Derbyshire · Midlands
Chesterfield driving test centre
56.2% of car practical tests taken at Chesterfield passed in 2025-26, from 6,605 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Chesterfield pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
56.2%
3,712 passes
National average
50%
+6.2 points here
Tests conducted
6,605
about 550 a month
Best published year
56.2%
2025-26
6,605 car practical tests were taken at Chesterfield in 2025-26. 56.2% passed, 6.2 percentage points above the national average of 50%. It is up on 2019-20, when 44.7% passed.
Over the published years the rate has moved between 44.7% in 2019-20 and 56.2% in 2025-26, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. That works out at roughly 550 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Chesterfield depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Chesterfield
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 6,605 | 3,712 | 56.2% | 50% | 56.3% | 56.1% |
| 2024-25 | 4,608 | 2,510 | 54.5% | 48.7% | 55.8% | 52.8% |
| 2023-24 | 4,701 | 2,365 | 50.3% | 47.9% | 50.7% | 49.9% |
| 2022-23 | 3,795 | 1,800 | 47.4% | 48.4% | 47.2% | 47.7% |
| 2021-22 | 3,659 | 1,752 | 47.9% | 48.9% | 48.8% | 46.8% |
| 2019-20 | 3,322 | 1,486 | 44.7% | 45.9% | 45.6% | 44% |
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 Chesterfield
Routes out of Chesterfield use the roads around the centre: bypass slip roads, mini-roundabouts and older residential terraces. Each of them is marked differently, which is why the last few hours of tuition are worked around the centre.
Routes leave the built-up area quickly, so speed adjustment between limits is heavily assessed. Junction observation on the approach roads is the recurring theme. Most candidates here travel in from around Derbyshire, so allow for the journey when you pick a slot.
Chesterfield takes candidates from across Derbyshire, 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
Bypass slip roads
Mini-roundabouts
Older residential terraces
- Routes leave the built-up area quickly, so speed adjustment between limits is heavily assessed.
- Junction observation on the approach roads is the recurring theme.
- Most candidates here travel in from around Derbyshire, 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 Chesterfield
Slip roads and lane changes
Two things get marked here: arriving at the merge under-speed, and changing lanes on mirrors alone without the blind-spot check.
Roundabout observation and lane choice
Marks are lost for arriving in the wrong lane, or for hesitating at a gap that was long enough. Decide your lane at the sign, not at the give-way line.
Priority on narrow streets
The recurring fault is stopping in the gap rather than before it, then having nowhere to go when something comes the other way.
How we prepare you for this centre
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on bypass slip roads and mini-roundabouts 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 Chesterfield 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
Chesterfield test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Chesterfield?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Chesterfield draw on bypass slip roads, mini-roundabouts, older residential terraces, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Chesterfield?
slip roads and lane changes, roundabout observation and lane choice, priority on narrow streets — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at Chesterfield?
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 Chesterfield.
How do I book a practical test at Chesterfield?
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.
What happens when I get to Chesterfield?
Arrive with your provisional licence and a car that is legal, insured for the test and has no warning lights showing. We handle that side if you use one of our instructors' cars.
Is Chesterfield an easy test centre?
Pass rates are published by the DVSA, but they say more about the mix of candidates than the difficulty of the routes. Practising the road types above will move your odds more than switching centres.
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.