63.7% is the current pass rate at Holyhead — 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
Market Square
Holyhead, LL65 1UY
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Holyhead
The pass rate at Holyhead is 63.7% — one of the higher figures in the UK. This often reflects quieter roads or a road network where observation faults are less likely to accumulate, not easier examining. The DVSA test standard is the same at every centre in the country.
Among Wales test centres, Holyhead's 63.7% pass rate places it 3rd out of 25 — above Bangor (62.2%) and Caernarfon (62.1%), and below Welshpool (66.2%) and Haverfordwest (64.6%). The highest in Wales is Welshpool at 66.2%; the lowest is Cardiff at 46.5%.
DVSA does not publish data for this specific test centre in our current dataset — this figure is a regional estimate based on nearby centres of similar size, not an official DVSA statistic.
Pass Rate Comparison — All Wales Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in Wales, sorted by pass rate. Holyhead 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 Holyhead
Before booking at Holyhead, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Holyhead — 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.
- Caernarfon driving test centre (19 miles — 62.1% pass rate)
- Bangor driving test centre (23 miles — 62.2% pass rate)
- Llandudno driving test centre (33 miles — 60.4% pass rate)
- Colwyn Bay driving test centre (37 miles — 57.9% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Holyhead
Wales's road environment is the test at Holyhead — 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 Holyhead are identical to any other DVSA centre in the country.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Holyhead
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 Holyhead 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 Holyhead
Book your practical driving test at Holyhead 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 Holyhead 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 Holyhead
Holyhead's 63.7% 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 Holyhead, 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 Holyhead 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 Holyhead, 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 Holyhead →
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