Chingford (London) and Sidcup (London) are both DVSA car test centres in Greater London, and there is no catchment area stopping you booking either. On the most recent official figures they differ by 18.8 points of pass rate and about 16.7 weeks of waiting.
Side by side
| Chingford (London) | Sidcup (London) | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass rate | 39.9% | 58.7% | 18.8 points to Sidcup (London) |
| Waiting time | 5.6 weeks | 22.3 weeks | 16.7 weeks sooner at Chingford (London) |
| Tests a year | 13,120 | 14,318 | 1,198 more at Sidcup (London) |
| Region | London | London | Same region |
Pass rates are for April 2025 to March 2026; waiting times are to June 2026. The Great Britain averages are 50.1% and 12.1 weeks.
Pass rate
Sidcup (London) passes 58.7% of car candidates against 39.9% at Chingford (London), a gap of 18.8 points. Sidcup (London) is above the national average of 50.1% and Chingford (London) below it.
The gap holds up over time. Sidcup (London) has come out ahead in every one of the last 10 years DVSA has published, which points at a real difference in the roads rather than a single unusual year.
| Year | Chingford (London) | Sidcup (London) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022– 2023 | 40.3% | 55.4% |
| 2023– 2024 | 36.1% | 57.4% |
| 2024– 2025 | 36.5% | 59% |
| 2025– 2026 | 39.9% | 58.7% |
Neither number says much about the examiners, who work to one national standard everywhere. It says a great deal about the roads each centre tests on — the count of multi-lane roundabouts, bus lanes and busy junctions a forty-minute route can fit in. Our guide to test routes covers how to work out what each centre uses.
Waiting time
Chingford (London) books about 16.7 weeks sooner — 5.6 weeks against 22.3 weeks — with the Great Britain average at 12.1 weeks. At 22.3 weeks, Sidcup (London) is close to DVSA's 24-week booking ceiling, which in practice means it is full to the end of the window and new dates appear only as the window rolls forward or someone cancels.
This is the median gap between booking and testing for people who actually sat a test, not the soonest date on screen today. Cancellations surface continuously at both centres and regularly beat these figures by weeks, which is the subject of how to get an earlier test date.
How busy each centre is
Chingford (London) conducted 13,120 car tests over the year and Sidcup (London) 14,318. Volume is worth a glance for two reasons: a pass rate built on more tests is a firmer measure of the routes, and a busier centre generates more cancelled slots in a given week, so refreshing the booking service pays off more there even when its published wait is longer.
Verdict
Chingford (London) is the better booking of the two. It books 16.7 weeks sooner, and that is worth more than the 18.8 points of pass rate you give up, unless you are in no hurry at all.
One thing outranks all of this: whether you have driven the roads. Each centre works a fixed set of routes around it, and practising those exact junctions moves your odds more than the gap between two centres in the same city. If you have had all your lessons around Sidcup (London), book Sidcup (London).
Full figures for each centre
- Chingford (London) driving test centre — monthly trend, full history and nearby alternatives
- Sidcup (London) driving test centre — monthly trend, full history and nearby alternatives
- Best driving test centre in London — every centre in the city ranked
Other comparisons
- Bromley (London) vs Chingford (London)
- Chingford (London) vs Goodmayes (London)
- Chingford (London) vs Isleworth (Fleming Way)
- Chingford (London) vs Mitcham (London)
- Bromley (London) vs Sidcup (London)
- Goodmayes (London) vs Sidcup (London)
Or compare every centre at once on pass rates and waiting times.
