DVSA theory test centre

Dumfries

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

Official DVSA figures

45.30%

Pass rate

110 of 193 theory test centres

3,919

Tests taken

In 2025-26

1,775

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#110 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Dumfries?

45.30% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 1.2 points below 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

45.30%

110 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

3,919

In 2025-26

Passes

1,775

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

48.00% / 43.00%

Women passed 48.00% of 1,801 tests, men 43.00% of 2,118.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

Every year DVSA have published for Dumfries, 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 43.6% and 65.8%

This year

Month by month at Dumfries

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 Dumfries
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 202533715445.7%
May 202532615046%
Jun 202533115647.1%
Jul 202539116141.2%
Aug 202535115744.7%
Sep 202535814339.9%
Oct 202534015946.8%
Nov 202529812140.6%
Dec 202524911646.6%
Jan 202632115748.9%
Feb 202632416651.2%
Mar 202629313546.1%
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 Dumfries

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

Local instructors

Driving instructors near Dumfries

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 Dumfries.

SB
Stuart Black
No reviews yet

Dumfries and Galloway · 1 mile
4479 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 30 to 45 lessons to pass
27+ years experience
Manual
£35.00 - £100.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

LM
Lisa Mcghie
No reviews yet

Dumfries · 1 mile
4474 •••
Female
English
On Avg. 30 to 50 lessons to pass
13+ years experience
Manual
£43.00 - £500.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

MJ
Mark Jones
No reviews yet

Dumfries and Galloway · 3 miles
4479 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 9 to 25 lessons to pass
5+ years experience
Manual
£40.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
FAQ

Common questions about Dumfries

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

45.30% of car theory tests taken at Dumfries were passed in 2025-26, across 3,919 tests of which 1,775 passed. That is 1.2 points below the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 110 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Dumfries, 48.00% of tests taken by women were passed against 43.00% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 1,801 and 2,118 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. Dumfries (53.95% pass rate), Dumfries LGV are the centres covering Dumfries. Theory and practical are booked separately, both through GOV.UK.

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