DVSA theory test centre

Cambridge

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

Official DVSA figures

52.80%

Pass rate

14 of 193 theory test centres

25,043

Tests taken

In 2025-26

13,229

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#14 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Cambridge?

52.80% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 6.3 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

52.80%

14 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

25,043

In 2025-26

Passes

13,229

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

56.10% / 50.10%

Women passed 56.10% of 11,313 tests, men 50.10% of 13,730.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

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

2007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26

Financial years 2007-08 to 2025-26, ranging between 52.8% and 70.5%

This year

Month by month at Cambridge

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 Cambridge
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 20252,0801,10853.3%
May 20252,0441,04251%
Jun 20252,0941,07651.4%
Jul 20252,0251,05552.1%
Aug 20252,1291,14853.9%
Sep 20252,2811,19952.6%
Oct 20252,1151,15654.7%
Nov 20252,2181,15752.2%
Dec 20251,52379552.2%
Jan 20261,9071,01453.2%
Feb 20262,3591,26953.8%
Mar 20262,2681,21053.4%
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 Cambridge

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

Local instructors

Driving instructors near Cambridge

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 Cambridge.

CD
Cambridge Driving School
No reviews yet

Cambridge · under 1 mile
4478 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 5 to 10 lessons to pass
15+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£39.00 - £42.50 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

NN
Neelima Neher
No reviews yet

Cambridge · 2 miles
4477 •••
Female
English
Hindi
Bengali
Urdu
Punjabi
On Avg. 20 to 30 lessons to pass
12+ years experience
Automatic
£90.00 - £90.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

TE
Thomas Edward Carden
No reviews yet

South Cambridgeshire · 4 miles
4478 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 20 to 25 lessons to pass
4+ years experience
Manual
£70.00 - £80.00 per lesson
No block bookings
Mock tests available

MI
Markandu Ilankumaran
No reviews yet

South Cambridgeshire · 9 miles
4479 •••
Male
English
Tamil
On Avg. 25 to 40 lessons to pass
5+ years experience
Manual
£75.00 - £80.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
FAQ

Common questions about Cambridge

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

52.80% of car theory tests taken at Cambridge were passed in 2025-26, across 25,043 tests of which 13,229 passed. That is 6.3 points above the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 14 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Cambridge, 56.10% of tests taken by women were passed against 50.10% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 11,313 and 13,730 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. Cambridge (Brookmount Court) (53.81% pass rate), Cambridge (Hardwick) are the centres covering Cambridge. Theory and practical are booked separately, both through GOV.UK.

Yes - we list driving instructors within 10 miles of Cambridge 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.