Driving lessons
Driving lessons in London
London is an area rather than a single test-centre catchment. The DVSA car test centres inside it are Mill Hill (London), Hendon (London), Mitcham (London), Wood Green (London) and Barking (Tanner Street), with pass rates from 36.3% to 51.4% in 2025 to 2026 against a national average of 50.0%.
London driving test pass rates
The national average car practical pass rate is 50.0% for 2025 to 2026. Here is how the DVSA test centres serving London compare.
Mill Hill (London)
51.4%
1.4 percentage points above the national average
Hendon (London)
51.4%
1.4 percentage points above the national average
Mitcham (London)
47.0%
3 percentage points below the national average
Wood Green (London)
46.8%
3.2 percentage points below the national average
Barking (Tanner Street)
36.3%
13.7 percentage points below the national average
Mill Hill (London) is the strongest of these centres at 51.4%, 1.4 percentage points above the 50.0% national average. Barking (Tanner Street) is the lowest at 36.3%, 13.7 percentage points below the 50.0% national average. The spread between them is 15.1 percentage points.
Source: DVSA Driving test statistics (DRT), table DRT122A / DRT121A, GOV.UK, published 25 June 2026, data to March 2026.
Which test centre should you book in London?
The gap between Mill Hill (London) at 51.4% and Barking (Tanner Street) at 36.3% is 15.1 percentage points. That is a wide spread, and worth knowing about before you book. If your first choice has no slot in your timescale, the other centres listed above are still within London.
A centre's pass rate reflects the candidates who book there as much as the roads around it, so treat it as context rather than a prediction. Sitting the test on roads you have actually practised on is usually worth more than a point or two on a headline figure.
Learning to drive in London
London is covered by the EC and WC postcode areas and is reported in the London region of England in national statistics. That is worth knowing when you read published figures: regional averages for lesson prices and pass rates are the bucket London falls into, and they can sit some way from what an individual instructor or test centre actually does.
If you cannot get a convenient slot locally, the nearest alternatives are in East London (Wanstead (London), 44.4%), South East London (Sidcup (London), 58.7%) and West London (Southall (London), 44.8%), on 2025 to 2026 figures. Each is a different set of test routes, so treat a move as a fresh area to learn rather than a shortcut.
Nearby towns with their own pages: Driving lessons in East London, Driving lessons in North London, Driving lessons in South East London and Driving lessons in West London. You can also browse every location from the driving lessons near me hub.
What driving lessons in London cost
Passly does not publish an average lesson price for London, because rates are set by each instructor and we have no verified local sample. As a benchmark, UK lessons typically run £30 to £40 an hour, and £38 to £48 an hour across London. The full course is the bigger number: roughly 45 hours of tuition plus the £34 provisional licence, £23 theory test and £62 practical test fees.
Block bookings, automatic against manual, and how much private practice you get all move that total. Our guide to how much driving lessons cost breaks the figures down by region and explains what changes them. Always ask an instructor for their own rate rather than relying on a published average.
Guides for learner drivers
Driving test pass rates explained
How DVSA pass rates are calculated and how much weight to give them when you pick a test centre.
Read the guideHow much do driving lessons cost?
Typical hourly rates by region, the full cost of learning to drive, and ways to spend less.
See the costsHow to choose a driving instructor
What to ask before you book, how to check an instructor is DVSA registered, and when to switch.
Read the guideDriving lessons in London: FAQs
Which DVSA test centre serves London?
London covers five DVSA car test centres: Mill Hill (London) at 51.4%, Hendon (London) at 51.4%, Mitcham (London) at 47.0%, Wood Green (London) at 46.8% and Barking (Tanner Street) at 36.3% in 2025 to 2026.
What is the driving test pass rate in London?
Pass rates at the centres serving London ranged from 36.3% at Barking (Tanner Street) to 51.4% at Mill Hill (London) in 2025 to 2026. The national average was 50.0%.
How do London pass rates compare with the national average?
The Great Britain average for car practical tests was 50.0% in 2025 to 2026. Mill Hill (London) was 1.4 percentage points above the 50.0% national average, and Barking (Tanner Street) was 13.7 percentage points below the 50.0% national average. Pass rates reflect the mix of candidates at a centre as well as its routes.
Where else can London learners take the driving test?
Nearby centres include Wanstead (London) in East London at 44.4%, Sidcup (London) in South East London at 58.7% and Southall (London) in West London at 44.8%. Booking further afield means being tested on roads you may not have practised on, so weigh the travel against the familiarity.
How much do driving lessons cost in London?
Passly does not publish an average lesson price for London, because rates are set by each instructor and we have no verified local sample. As a benchmark, UK lessons typically run £30 to £40 an hour, and £38 to £48 an hour across London. A full course also includes the £34 provisional licence, £23 theory test and £62 practical test fees. Ask any instructor for their own rate.
Which year do these pass rates cover?
All figures are DVSA car practical test pass rates for the 2025 to 2026 financial year, taken from table DRT122A by test centre and DRT121A for the national average, published on 25 June 2026 with data to March 2026.
Teaching learners in London?
Passly gives driving instructors online booking, payments and pupil progress tracking in one place. Set up your diary in an afternoon.