Staffordshire · Midlands
Lichfield driving test centre
53% of car practical tests taken at Lichfield passed in 2025-26, from 5,944 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Lichfield pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
53%
3,153 passes
National average
50%
+3 points here
Tests conducted
5,944
about 495 a month
Best published year
53%
2025-26
5,944 car practical tests were taken at Lichfield in 2025-26. 53% passed, 3 percentage points above the national average of 50%. It is up on 2019-20, when 48.4% passed.
Over the published years the rate has moved between 44.2% in 2021-22 and 53% in 2025-26, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. In 2025-26 the rate was 54.4% for male candidates and 51.6% for female candidates. That works out at roughly 495 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Lichfield depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Lichfield
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5,944 | 3,153 | 53% | 50% | 54.4% | 51.6% |
| 2024-25 | 8,490 | 4,122 | 48.6% | 48.7% | 50.2% | 46.8% |
| 2023-24 | 8,261 | 3,921 | 47.5% | 47.9% | 50.2% | 44.7% |
| 2022-23 | 7,562 | 3,568 | 47.2% | 48.4% | 49.1% | 45.3% |
| 2021-22 | 6,981 | 3,085 | 44.2% | 48.9% | 46% | 42.4% |
| 2019-20 | 6,917 | 3,351 | 48.4% | 45.9% | 52.6% | 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 Lichfield
The local network around Lichfield is one-way system, a-road dual carriageway and estate roads, 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. Manoeuvres are normally set in quieter estates a few minutes from the centre. If your lessons have been in a different part of Staffordshire, plan at least a couple of sessions on these roads before the test.
Lichfield takes candidates from across Staffordshire, 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
One-way system
A-road dual carriageway
Estate roads
- Lane discipline on the ring road is where most marks are lost.
- Manoeuvres are normally set in quieter estates a few minutes from the centre.
- If your lessons have been in a different part of Staffordshire, 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 Lichfield
One-way systems and box junctions
The fault here is almost always a late lane change under pressure, forcing someone else to brake.
Joining and leaving at speed
Build up to the speed of the traffic on the slip road rather than emerging slowly, and check the mirror–blind spot pair before every lane change.
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 one-way system and a-road dual carriageway 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 Lichfield 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
Lichfield test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Lichfield?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Lichfield draw on one-way system, a-road dual carriageway, estate roads, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Lichfield?
one-way systems and box junctions, joining and leaving at speed, 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 Lichfield?
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 Lichfield.
How do I book a practical test at Lichfield?
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 Lichfield?
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.