East Sussex · London & the South East
Hastings (Ore) driving test centre
52.4% of car practical tests taken at Hastings (Ore) passed in 2025-26, from 3,892 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Hastings (Ore) pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
52.4%
2,039 passes
National average
50%
+2.4 points here
Tests conducted
3,892
about 324 a month
Best published year
52.4%
2025-26
3,892 car practical tests were taken at Hastings (Ore) in 2025-26. 52.4% passed, 2.4 percentage points above the national average of 50%. It is up on 2019-20, when 43.1% passed.
Over the published years the rate has moved between 43.1% in 2019-20 and 52.4% in 2025-26, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. That works out at roughly 324 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Hastings (Ore) depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Hastings (Ore)
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 3,892 | 2,039 | 52.4% | 50% | 51.8% | 53.1% |
| 2024-25 | 3,065 | 1,508 | 49.2% | 48.7% | 47.5% | 51.1% |
| 2023-24 | 3,761 | 1,798 | 47.8% | 47.9% | 48.1% | 47.5% |
| 2022-23 | 2,821 | 1,280 | 45.4% | 48.4% | 47.1% | 43.5% |
| 2021-22 | 2,719 | 1,334 | 49.1% | 48.9% | 49.8% | 48.3% |
| 2019-20 | 3,794 | 1,635 | 43.1% | 45.9% | 46.7% | 40% |
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 Hastings (Ore)
Tests from Hastings (Ore) run mostly on harbour-side roads, tight one-way sections and steep hill starts. Those road types sit close together, so several of them can appear in the first ten minutes.
Pedestrian activity changes dramatically with the season and the weather. Seafront roads bring parked cars, crossings and cyclists in the same stretch. Learners across London & the South East often book here without practising locally first — the road types above are the gap to close.
Hastings (Ore) takes candidates from across East Sussex, 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
Harbour-side roads
Tight one-way sections
Steep hill starts
- Pedestrian activity changes dramatically with the season and the weather.
- Seafront roads bring parked cars, crossings and cyclists in the same stretch.
- Learners across London & the South East often book here without practising locally first — the road types above are the gap to close.
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 Hastings (Ore)
One-way systems and box junctions
The fault here is almost always a late lane change under pressure, forcing someone else to brake.
Hill starts and control
Roll-back is one of the fastest ways to pick up a serious fault here. Practise moving away uphill with the handbrake until it feels automatic.
How we prepare you for this centre
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on harbour-side roads and tight one-way sections 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 Hastings (Ore) 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
Hastings (Ore) test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Hastings (Ore)?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Hastings (Ore) draw on harbour-side roads, tight one-way sections, steep hill starts, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Hastings (Ore)?
one-way systems and box junctions, hill starts and control — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at Hastings (Ore)?
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 Hastings (Ore).
How do I book a practical test at Hastings (Ore)?
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 Hastings (Ore)?
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.