Southall driving test centre: pass rate, waits and what to expect

Southall’s test centre is on Allenby Road, UB1. It tested a third more learners in 2025/26 than the year before, and it is one of two centres in the London Borough of Ealing. These are DVSA’s own figures for it.

44.8%

pass rate, 2025/26 (GB 50.0%)

41.8%

pass rate on a first attempt

41.7%

automatic pass rate (manual 46.7%)

5.4 wks

median wait, September 2026

Source: DVSA, tables DRT122A, DRT122C, DRT122E and DRT122F. Pass rates cover April 2025 to March 2026.

Pass rates

Southall’s pass rate, year by year

Southall has been below the national pass rate in every year of DVSA’s data, by between about two and nine points. The last two years were among its better ones.

Car test pass rates at Southall by year, with men, women and Great Britain
Year (April to March)	Tests	Southall pass rate	Men	Women	Great Britain
2025/26	8,543	44.8%	46.9%	40.8%	50.0%
2024/25	6,461	46.2%	47.8%	43.2%	48.7%
2023/24	5,643	40.7%	41.4%	39.4%	47.9%
2022/23	6,416	42.4%	44.7%	39.2%	48.4%
2021/22	7,255	42.9%	45.0%	39.6%	48.9%
2018/19	6,046	40.1%	43.7%	36.5%	45.8%

The number of tests jumped from 6,461 to 8,543 in 2025/26, about a third more, while the pass rate slipped back a little to 44.8%. Women pass about six points less often than men here. DVSA publishes no reasons; a pass rate reflects who takes the test and how ready they are, as well as the roads.

Automatic or manual

At Southall, automatics pass less often

Just over a third of Southall’s tests are in an automatic, and seven in ten women who test here choose one. But automatic candidates have passed less often than manual ones.

Automatic car tests at Southall by year
Year	Automatic tests	Share of all tests	Automatic pass rate
2025/26	3,176	37.2%	41.7%
2024/25	2,266	35.1%	43.5%
2023/24	2,121	37.6%	38.8%

In 2025/26 manual candidates at Southall passed 46.7% and automatic candidates 41.7%. So choose an automatic because it is easier to learn in, and then prepare just as thoroughly: the test is not easier in one. An automatic pass gives you an automatic-only licence.

Waiting times

Southall’s waits, and why they changed

In spring 2025 Southall’s median wait was around 20 weeks. Over the summer DVSA put far more appointments into its booking window, and the wait fell to three or four weeks. It has risen again since, but less.

Median weeks from booking to test at Southall by month, with the share tested within 7 weeks and the share who waited over 21
Month	Median wait	Within 7 weeks	Over 21 weeks
September 2026	5.4 weeks	52%	34%
August 2026	12.3 weeks	44%	36%
July 2026	12.3 weeks	42%	39%
June 2026	17.7 weeks	36%	44%
May 2026	16.4 weeks	34%	43%
April 2026	13.8 weeks	36%	42%
March 2026	9.5 weeks	46%	31%
February 2026	14.6 weeks	40%	37%
January 2026	13.0 weeks	36%	29%
December 2025	9.4 weeks	36%	23%
November 2025	6.0 weeks	52%	19%
October 2025	5.1 weeks	54%	15%
September 2025	4.6 weeks	63%	13%
June 2025	3.7 weeks	74%	5%
March 2025	20.7 weeks	36%	49%

The appointments DVSA had on offer across Southall’s 24-week booking window rose from about 1,200 in early 2025 to over 3,000 from autumn 2025, which is why more people were tested. Across London the median wait was 14.3 weeks in September 2026, and 11.6 across Great Britain.

Booking a Southall test under the 2026 rules

Only you can book, change or cancel your test, since 12 May 2026. Instructors and cancellation-finder apps can’t; you can still look for earlier slots yourself on gov.uk.
Two changes per booking, since 31 March 2026; a new date and a new centre together count as one.
Since 9 June 2026 a test can only move to one of the three centres nearest the one you booked, so think about Southall against your other options before you book, not after.
Add your instructor’s reference number when you book so they are free on the day.

Rules: DVSA, Changes to driving test booking rules in 2026 (updated 19 June 2026).

The centre and its roads

Allenby Road and the roads around it

DVSA no longer publishes test routes, and they change. These are the kinds of road around the Southall centre.

Allenby Road, UB1

The centre is in the north of Southall, UB1. Tests begin and end here; pulling out of the centre onto Allenby Road is your first junction of the day, so take your time with it.

The A312 towards Yeading and Northolt

North of the centre the A312 is a fast dual carriageway with big roundabouts, including White Hart. Lane choice by exit and confident merging are the skills to have ready.

Uxbridge Road and the Iron Bridge

Heading east, the Uxbridge Road narrows under the Iron Bridge, where Ealing Council says space for buses and bikes is tight. Hold your lane, mind the cyclists and don’t squeeze past.

Lessons for Southall

Who tests at Southall, and who can teach you

Learners from Southall, Hayes, Hounslow and Ealing often test here. These are the WLDS instructors who cover those areas and are taking new learners.

Enter your postcode in the guided booking to see the instructors who cover it.

More about lessons in Southall, Hayes and Hounslow, or compare Southall with eight other centres on our test centres page.

Common questions

Southall test centre: FAQs

What is the pass rate at Southall test centre?

44.8% from April 2025 to March 2026, across 8,543 car tests, against 50.0% for Great Britain (DVSA). On a first attempt it was 41.8%.

Is Southall test centre hard?

It is below average: Southall has passed fewer candidates than the national rate in every year of DVSA’s data. Arrive ready, having passed mock tests on the local roads, rather than booking to see how it goes.

Is it easier to pass in an automatic at Southall?

No. In 2025/26 automatic candidates at Southall passed 41.7% and manual candidates 46.7% (DVSA). An automatic is easier to learn in, not an easier test.

How long is the wait at Southall test centre?

The median wait from booking to test was 5.4 weeks for people tested in September 2026, though 34% had waited more than 21 weeks; in June 2026 the median was 17.7 weeks (DVSA, provisional).

Where is Southall driving test centre?

On Allenby Road, Southall, UB1, in the London Borough of Ealing. Tests start and finish at the centre.

Can I move my Southall test to Yeading?

Only if Yeading is one of the three centres nearest Southall, which is the limit since 9 June 2026, and you get two changes per booking. Decide which centre you want before you book.

Do you give lessons for a test at Southall?

Yes. Our instructors who cover Southall, Hayes, Hounslow and Ealing prepare learners for Southall, including a mock test on the roads around Allenby Road.

Figures: DVSA, car driving test data by test centre. Pass rates April to March each year; waits are provisional monthly figures, published 14 October 2026. Checked 2 November 2026.

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