DVSA theory test centre

Bristol

Car theory test pass rates for Bristol, taken straight from DVSA's published figures, with what the test involves and driving instructors teaching around Bristol.

Official DVSA figures

48.90%

Pass rate

56 of 193 theory test centres

44,554

Tests taken

In 2025-26

21,783

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#56 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Bristol?

48.90% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 2.4 points above the 46.5% average across theory test centres. Pass rates vary by centre far less than people expect - the test is identical everywhere, so what moves the number is who books there.

Pass rate

48.90%

56 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

44,554

In 2025-26

Passes

21,783

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

51.40% / 46.80%

Women passed 51.40% of 20,037 tests, men 46.80% of 24,517.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

Every year DVSA have published for Bristol, from 2007-08 to 2025-26

2007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26

Financial years 2007-08 to 2025-26, ranging between 48.7% and 67%

This year

Month by month at Bristol

DVSA publish the monthly detail for 2025-26. The month you book matters far less than whether you have worked through the question bank and the hazard clips.

Monthly car theory test figures for Bristol
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 20254,0722,03149.9%
May 20253,7011,69445.8%
Jun 20254,2712,07148.5%
Jul 20253,3931,61747.7%
Aug 20253,6701,83249.9%
Sep 20253,8181,82647.8%
Oct 20254,0821,87245.9%
Nov 20253,8191,93450.6%
Dec 20253,1611,47746.7%
Jan 20262,3291,16550%
Feb 20263,6721,90952%
Mar 20264,5662,35551.6%
The test itself

What the car theory test involves

The test is the same at every centre. Two parts, taken in one sitting, both of which have to be passed together.

Multiple-choice questions

50

You need 43 correct to pass this part.

Time for the questions

57 min

There is a practice session first if you want one.

Hazard perception clips

14

15 scoreable hazards, scored 0-5 on how early you spot each.

Hazard perception pass mark

44/75

Both parts have to be passed in the same sitting.

What to bring

Your UK photocard driving licence. Without it the test is cancelled and the fee is lost. Arrive around 15 minutes early, and expect to leave phones and bags in a locker.

How long the pass lasts

Two years. If you have not passed your practical test by then you take the theory again - which is why booking lessons while you revise, rather than after, is worth doing.

Next step

Practical test centres near Bristol

A theory pass is what lets you book the practical. These are the DVSA driving test centres covering Bristol, with their own published figures.

Local instructors

Driving instructors near Bristol

Most learners book lessons while they are revising for the theory test, not after it - the practical waiting list is measured in months and a theory pass only lasts two years. These instructors teach within 10 miles of Bristol.

AH
Abdulrashid Habiye
No reviews yet

Bristol · 1 mile
4475 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 28 to 48 lessons to pass
5+ years experience
Manual
£45.00 - £90.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

MD
Mahdi Daoud
No reviews yet

Bristol · 1 mile
4479 •••
Male
French
English
Arabic
On Avg. 25 to 55 lessons to pass
8+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£45.00 - £65.00 per lesson
No block bookings
Mock tests available

AM
Abubakar Mohamud
No reviews yet

Bristol · 1 mile
4479 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 20 to 25 lessons to pass
9+ years experience
Manual
£45.00 - £100.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

MM
Mohamed Mohamed
No reviews yet

Bristol · 1 mile
4479 •••
Male
English
Arabic
On Avg. 18 to 20 lessons to pass
2018+ years experience
Manual
£45.00 - £100.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

MM
Mukhtar Mahamed Saleh
No reviews yet

Bristol · 1 mile
4478 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 16 to 25 lessons to pass
2+ years experience
Manual
£45.00 - £50.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

PA
Peter Andrew Bryce
No reviews yet

Bristol · 2 miles
4477 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 30 to 60 lessons to pass
24+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£45.00 - £50.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
FAQ

Common questions about Bristol

Pass rates, what the test involves, and how the theory test fits around booking lessons and a practical test.

48.90% of car theory tests taken at Bristol were passed in 2025-26, across 44,554 tests of which 21,783 passed. That is 2.4 points above the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 56 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Bristol, 51.40% of tests taken by women were passed against 46.80% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 20,037 and 24,517 tests respectively. DVSA publish this split for every theory test centre.

The car theory test has two parts taken in one sitting. First, 50 multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes, of which you need 43 correct. Then the hazard perception test: 14 video clips containing 15 scoreable developing hazards, scored 0 to 5 depending on how early you spot each one, with a pass mark of 44 out of 75. You have to pass both parts in the same sitting; passing one and failing the other means retaking the whole test.

Yes. You cannot book a practical driving test until you hold a theory test pass certificate, and the certificate is valid for two years. If it expires before you pass your practical, you have to take the theory test again - which is why most people book lessons and the theory test in the same few weeks rather than waiting.

The practical driving test is taken at a separate DVSA driving test centre. Bristol (Kingswood) (51.93% pass rate) is the centre covering Bristol. Theory and practical are booked separately, both through GOV.UK.

Yes - we list driving instructors within 10 miles of Bristol on this page. Most learners book lessons while they are studying for the theory test rather than after it, because the practical waiting list is measured in months and a theory pass certificate only lasts two years.