Watnall driving test centre
Watnall driving test centre is at Driving Test Centre Watnall LGV, Fernwood House, Fernwood Drive, Main Road, Watnall, NG16 1LA. DVSA figures show 48.9% of car tests there were passes in 2024-25 (702 tests), 0.2 points above the Great Britain rate of 48.7%.
Watnall pass rate by year
| Year (April to March) | Watnall | Car tests | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 48.9% | 702 | 48.7% |
Watnall ran fewer than 1,000 car tests in 2024-25. DVSA warns that pass rates from centres with low numbers are not reliable for comparison.
Source: DVSA table DRT122A, car driving test by test centre, 2025-26 and 2024-25. The Great Britain 2025-26 figure is 1,000,043 passes from 1,998,621 tests; the 2024-25 figure is the total of every centre in the table. A pass rate counts every attempt, first or not, and says nothing about why people pass or fail at a centre.
Where is Watnall driving test centre?
NG16 1LA
What happens on test day
Bring your UK driving licence, your theory test pass certificate if you have it, and a car that meets the rules. Most people use their instructor's car. Without the right things the test is cancelled and you lose the fee (GOV.UK, what to take to your test).
The test lasts around 35 minutes of driving. According to GOV.UK's guide to what happens during the test, it has four parts:
- An eyesight check: read a number plate from 20 metres (20.5 metres for an old-style plate). Fail it and the test ends.
- Two vehicle safety questions: a ‘tell me’ question before you drive and a ‘show me’ question on the move. Practise them with our show me tell me questions.
- General driving, including 20 to 35 minutes of independent driving following a sat nav, traffic signs or both. Routes are not published, and taking a wrong turning is not a fault.
- One reversing exercise: a parallel park, a bay park, or pulling up on the right and reversing about two car lengths. You may also be asked to do an emergency stop.
Your instructor can sit in the back and be there for the result if you ask. The test is the same in a manual or an automatic car.
Test centres near Watnall
| Centre | Distance | Pass rate | Median wait (July 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham (Chilwell) | 7.1 miles | 49.9% (2025-26) | 7.7 weeks |
| Ashfield | 8.2 miles | 57.3% (2025-26) | 18.2 weeks |
| Nottingham (Colwick ) | 8.3 miles | 46.4% (2025-26) | 8.3 weeks |
| Derby (Alvaston) | 10.4 miles | 51.8% (2025-26) | 7.4 weeks |
| Loughborough | 15.8 miles | 42.3% (2025-26) | 23 weeks |
Distances are straight-line miles between centre postcodes.
Driving lessons near Watnall
Learning on the roads around the centre you will be tested at is the most useful practice you can get. Search Orbit's instructor listings for the area: the search shows instructors whose own coverage includes your postcode, and if nobody covers it yet you can leave a request.
Search driving instructors near NG16 1LA
Town pages for the area:
Watnall driving test centre FAQs
What is the pass rate at Watnall driving test centre?
48.9% in 2024-25, from 702 car tests, according to DVSA table DRT122A. The Great Britain rate for 2024-25 was 48.7%.
How long is the wait for a driving test at Watnall?
DVSA's waiting time table for July 2026 has no figure for Watnall. GOV.UK shows the dates on offer when you book.
Where is Watnall driving test centre?
Driving Test Centre Watnall LGV, Fernwood House, Fernwood Drive, Main Road, Watnall, NG16 1LA.
What do I need to bring to my driving test at Watnall?
Your UK driving licence, your theory test pass certificate if you have it, and a car that meets the rules. Most people use their instructor's car. GOV.UK says your test will be cancelled and you will not get your money back if you do not bring the right things.