# Gosforth vs Sunderland — Which Driving Test Centre Is Better?

> Gosforth and Sunderland compared on DVSA pass rates and waiting times. Sunderland comes out ahead: 51.1% pass rate and a 8.9 weeks wait.

Source: https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/compare/gosforth-vs-sunderland/

# Gosforth vs Sunderland

Two Newcastle test centres compared on the official DVSA figures — pass rate, waiting time and how many tests each one runs.

By Yigit Yilmaz · Last updated 14 September 2026

[Gosforth](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/gosforth/)

48.4%

pass rate

16.3 weeks

typical wait

[Sunderland](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/sunderland/)

51.1%

pass rate

8.9 weeks

typical wait

Gosforth and Sunderland are both DVSA car test centres in Tyne and Wear, and there is no catchment area stopping you booking either. On the most recent official figures they differ by 2.7 points of pass rate and about 7.4 weeks of waiting.

## Side by side

|  | Gosforth | Sunderland | Difference |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pass rate | 48.4% | 51.1% | 2.7 points to Sunderland |
| Waiting time | 16.3 weeks | 8.9 weeks | 7.4 weeks sooner at Sunderland |
| Tests a year | 10,531 | 10,436 | 95 more at Gosforth |
| Region | North East | North East | Same region |

Pass rates are for April 2025 to March 2026; waiting times are to August 2026. The Great Britain averages are 50.1% and 12.8 weeks.

## Pass rate

Sunderland passes 51.1% of car candidates against 48.4% at Gosforth, a gap of 2.7 points. Sunderland is above the national average of 50.1% and Gosforth below it.

The lead has swapped between them over the last 10 years, so the current gap is worth less than it looks — expect the two to keep trading places.

| Year | Gosforth | Sunderland |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2022– 2023 | 44.2% | 46.7% |
| 2023– 2024 | 45.7% | 45.8% |
| 2024– 2025 | 47.5% | 47.1% |
| 2025– 2026 | 48.4% | 51.1% |

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](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/guides/driving-test-routes-explained/) covers how to work out what each centre uses.

## Waiting time

Sunderland books about 7.4 weeks sooner — 8.9 weeks against 16.3 weeks — with the Great Britain average at 12.8 weeks. Both are inside DVSA's 24-week booking window, so slots at either should be visible on the booking service rather than needing you to wait for the window to roll forward.

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](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/guides/how-to-get-an-earlier-driving-test/).

## How busy each centre is

Gosforth conducted 10,531 car tests over the year and Sunderland 10,436. 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

**Sunderland** is the better booking of the two. It has both the higher pass rate (51.1% against 48.4%) and the shorter wait (8.9 weeks against 16.3 weeks), so there is no trade-off to weigh.

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 Gosforth, book Gosforth.

## Full figures for each centre

-   [Gosforth driving test centre](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/gosforth/) — monthly trend, full history and nearby alternatives
-   [Sunderland driving test centre](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/sunderland/) — monthly trend, full history and nearby alternatives
-   [Best driving test centre in Newcastle](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/guides/best-driving-test-centre-newcastle/) — every centre in the city ranked

## Other comparisons

-   [Gateshead vs Gosforth](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/compare/gateshead-vs-gosforth/)
-   [Gateshead vs Sunderland](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/compare/gateshead-vs-sunderland/)

Or compare every centre at once on [pass rates](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/pass-rates/) and [waiting times](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/waiting-times/).

## Frequently asked

### Is Gosforth or Sunderland easier to pass at?

Sunderland has the higher car pass rate at 51.1%, against 48.4% at Gosforth — a gap of 2.7 points over April 2025 to March 2026. The lead has changed hands over the last 10 years, though, so treat the gap as smaller than it looks.

### Which has the shorter waiting time, Gosforth or Sunderland?

Sunderland, at about 8.9 weeks against 16.3 weeks at Gosforth as of August 2026 — roughly 7.4 weeks of difference. That is the median gap between booking and testing, not the soonest slot on the booking service, which cancellations often bring much closer at both.

### Should I book Gosforth or Sunderland?

Sunderland, on balance: it beats Gosforth on both pass rate and waiting time. That assumes you can practise on its routes — if you have driven the roads around Gosforth and not the ones around Sunderland, book the one you know.

### Can I book either centre, or does it depend on where I live?

Either. There is no catchment area for the car practical test, so you can book any DVSA centre in Great Britain regardless of your address or where you passed your theory test. The only real constraints are the journey on the day and how well you know the roads.

### Where do these figures come from?

DVSA statistical tables DRT122A (car pass rates by test centre) and DRT122F (test availability and waiting times), published on GOV.UK under the Open Government Licence. Pass rates cover April 2025 to March 2026; waiting times run to August 2026. Nothing is estimated.