55.9% is the current pass rate at Peterlee — above 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
Essington Way
Peterlee, SR8 2HX
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Peterlee
The pass rate at Peterlee 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 North East test centres, Peterlee's 55.9% pass rate places it 8th out of 25 — above Chester-le-Street (55.7%) and Durham (53.2%), and below Consett (58.9%) and Seaham (57.6%). The highest in North East is Morpeth at 61.8%; the lowest is Gateshead at 37.5%.
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 North East Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in North East, sorted by pass rate. Peterlee 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 Peterlee
Before booking at Peterlee, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Peterlee — 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.
- Seaham driving test centre (5 miles — 57.6% pass rate)
- Hartlepool driving test centre (8 miles — 51% pass rate)
- Houghton-le-Spring driving test centre (8 miles — 53.2% pass rate)
- Durham driving test centre (11 miles — 53.2% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Peterlee
Peterlee'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 Peterlee. Practising junction timing and mirror habits specifically addresses the most likely way to fail here.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Peterlee
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 Peterlee 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 Peterlee
Book your practical driving test at Peterlee 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 Peterlee 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 Peterlee
Peterlee'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.
Look for an ADI who takes pupils to Peterlee 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 Peterlee using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "Which junctions and manoeuvres does the examiner focus on most at Peterlee, 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 Peterlee →
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