# Southend-on-Sea Driving Test Centre — Pass Rate & Waiting Time

> Southend-on-Sea driving test centre has a 47% pass rate and an average 7.5 weeks wait. Compare it with nearby DVSA centres.

Source: https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/southend-on-sea/

# Southend-on-Sea driving test centre

East of England, England

## Southend-on-Sea at a glance

Pass rate

47%

April 2025 to March 2026

Average wait

7.5 weeks

August 2026

Tests a year

7,526

April 2025 to March 2026

Slots still free

35.6%

Of the 24-week booking window

## How Southend-on-Sea compares

Southend-on-Sea passes **47%** of car tests, which is **3.1 points below the 50.1% national average**. The typical wait between booking and testing is **7.5 weeks**, 5.3 weeks shorter than the national average of 12.8 weeks. It conducted **7,526** car tests in April 2025 to March 2026. In the most recent month DVSA has published, March 2026, the rate was **43.8%** — a single month, so expect it to bounce around the annual figure.

The map below shows the Southend-on-Sea area rather than a pinpointed building. Confirm the exact address on your booking confirmation or via GOV.UK before you travel.

## Trends at Southend-on-Sea

Pass rate

Mar 2026: **43.8%**

Monthly car practical pass rate at Southend-on-Sea driving test centre, most recent 12 published months.
| Month | Pass rate |
| --- | --- |
| March 2026 | 43.8% |
| February 2026 | 49.2% |
| January 2026 | 46.6% |
| December 2025 | 44.5% |
| November 2025 | 42.4% |
| October 2025 | 50.9% |
| September 2025 | 45.2% |
| August 2025 | 41.5% |
| July 2025 | 48.1% |
| June 2025 | 49% |
| May 2025 | 50% |
| April 2025 | 53.2% |

Waiting time

Aug 2026: **7.5w**

Average wait in weeks between booking and taking a car test at Southend-on-Sea, most recent 12 published months.
| Month | Average wait |
| --- | --- |
| August 2026 | 7.5 weeks |
| July 2026 | 7.5 weeks |
| June 2026 | 11 weeks |
| May 2026 | 7.6 weeks |
| April 2026 | 7.7 weeks |
| March 2026 | 14.3 weeks |
| February 2026 | 13.3 weeks |
| January 2026 | 9.3 weeks |
| December 2025 | 5.3 weeks |
| November 2025 | 6.7 weeks |
| October 2025 | 10 weeks |
| September 2025 | 11.1 weeks |

Tests conducted each month

Mar 2026: **802**

Car practical tests conducted each month at Southend-on-Sea, most recent 12 published months.
| Month | Tests conducted |
| --- | --- |
| March 2026 | 802 |
| February 2026 | 669 |
| January 2026 | 721 |
| December 2025 | 638 |
| November 2025 | 719 |
| October 2025 | 740 |
| September 2025 | 615 |
| August 2025 | 390 |
| July 2025 | 653 |
| June 2025 | 567 |
| May 2025 | 476 |
| April 2025 | 536 |

## Year by year

Car practical tests, passes and pass rate at Southend-on-Sea driving test centre by DVSA financial year (April to March).
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-26 | 7,526 | 3,537 | 47% |
| 2024-25 | 4,797 | 2,308 | 48.1% |
| 2023-24 | 4,573 | 2,223 | 48.6% |
| 2022-23 | 4,307 | 2,202 | 51.1% |
| 2021-22 | 4,581 | 2,460 | 53.7% |
| 2020-21 | 1,201 | 670 | 55.8% |
| 2019-20 | 6,306 | 3,001 | 47.6% |
| 2018-19 | 6,825 | 3,115 | 45.6% |
| 2017-18 | 6,485 | 2,845 | 43.9% |
| 2016-17 | 6,639 | 2,835 | 42.7% |

## Where it is

## Nearby test centres

There is no catchment area for the practical test — you can book at any of these instead.

-   [Chelmsford](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/chelmsford/)
    
    19 km away
    
    55.4% pass · 17 weeks wait
    
-   [Gillingham](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/gillingham/)
    
    20 km away
    
    56.4% pass · 9.9 weeks wait
    
-   [Tilbury](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/tilbury/)
    
    22 km away
    
    50.4% pass · 7.1 weeks wait
    
-   [Medway Ambley Road](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/medway-ambley-road/)
    
    22 km away
    
    — pass · 1.4 weeks wait
    
-   [Hornchurch (London)](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/hornchurch-london/)
    
    34 km away
    
    46.3% pass · 23 weeks wait
    
-   [Herne Bay](https://ukdrivingtestcentres.co.uk/herne-bay/)
    
    34 km away
    
    55.9% pass · 7 weeks wait
    

Everything on this page describes Southend-on-Sea driving test centre. Figures come from the DVSA statistical data sets [DRT122A and DRT122F](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-test-and-theory-test-data-cars), published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Pass rates run to March 2026 and waiting times to August 2026. This page was last updated 14 September 2026.