51.1% is the current pass rate at Swindon — above the UK average of 50.1%. Expect both town driving and genuine open-road sections where the national speed limit applies — candidates who've only practised in built-up areas tend to find the unmarked rural junctions catch them out.
📍 Test Centre Address
1 Fenn Close, Peatmoor
Swindon, SN5 5BL
Official DVSA booking — opens in a new tab
Pass Rate at Swindon
The pass rate at Swindon 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 South West test centres, Swindon's 51.1% pass rate places it 21st out of 29 — above Salisbury (48.5%) and Bournemouth (47.8%), and below Bristol Kingswood (51.9%) and Barnstaple (51.4%). The highest in South West is Dorchester at 69%; the lowest is Camborne at 40.6%.
Pass rate sourced from DVSA open data (April 2024–March 2025). DVSA statistics ↗
Pass Rate Comparison — All South West Test Centres
The table below shows every driving test centre in South West, sorted by pass rate. Swindon is highlighted. All figures are sourced from DVSA open data where available.
| Test Centre | Pass Rate | vs UK avg (50.1%) |
|---|---|---|
| Dorchester | 69% | +18.9% |
| Callington | 68.2% | +18.1% |
| Newquay | 66.4% | +16.3% |
| Minehead | 65.8% | +15.7% |
| Truro | 63.7% | +13.6% |
| Yeovil | 63.4% | +13.3% |
| Warminster | 62.7% | +12.6% |
| Tiverton | 61.4% | +11.3% |
| Frome | 60.3% | +10.2% |
| Bridgwater | 59.7% | +9.6% |
| Taunton | 59.5% | +9.4% |
| Weymouth | 59.3% | +9.2% |
| Stroud | 56.8% | +6.7% |
| Chippenham | 56.4% | +6.3% |
| Torquay | 55.6% | +5.5% |
| Bath | 54.6% | +4.5% |
| Poole | 53.4% | +3.3% |
| Bristol Brislington | 51.9% | +1.8% |
| Bristol Kingswood | 51.9% | +1.8% |
| Barnstaple | 51.4% | +1.3% |
| Swindon ★ | 51.1% | +1% |
| Salisbury | 48.5% | -1.6% |
| Bournemouth | 47.8% | -2.3% |
| Gloucester | 47.8% | -2.3% |
| Exeter | 46.8% | -3.3% |
| Penzance | 46.5% | -3.6% |
| Cheltenham | 43.2% | -6.9% |
| Plymouth | 40.7% | -9.4% |
| Camborne | 40.6% | -9.5% |
Test Centres Near Swindon
Before booking at Swindon, it's worth checking how it stacks up against other centres near Swindon — 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.
- Chippenham driving test centre (15 miles — 56.4% pass rate)
- Stroud driving test centre (20 miles — 56.8% pass rate)
- Cheltenham driving test centre (25 miles — 43.2% pass rate)
- Gloucester driving test centre (26 miles — 47.8% pass rate)
What to Expect on Test Routes from Swindon
Single-carriageway roads at the national speed limit make up a real part of the test route from Swindon. Country lanes and A-roads test safe speed management directly — judging a safe following distance behind slower vehicles, and knowing when not to try an overtake, come up on most routes here.
Where candidates tend to lose marks is the transition back down in speed after the rural stretches — carrying too much speed into a 30mph village or town approach racks up speed-related faults fast.
Most Common Fail Reasons at Swindon
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 Swindon and other South West centres.
- Speed — national speed limit roads: Driving significantly below the limit without reason on open country roads, or failing to reduce speed early enough when re-entering a village or 30mph zone.
- Junctions — observation: Emerging too quickly at rural T-junctions where visibility may be limited by hedges, bends, or crests.
- Mirrors — change direction: Failing to check mirrors before slowing, pulling over, or turning onto rural side roads.
- Road positioning: Incorrect positioning on single-carriageway roads — too far left on narrow lanes or too central on roads with oncoming traffic.
- Response to hazards: Not responding early enough to agricultural vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians on rural routes.
Full breakdown: The 10 Most Common Driving Test Fails →
Booking Your Test at Swindon
Book your practical driving test at Swindon 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 Swindon 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 Swindon
Choosing an instructor familiar with Swindon'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.
National speed limit country roads, low-visibility bends, junctions shared with farm traffic — Swindon's rural test routes feel genuinely different from town driving, and many candidates underestimate the gap. A local instructor who covers these roads makes a real difference.
Search for ADIs near Swindon using the official tool below, then ask this directly: "How well do you know the specific rural routes used at Swindon, and do your lessons cover national speed limit roads and low-visibility junctions?" Any instructor worth their fee will give you a specific answer, not a vague one.
Find an Approved Driving Instructor near Swindon →
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