51.1% is the current pass rate at Sunderland — 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
River Bank Road, North Hylton Road Industrial Estate
Sunderland, SR5 3JJ
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Sunderland
The pass rate at Sunderland is 51.1%, 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, Sunderland's 51.1% pass rate places it 16th out of 25 — above Hartlepool (51%) and Blyth (50.9%), and below Blaydon (51.4%) and Stockton-on-Tees (51.3%). 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. Sunderland 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 Sunderland
Before booking at Sunderland, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Sunderland — 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.
- Washington driving test centre (4 miles — 52.1% pass rate)
- Jarrow driving test centre (5 miles — 49.7% pass rate)
- South Shields driving test centre (5 miles — 47.8% pass rate)
- Houghton-le-Spring driving test centre (6 miles — 53.2% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Sunderland
Sunderland'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 Sunderland. Practising junction timing and mirror habits specifically addresses the most likely way to fail here.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Sunderland
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 Sunderland 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 Sunderland
Book your practical driving test at Sunderland 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 Sunderland 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 Sunderland
Choosing an instructor familiar with Sunderland'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 Sunderland 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 Sunderland using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "Which junctions and manoeuvres does the examiner focus on most at Sunderland, 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 Sunderland →
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