Tyne and Wear · Yorkshire & the North East
South Shields driving test centre
47.1% of car practical tests taken at South Shields passed in 2021-22, from 4,312 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
South Shields pass rates
Pass rate 2021-22
47.1%
2,029 passes
National average
48.9%
-1.8 points here
Tests conducted
4,312
about 359 a month
Best published year
47.1%
2021-22
4,312 car practical tests were taken at South Shields in 2021-22. 47.1% passed, 1.8 percentage points below the national average of 48.9%. That is broadly where it stood in 2019-20 (47.1%).
The rate has stayed within 0 points across the published years, between 47.1% and 47.1%. In 2021-22 the rate was 48.7% for male candidates and 45.5% for female candidates. That works out at roughly 359 tests a month, which is what waiting times at South Shields depend on more than the pass rate does.
- South Shields
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 4,312 | 2,029 | 47.1% | 48.9% | 48.7% | 45.5% |
| 2019-20 | 4,248 | 2,002 | 47.1% | 45.9% | 51.6% | 43.3% |
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 South Shields
The local network around South Shields is town-centre streets, a-roads and residential estates, and test routes are built from it. You cannot cover that range on one street, so the pre-test sessions move between them.
Mini-roundabouts are the usual stumbling block — they still need proper observation and signalling. Junction observation on the approach roads is the recurring theme. Most candidates here travel in from around Tyne and Wear, so allow for the journey when you pick a slot.
South Shields takes candidates from across Tyne and Wear, so plenty arrive having learned on a different road mix. That usually shows in the first five minutes of the drive.
A marked mock test on these roads is the most useful thing you can do in the week before your slot.
Roads you are likely to meet
Town-centre streets
A-roads
Residential estates
- Mini-roundabouts are the usual stumbling block — they still need proper observation and signalling.
- Junction observation on the approach roads is the recurring theme.
- Most candidates here travel in from around Tyne and Wear, 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 South Shields
Parked cars and passing gaps
Leave a door's width past parked cars, and give way early enough that the oncoming driver can see you have decided.
How we prepare you for this centre
Practice where you will be marked
Your instructor works the roads around South Shields in the sessions before your test — town-centre streets included — not generic estate roads.
A marked mock run
Run silently and scored properly — no coaching mid-drive — then debriefed fault by fault.
Manoeuvres to standard
Bay park, parallel park, pull up on the right and forward bay — rehearsed on live roads near the centre rather than an empty car park.
Everything around the drive
Paperwork, show me / tell me questions and the independent drive, run through in advance.
Courses that suit test-centre prep
South Shields test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at South Shields?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from South Shields draw on town-centre streets, a-roads, residential estates, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at South Shields?
parked cars and passing gaps — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at South Shields?
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 South Shields.
How do I book a practical test at South Shields?
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 do I need to bring to South Shields?
Aim to be there ten minutes before your slot with your provisional licence. Your instructor will normally use the half hour beforehand for a warm-up drive on nearby roads rather than sitting in the car park.
Does South Shields have a good pass rate?
Travelling for a higher published pass rate usually backfires: you arrive tired, on roads you have never driven. Preparing properly for South Shields is the better use of the same hours.
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.