DVSA theory test centre

Southwark

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

Official DVSA figures

52.00%

Pass rate

21 of 193 theory test centres

68,847

Tests taken

In 2025-26

35,776

Passes

Candidates who passed here

#21 of 193 in Britain

The numbers

How hard is the theory test at Southwark?

52.00% of car theory tests taken here were passed in 2025-26, 5.5 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

52.00%

21 of 193 theory test centres

Tests taken

68,847

In 2025-26

Passes

35,776

Candidates who passed here

Women vs men

54.50% / 50.30%

Women passed 54.50% of 27,722 tests, men 50.30% of 41,125.

Since 2007

Theory pass rate year by year

Every year DVSA have published for Southwark, 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 49.8% and 68.4%

This year

Month by month at Southwark

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 Southwark
MonthTestsPassesPass rate
Apr 20255,7202,88850.5%
May 20255,6662,87650.8%
Jun 20255,7463,00152.2%
Jul 20255,7293,00452.4%
Aug 20256,1073,24753.2%
Sep 20255,7813,12154%
Oct 20256,3803,37152.8%
Nov 20255,5582,80550.5%
Dec 20254,5122,22249.2%
Jan 20265,7753,03052.5%
Feb 20265,7493,05053.1%
Mar 20266,1243,16151.6%
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.

Local instructors

Driving instructors near Southwark

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 Southwark.

MI
Mohammad Islam
Featured
No reviews yet

City of Westminster · 4 miles
4473 •••
Male
English
Bengali
On Avg. 30 to 40 lessons to pass
3+ years experience
Automatic
£40.00 - £45.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
Social Media
Message

MN
Mohammed Naveed Iqbal
Featured
No reviews yet

Greater London · 7 miles
4477 •••
Male
English
Hindi
Urdu
Punjabi
On Avg. 20 to 40 lessons to pass
1+ years experience
Manual
£35.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
Message

SK
Sarbjeet Kaur
Featured
No reviews yet

Greater London · 9 miles
4479 •••
Female
English
Hindi
Punjabi
Urdu
On Avg. 10 to 20 lessons to pass
10+ years experience
Both automatic and manual
£30.00 - £45.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
Social Media

AY
Abu Yillah
No reviews yet

Greater London · 1 mile
4475 •••
Male
English
On Avg. 30 to 45 lessons to pass
11+ years experience
Manual
£40.00 - £55.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available

SP
Shahida Parveen
No reviews yet

Greater London · 2 miles
4479 •••
Female
English
Bengali
On Avg. 44 to 54 lessons to pass
19+ years experience
Manual
£35.00 - £45.00 per lesson
No block bookings
Mock tests available

MB
Mohamed Benchekroun
No reviews yet

London · 2 miles
4475 •••
Male
English
French
Arabic
On Avg. 20 to 35 lessons to pass
17+ years experience
Automatic
£35.00 - £40.00 per lesson
Block bookings available
Mock tests available
FAQ

Common questions about Southwark

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

52.00% of car theory tests taken at Southwark were passed in 2025-26, across 68,847 tests of which 35,776 passed. That is 5.5 points above the 46.5% average across theory test centres. It ranks 21 of 193 theory test centres for pass rate.

At Southwark, 54.50% of tests taken by women were passed against 50.30% of tests taken by men in 2025-26. The figures cover 27,722 and 41,125 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.

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