Nottinghamshire · Midlands
Ashfield driving test centre
57.3% of car practical tests taken at Ashfield passed in 2025-26, from 8,144 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Ashfield pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
57.3%
4,666 passes
National average
50%
+7.3 points here
Tests conducted
8,144
about 679 a month
Best published year
59.1%
2021-22
8,144 car practical tests were taken at Ashfield in 2025-26. 57.3% passed, 7.3 percentage points above the national average of 50%. That is broadly where it stood in 2019-20 (56.3%).
Over the published years the rate has moved between 51% in 2023-24 and 59.1% in 2021-22, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. In 2025-26 the rate was 58.4% for male candidates and 56.1% for female candidates. That works out at roughly 679 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Ashfield depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Ashfield
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 8,144 | 4,666 | 57.3% | 50% | 58.4% | 56.1% |
| 2024-25 | 9,507 | 4,866 | 51.2% | 48.7% | 52.9% | 49.3% |
| 2023-24 | 10,894 | 5,556 | 51% | 47.9% | 52.3% | 49.4% |
| 2022-23 | 8,327 | 4,774 | 57.3% | 48.4% | 58.9% | 55.7% |
| 2021-22 | 6,319 | 3,733 | 59.1% | 48.9% | 62.4% | 56.2% |
| 2019-20 | 7,111 | 4,003 | 56.3% | 45.9% | 60.1% | 52.9% |
Source: DVSA table DRT122A, car practical driving test pass rates by test centre, published on GOV.UK. Figures are financial years running April to March.
Driving out of Ashfield
The local network around Ashfield is dual carriageway slip roads, town-centre one-way loop and quiet crescents for manoeuvres, and test routes are built from it. You cannot cover that range on one street, so the pre-test sessions move between them.
Lane discipline on the ring road is where most marks are lost. Routes usually mix a fast section with a slow, junction-heavy return. Most candidates here travel in from around Nottinghamshire, so allow for the journey when you pick a slot.
Ashfield takes candidates from across Nottinghamshire, so plenty arrive having learned on a different road mix. That usually shows in the first five minutes of the drive.
The aim is simple: nothing on the drive should be new on the day.
Roads you are likely to meet
Dual carriageway slip roads
Town-centre one-way loop
Quiet crescents for manoeuvres
- Lane discipline on the ring road is where most marks are lost.
- Routes usually mix a fast section with a slow, junction-heavy return.
- Most candidates here travel in from around Nottinghamshire, so allow for the journey when you pick a slot.
Test routes are no longer published by the DVSA, and examiners vary them. Treat this as a guide to the local road types rather than a route list. Book your test and check availability on GOV.UK.
Where marks are lost at Ashfield
Merging with faster traffic
Emerging too slowly forces other drivers to react, and that is marked. Use the full length of the slip road and match the flow before you merge.
One-way systems and box junctions
The fault here is almost always a late lane change under pressure, forcing someone else to brake.
How we prepare you for this centre
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on dual carriageway slip roads and town-centre one-way loop near the centre, because that is what the examiner will put you on.
One rehearsal, examiner-style
Marked the way an examiner marks it, on a Ashfield route, with a written debrief of every fault.
All four manoeuvres
Every manoeuvre practised with traffic present, because that is the version that appears on the day.
Test-day rehearsal
Licence and theory certificate checked, show me / tell me covered, and the sat-nav section practised before the day.
Courses that suit test-centre prep
Ashfield test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Ashfield?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Ashfield draw on dual carriageway slip roads, town-centre one-way loop, quiet crescents for manoeuvres, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Ashfield?
merging with faster traffic, one-way systems and box junctions — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at Ashfield?
Yes. We match you with a DVSA approved instructor who teaches on these roads day to day, and we look for the earliest practical slot at Ashfield.
How do I book a practical test at Ashfield?
Practical tests are booked through GOV.UK with your provisional licence and theory certificate numbers. We can check cancellations for you once your course dates are set.
How early should I arrive at Ashfield?
Ten minutes early is enough. Bring your provisional licence; the eyesight check happens outside before you get in the car, so know which plate you can read.
Should I travel to a different centre instead?
We will not sell you a pass rate. Published DVSA figures reflect who books there as much as the roads, and a centre an hour away that you cannot practise around is a worse bet than the one your instructor drives every week.
Not sure how many hours you need?
Answer four quick questions and we will recommend a course based on your experience, not a sales target.