerate adequately on the slip road or driving significantly below the national speed limit on dual carriageway sections. Both are marked as inappropriate speed.
- Mirrors — lane change: Not checking mirrors and blind spot before moving between lanes on dual carriageway or multi-lane A-road sections.
- Junctions — observation: Busy A-road junctions with fast-moving traffic require a higher standard of observation than typical residential junctions — a longer look and clearer gap judgement.
- Following distance: Insufficient gap to the vehicle ahead on faster A-road sections. More frequently marked at commuter town centres where approach speeds are higher.
- Response to traffic signs: Missing lane-control signs and variable speed limit signs on approach roads, particularly where the limit drops on entry to the town.
Full breakdown: The 10 Most Common Driving Test Fails →
Booking Your Test at Brentwood
Book your practical driving test at Brentwood 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.
If Brentwood has no availability on your target date, the DVSA booking tool lets you search other test centres nearby — useful if you are flexible on location.
Find a Driving Instructor Near Brentwood
Choosing an instructor familiar with Brentwood's test routes is one of the most effective things you can do before test day. Local route knowledge means your final lessons can focus on the exact junctions and manoeuvres you'll face — not generic practice.
Dual carriageway sections and A-road joins are where commuter-belt candidates at Brentwood most often come unstuck if they've only trained on quieter roads. Confirm your instructor actually covers those road types, ideally at peak times.
Search for ADIs near Brentwood using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "How much of your teaching covers dual carriageway joins near Brentwood, and are you familiar with the specific slip roads used on Brentwood's test routes?" Any instructor worth their fee will give you a specific answer, not a vague one.
Find an Approved Driving Instructor near Brentwood →
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