53% is the current pass rate at Hexham — 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
St Andrews House, Haugh Lane
Hexham, NE46 3EW
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Hexham
The pass rate at Hexham is 53%, 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 North East test centres, Hexham's 53% pass rate places it 12th out of 25 — above Washington (52.1%) and Blaydon (51.4%), and below Durham (53.2%) and Houghton-le-Spring (53.2%). 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. Hexham 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 Hexham
Before booking at Hexham, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Hexham — 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.
- Consett driving test centre (14 miles — 58.9% pass rate)
- Blaydon driving test centre (16 miles — 51.4% pass rate)
- Stanley driving test centre (18 miles — 59.4% pass rate)
- Gateshead driving test centre (18 miles — 37.5% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Hexham
North East's road environment is the test at Hexham — 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 Hexham are identical to any other DVSA centre in the country.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Hexham
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 Hexham and other North East 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 Hexham
Book your practical driving test at Hexham 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 Hexham 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 Hexham
Choosing an instructor familiar with Hexham'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.
ADIs are thinner on the ground near remote centres like Hexham, 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 Hexham 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 Hexham, 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 Hexham →
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