Orkney Driving Test Centre | 55.9% Pass Rate & Booking Info

's fairly typical mix of residential streets, roundabouts, and A-road or dual carriageway sections is what's tested at Orkney, currently recording a pass rate of 55.9% — above the UK national average of 50.1%. Junction observation is the single most common thing that trips candidates up, here as everywhere else.

Pass Rate at Orkney

The pass rate at Orkney is 55.9%, 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 test centres, Orkney's 55.9% pass rate places it 53rd out of 103 — above Irvine (55.7%) and Alnwick (55.5%), and below Grantown On Spey (56.9%) and Lochgilphead (56.4%). The highest in is Isles Of Scilly at 75%; the lowest is Wednesbury at 35%.

Most Common Fail Reasons at Orkney

There's no per-centre fault breakdown published by the DVSA — what follows is the national data, adjusted for the road types typical of Orkney and more broadly.

1. Junctions — observation: Not looking properly before emerging, particularly at mini-roundabouts where visibility is limited.
2. Mirrors — change direction: Failing to check mirrors before turning or changing lane. Must be demonstrably checked, not just glanced at.
3. 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.
4. Roundabouts — road positioning: Incorrect lane choice on approach, cutting the roundabout, or failing to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
5. Control — steering: Drifting or coarse corrections through bends and at junctions.

Full breakdown: The 10 Most Common Driving Test Fails →

Booking Your Test at Orkney

Book your practical driving test at Orkney 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 Orkney 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 Orkney

Orkney's 55.9% 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.

An instructor who regularly teaches at Orkney will know which roundabouts, junctions, and road types come up most often on the test — and will have routes ready that reflect that.

Search for ADIs near Orkney using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "Roughly how many of your pupils test at Orkney, and which parts of the route do they usually find hardest?" Any instructor worth their fee will give you a specific answer, not a vague one.

Find an Approved Driving Instructor near Orkney →

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