Learner drivers face vastly different odds of passing their practical test depending on the test center, according to new figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Pass rates at various centers across Britain fluctuate between more than 70 percent and less than 35 percent.

The Isles of Scilly reported the highest pass rate, with 75 percent of learners succeeding in the 12 months leading up to March. Other locations with high pass rates include the Isle of Mull at 73.8 percent, Gairloch at 73.5 percent, Pitlochry at 73.3 percent, and Benbecula Island at 72.9 percent.

In stark contrast, Wolverhampton had the lowest pass rate, with only 34.3 percent of learners passing between April 2025 and March 2026. Barking Tanner Street (36.3 percent), Featherstone (36.4 percent), Dunfermline Vine (36.4 percent), and Wednesbury (36.5 percent) also recorded low pass rates.

Nationally, the DVSA data indicates an overall pass rate of 50 percent from nearly two million tests conducted in the 2025/26 period. Male drivers had a slightly higher pass rate of 50.8 percent compared to female drivers at 49.1 percent.

Officials suggest that the higher pass rates in remote areas are likely linked to the significantly lower volume of tests conducted. For example, the Isles of Scilly saw only eight practical driving tests in the 2025/26 period, a figure that compares to Wolverhampton, where more than 1,000 tests were administered monthly during the same timeframe.

The DVSA data also identified the most common faults recorded during practical driving tests in 2025/26. Observation at junctions was the most frequent cause for a fault, followed by checking mirrors when changing direction and issues with turning right at junctions. Other common faults included responses to traffic lights, steering control, moving off safely, response to road markings and traffic signs, vehicle positioning, and maintaining speed.

Out of the nearly two million practical driving tests, 5.1 percent were passed without any faults. First-time test takers had a pass rate of 50.5 percent, with 28,581 drivers achieving a perfect score on their initial attempt. The pass rate for 17-year-olds was 63.5 percent, while those aged 60 and over had a pass rate of 37.2 percent.