Staffordshire · Midlands
Stafford driving test centre
45.8% of car practical tests taken at Stafford passed in 2025-26, from 5,365 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Stafford pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
45.8%
2,459 passes
National average
50%
-4.2 points here
Tests conducted
5,365
about 447 a month
Best published year
50.7%
2019-20
5,365 car practical tests were taken at Stafford in 2025-26. 45.8% passed, 4.2 percentage points below the national average of 50%. That is down from 50.7% in 2019-20.
The rate has stayed within 4.9 points across the published years, between 45.8% and 50.7%. That works out at roughly 447 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Stafford depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Stafford
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5,365 | 2,459 | 45.8% | 50% | 45.6% | 46.1% |
| 2024-25 | 3,783 | 1,745 | 46.1% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 46% |
| 2023-24 | 3,322 | 1,592 | 47.9% | 47.9% | 47.8% | 48.1% |
| 2022-23 | 2,775 | 1,323 | 47.7% | 48.4% | 49.4% | 45.9% |
| 2021-22 | 2,670 | 1,234 | 46.2% | 48.9% | 46% | 46.4% |
| 2019-20 | 2,613 | 1,324 | 50.7% | 45.9% | 55.9% | 46.7% |
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 Stafford
Routes out of Stafford use the roads around the centre: inner distributor road, signalled roundabouts and older terraced grids. Each of them is marked differently, which is why the last few hours of tuition are worked around the centre.
Multi-lane roundabouts appear more than once, so plan two junctions ahead. Routes usually mix a fast section with a slow, junction-heavy return. Most candidates here travel in from around Staffordshire, so allow for the journey when you pick a slot.
Stafford 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.
Book the mock early enough that there is time to fix whatever it finds.
Roads you are likely to meet
Inner distributor road
Signalled roundabouts
Older terraced grids
- Multi-lane roundabouts appear more than once, so plan two junctions ahead.
- Routes usually mix a fast section with a slow, junction-heavy return.
- Most candidates here travel in from around Staffordshire, 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 Stafford
Early lane planning
Systems like this punish late decisions. Positioning early and signalling once, clearly, is what the examiner is looking for.
Lane discipline on roundabouts
The fault is usually committed before the give-way line: late lane selection, a signal that contradicts the exit taken, or creeping forward while still looking left.
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
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on inner distributor road and signalled 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 Stafford 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
Stafford test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Stafford?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Stafford draw on inner distributor road, signalled roundabouts, older terraced grids, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Stafford?
early lane planning, lane discipline on roundabouts, 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 Stafford?
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 Stafford.
How do I book a practical test at Stafford?
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 Stafford?
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.