DVSA theory test centre

Kendal

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

Official DVSA figures

51.20%

Pass rate

25 of 193 theory test centres

4,348

Tests taken

In 2025-26

2,228

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#25 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Kendal?

51.20% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 4.7 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

51.20%

25 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

4,348

In 2025-26

Passes

2,228

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

53.90% / 49.00%

Women passed 53.90% of 1,969 tests, men 49.00% of 2,379.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

Every year DVSA have published for Kendal, from 2016-17 to 2025-26

2016-172017-182021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26

Financial years 2016-17 to 2025-26, ranging between 49.2% and 62.4%

This year

Month by month at Kendal

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 Kendal
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 202536621257.9%
May 202539720250.9%
Jun 202533517351.6%
Jul 202535417850.3%
Aug 202548225653.1%
Sep 202534717751%
Oct 202535718752.4%
Nov 202535217349.1%
Dec 202528113548%
Jan 202631315148.2%
Feb 202635718551.8%
Mar 202640719948.9%
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 Kendal

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

We don't have any instructors near Kendal yet

No driving instructors are listed within 10 miles of Kendal at the moment. You can search the directory with your own postcode, or use the DVSA's official service to find approved instructors near you.

FAQ

Common questions about Kendal

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

51.20% of car theory tests taken at Kendal were passed in 2025-26, across 4,348 tests of which 2,228 passed. That is 4.7 points above the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 25 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Kendal, 53.90% of tests taken by women were passed against 49.00% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 1,969 and 2,379 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. Kendal (Oxenholme Road) (65.13% pass rate) is the centre covering Kendal. Theory and practical are booked separately, both through GOV.UK.