West Sussex · London & the South East
Lancing driving test centre
61.4% of car practical tests taken at Lancing passed in 2023-24, from 8,856 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Lancing pass rates
Pass rate 2023-24
61.4%
5,434 passes
National average
47.9%
+13.5 points here
Tests conducted
8,856
about 738 a month
Best published year
61.4%
2023-24
8,856 car practical tests were taken at Lancing in 2023-24. 61.4% passed, 13.5 percentage points above the national average of 47.9%. It is up on 2019-20, when 47.4% passed.
Over the published years the rate has moved between 47.4% in 2019-20 and 61.4% in 2023-24, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. In 2023-24 the rate was 63.2% for male candidates and 59.3% for female candidates. That works out at roughly 738 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Lancing depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Lancing
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 8,856 | 5,434 | 61.4% | 47.9% | 63.2% | 59.3% |
| 2022-23 | 6,037 | 3,481 | 57.7% | 48.4% | 59.3% | 56.1% |
| 2021-22 | 6,915 | 3,660 | 52.9% | 48.9% | 55.2% | 51% |
| 2019-20 | 8,493 | 4,026 | 47.4% | 45.9% | 50% | 45% |
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 Lancing
Tests from Lancing run mostly on fast rural a-road, slow-moving agricultural traffic and village high street. Those road types sit close together, so several of them can appear in the first ten minutes.
National-speed-limit single carriageways are near-certain — progress is marked as well as caution. The built-up section is short, so the limit changes come quickly and get marked. If your lessons have been in a different part of West Sussex, plan at least a couple of sessions on these roads before the test.
Lancing takes candidates from across West 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
Fast rural A-road
Slow-moving agricultural traffic
Village high street
- National-speed-limit single carriageways are near-certain — progress is marked as well as caution.
- The built-up section is short, so the limit changes come quickly and get marked.
- If your lessons have been in a different part of West Sussex, plan at least a couple of sessions on these roads before the test.
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 Lancing
Judgement on unlit lanes
Passing places, mud on the road, horses and tractors are all part of the marking here — and so is progress once the road opens up.
Anticipation and pedestrians
Busy footfall means a lot of the marking is about looking far enough ahead — spotting the person about to step out, not reacting once they have.
How we prepare you for this centre
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on fast rural a-road and slow-moving agricultural traffic 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 Lancing 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
Lancing test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Lancing?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Lancing draw on fast rural a-road, slow-moving agricultural traffic, village high street, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Lancing?
judgement on unlit lanes, anticipation and pedestrians — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at Lancing?
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 Lancing.
How do I book a practical test at Lancing?
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 Lancing?
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 Lancing 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.