DVSA theory test centre

Preston

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

Official DVSA figures

43.90%

Pass rate

139 of 193 theory test centres

54,263

Tests taken

In 2025-26

23,802

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#139 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Preston?

43.90% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 2.6 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

43.90%

139 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

54,263

In 2025-26

Passes

23,802

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

47.00% / 41.30%

Women passed 47.00% of 24,254 tests, men 41.30% of 30,009.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

Every year DVSA have published for Preston, 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 43.9% and 65.5%

This year

Month by month at Preston

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 Preston
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 20254,6822,06244%
May 20254,6232,04244.2%
Jun 20254,4731,96443.9%
Jul 20254,8252,05642.6%
Aug 20254,7042,06944%
Sep 20255,0222,16243.1%
Oct 20254,8472,15944.5%
Nov 20254,3251,83042.3%
Dec 20253,2101,37742.9%
Jan 20264,3751,87842.9%
Feb 20264,4391,99945%
Mar 20264,7382,20446.5%
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 Preston

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

Local instructors

Driving instructors near Preston

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 Preston.

FA
Farid Ahmad
No reviews yet

Preston · under 1 mile
4474 •••
Male
Hindi
Urdu
English
On Avg. 25 to 35 lessons to pass
3+ years experience
Automatic
£38.00 - £40.00 per lesson
No block bookings
Mock tests available
Social Media
Message

SS
Salmaan Suleman
No reviews yet

Preston · 1 mile
4473 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 5 to 50 lessons to pass
2+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£35.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

MU
Munir Umerji Suleman
No reviews yet

Preston · 1 mile
4479 •••
Male
English
Hindi
Urdu
Gujarati
On Avg. 45 to 50 lessons to pass
35+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£35.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

AA
Afsana Alli
No reviews yet

Preston · 2 miles
4478 •••
Female
English
Hindi
Urdu
Gujarati
On Avg. 35 to 55 lessons to pass
14+ years experience
Manual
£40.00 - £50.00 per lesson
No block bookings
No mock tests

PW
Pass With Raj
No reviews yet

Chorley · 8 miles
4473 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 25 to 45 lessons to pass
8+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£40.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

SS
Syed Shah
No reviews yet

Blackburn with Darwen · 8 miles
4473 •••
Male
English
Urdu
Punjabi
On Avg. 35 to 60 lessons to pass
15+ years experience
Automatic
£40.00 - £50.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
FAQ

Common questions about Preston

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

43.90% of car theory tests taken at Preston were passed in 2025-26, across 54,263 tests of which 23,802 passed. That is 2.6 points below the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 139 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Preston, 47.00% of tests taken by women were passed against 41.30% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 24,254 and 30,009 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. Preston (56.28% pass rate) is the centre covering Preston. Theory and practical are booked separately, both through GOV.UK.

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