47.1% is the current pass rate at Darlington — below the UK average of 50.1%. Routes cover residential streets, roundabouts, and A-road or dual carriageway sections — junction observation and mirror checks before changing direction remain the biggest fault categories here, same as at most UK centres.
📍 Test Centre Address
DVSA, High Point Business Park, Yarm Road
Darlington, DL1 4PW
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Darlington
The pass rate at Darlington is 47.1%, 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 North East test centres, Darlington's 47.1% pass rate places it 24th out of 25 — above Gateshead (37.5%), and below South Shields (47.8%) and Middlesbrough (47.7%). The highest in North East is Morpeth at 61.8%; the lowest is Gateshead at 37.5%.
Pass rate sourced from DVSA open data (April 2024–March 2025). DVSA statistics ↗
Pass Rate Comparison — All North East Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in North East, sorted by pass rate. Darlington is highlighted. All figures are sourced from DVSA open data where available.
| Test Centre | Pass Rate | vs UK avg (50.1%) |
|---|---|---|
| Morpeth | 61.8% | +11.7% |
| Cramlington | 60.7% | +10.6% |
| Spennymoor | 60.1% | +10% |
| Bishop Auckland | 59.8% | +9.7% |
| Stanley | 59.4% | +9.3% |
| Consett | 58.9% | +8.8% |
| Seaham | 57.6% | +7.5% |
| Peterlee | 55.9% | +5.8% |
| Chester-le-Street | 55.7% | +5.6% |
| Durham | 53.2% | +3.1% |
| Houghton-le-Spring | 53.2% | +3.1% |
| Hexham | 53% | +2.9% |
| Washington | 52.1% | +2% |
| Blaydon | 51.4% | +1.3% |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 51.3% | +1.2% |
| Sunderland | 51.1% | +1% |
| Hartlepool | 51% | +0.9% |
| Blyth | 50.9% | +0.8% |
| North Shields | 50.3% | +0.2% |
| Jarrow | 49.7% | -0.4% |
| Newcastle Gosforth | 48.4% | -1.7% |
| South Shields | 47.8% | -2.3% |
| Middlesbrough | 47.7% | -2.4% |
| Darlington ★ | 47.1% | -3% |
| Gateshead | 37.5% | -12.6% |
Test Centres Near Darlington
Before booking at Darlington, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Darlington — 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.
- Stockton-on-Tees driving test centre (9 miles — 51.3% pass rate)
- Bishop Auckland driving test centre (12 miles — 59.8% pass rate)
- Spennymoor driving test centre (13 miles — 60.1% pass rate)
- Middlesbrough driving test centre (14 miles — 47.7% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Darlington
Darlington's routes combine residential streets, mini-roundabouts, and A-road or dual carriageway sections — a genuinely suburban mix that tests candidates across different speed environments, from quiet residential roads to faster A-roads where lane discipline and following distance both get assessed.
As at nearly every UK test centre, junction observation — a proper look, not a glance — is the single biggest fail reason at Darlington. Practising junction timing and mirror habits specifically addresses the most likely way to fail here.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Darlington
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 Darlington and other North East centres.
- Junctions — observation: Not looking properly before emerging, particularly at mini-roundabouts where visibility is limited.
- Mirrors — change direction: Failing to check mirrors before turning or changing lane. Must be demonstrably checked, not just glanced at.
- Speed — appropriate speed: Driving too fast for the road conditions or too slowly without reason. Both are marked — inappropriate hesitancy is a fault as well as excess speed.
- Roundabouts — road positioning: Incorrect lane choice on approach, cutting the roundabout, or failing to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
- Control — steering: Drifting or coarse corrections through bends and at junctions.
Full breakdown: The 10 Most Common Driving Test Fails →
Booking Your Test at Darlington
Book your practical driving test at Darlington 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 Darlington 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 Darlington
Choosing an instructor familiar with Darlington'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.
Look for an ADI who takes pupils to Darlington on a regular basis — they'll already have routes prepared that mirror what the examiner actually uses, covering the roundabouts and junctions that come up most often.
Search for ADIs near Darlington using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "Which junctions and manoeuvres does the examiner focus on most at Darlington, and how many of your pupils have tested there?" Any instructor worth their fee will give you a specific answer, not a vague one.
Find an Approved Driving Instructor near Darlington →
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