Tolworth driving test centre, at 1B Douglas Road (KT6 7RZ), passed 53.6% of car tests in 2025–26, the highest rate of the 6 South and South West London centres (DVSA). Below are the centre’s key facts and the roads its test routes use. Then come the 4 route hotspots and how to handle each one, why learners fail at Tolworth, parking and arrival, and how learning nearby helps you pass.
Tolworth driving test centre key facts
Tolworth driving test centre’s key facts are its Douglas Road address, a 53.6% pass rate and a 23.1-week wait. The table below sets out the figures a learner needs before booking, from DVSA and GOV.UK:
| Fact | Tolworth test centre |
|---|---|
| Address | Douglas House, 1B Douglas Road, Tolworth KT6 7RZ, just off Ewell Road |
| Pass rate 2025–26 | 53.6% from 10,164 car tests (53.3% in 2024–25) |
| First attempt | 53.7% of first-time candidates passed |
| Automatic tests | 49.9% passed |
| Median wait | 23.1 weeks from booking to test (September 2026) |
| Test length | About 40 minutes of driving, including about 20 minutes of independent driving |
| Can move to | Morden (5 miles), Isleworth (8 miles) or Mitcham (12 miles) |
Sources: DVSA DRT122A, DRT122C and DRT122E (April 2025 to March 2026, published 25 June 2026); DVSA DRT122F (September 2026, published 14 October 2026); GOV.UK nearest-centre list (updated 15 October 2026) and practical test guidance.
Tolworth had the highest pass rate of the 6 local centres in 2025–26, but it also ran the fewest tests: 10,164. That smaller capacity shows in the wait. At 23.1 weeks in September 2026, Tolworth had the longest median wait of the 6 centres. Waits change every month, so check the current date when you book.
What are the Tolworth test routes?
The Tolworth test routes aren’t published by DVSA, and the examiner chooses your route on the day. The Driving Standards Agency stopped publishing routes when independent driving began on 4 October 2010. Every route still starts and ends on Douglas Road, so they all use the roads around the test centre and the A3.
Public route guides for Tolworth, including older instructor and motorcycle route sheets, list these 8 roads:
- A3 Kingston Bypass: the dual carriageway through Tolworth, joined and left by slip roads.
- Kingston Road: the A240 dual carriageway running south-east from Tolworth Junction.
- Tolworth Broadway: the A240 shopping street beside Tolworth Tower.
- Ewell Road: the A240 north-west towards Surbiton, at the end of Douglas Road.
- Hook Road: the A243 through Hook, leading to the Hook junction on the A3.
- Worcester Park Road: the B284, which branches off the A240 near Tolworth Court.
- Tolworth Park Road: a residential road close to the test centre.
- Beaconsfield Road: a residential road that some routes use straight after leaving Douglas Road.
Routes also pass through residential streets in Tolworth, Surbiton and Hook, where the examiner asks for a manoeuvre. Speed limits on the routes run from 20 mph in side streets to the higher limits on the A3. Independent driving lasts about 20 minutes, following a sat nav or traffic signs (GOV.UK).
Tolworth test route hotspots and how to handle them
The Tolworth test routes have 4 hotspots where the road layout asks more of a learner than a quiet street does. Here is each one, with how to handle it:
- Tolworth JunctionThe A240 crosses the A3 here at a grade-separated roundabout beside Tolworth Tower, and the A3 runs through it without stopping. Read the lane markings early, watch for traffic joining from the slip roads, and signal left after you pass the exit before yours.
- A3 Kingston BypassThe A3 is a busy dual carriageway that you join and leave by slip roads. Use the slip road to match the speed of the traffic, check your mirror and blind spot, and merge into a safe gap. Keep left unless you’re overtaking, and plan your exit early.
- Hook junctionThe A243 Hook Road and the end of the A309 Kingston Bypass meet the A3 here. The A3 and the A309 lead in different directions. Follow the signs for your exit early, and choose your lane from the road markings.
- Tolworth Broadway and Ewell RoadThe A240 runs through Tolworth’s shops, with buses, crossings and parked cars. Keep your speed down, watch for buses pulling out, and cover the brake as you approach pedestrian crossings.
None of the 4 hotspots needs a special technique. Each one tests the basics at speed: observation, lane choice, mirrors and planning. Driving each one 3–4 times on lessons turns it from a surprise into a routine.
Why do learners fail at Tolworth?
Learners fail at Tolworth for the same top reasons as everywhere, and the A3 gives those faults more chances to happen at speed. DVSA’s top 10 list covers Great Britain, not single centres. The table below shows the top 5 reasons for April 2024 to March 2025 and where each one shows up on the Tolworth test routes:
| Reason for failing | Where it shows up at Tolworth |
|---|---|
| 1. Observations at junctions | Pulling out of residential roads such as Tolworth Park Road and Beaconsfield Road |
| 2. Mirrors when changing direction | Joining the A3 and changing lanes at Tolworth Junction and Hook junction |
| 3. Moving off safely | Leaving the test centre and pulling away from parked cars on Douglas Road |
| 4. Turning right at junctions | Right turns from Ewell Road and Hook Road into side streets |
| 5. Traffic lights | Signal-controlled crossings and junctions around Tolworth Broadway |
Source: DVSA, top 10 reasons for failing the car driving test in Great Britain, April 2024 to March 2025 (updated 14 August 2025). The Tolworth column is our application of that list to the local roads.
Tolworth’s automatic pass rate was 49.9% in 2025–26, 3.7 percentage points below its overall rate of 53.6% (DVSA). Automatic learners skip clutch control, but they still need the same observation and lane discipline on the A3. A 23.1-week wait also pushes some learners to book before they’re ready. The video below shows a real Tolworth test filmed by BNM in January 2024. It ended in a fail with 5 serious faults, so it’s a useful guide to what the examiner marks.
Parking and arriving at Tolworth test centre
Parking at Tolworth test centre is limited to a small on-site car park, according to test-centre guides. Plan these 5 things for test day:
- Arrive 10–15 minutes early: it gives you time to find a space and settle before your test.
- Bring your photocard licence: GOV.UK says you need your UK photocard driving licence, or your test is cancelled.
- Keep the bays clear: don’t practise bay parking in the centre’s car park, because candidates on test use it.
- Use the ramp if you need it: the centre has ramp access for wheelchair users. Tell DVSA about any mobility needs when you book.
- Use the toilets before you start: the centre has male and female toilets.
Tolworth and Surbiton stations are each about 1.2 km from the centre in a straight line. You can take the test in your own car if it meets GOV.UK’s rules, or in your instructor’s dual-control car. At BNM, test car hire costs £140 and covers the car you learned in, plus the time around your test.
Learning to drive near Tolworth
Learning to drive near Tolworth means practising on the roads the examiner uses, every week, before test day. The centre sits in KT6, so learners in Tolworth, Surbiton, Hook and Chessington have its routes on their doorstep. For them, 3 roads matter most: the A3 Kingston Bypass, Kingston Road and Ewell Road.
Since 9 June 2026, a booked test can move only to its 3 nearest centres (GOV.UK). For Tolworth, that means Morden, Isleworth or Mitcham. Morden had a 19.1-week wait in September 2026, against 23.1 weeks at Tolworth, and a 51.0% pass rate. Our guide to Morden driving test centre routes covers its roads. The guide to driving test centres in South London compares all 6 local centres.
How we prepare learners for the Tolworth test
We prepare learners for the Tolworth test by teaching on the roads around the test centre, from Ewell Road to the A3 and Hook. Our 4 DVSA-approved instructors are Syed Nauman Ali, Martin West, Marine Averlan and Paul Wylde. A mock test on a Tolworth route costs £45 on its own. The 20-hour block (£730) and the 30-hour intensive course (£1,125) both include a mock test.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tolworth driving test centre?
Tolworth driving test centre is at Douglas House, 1B Douglas Road, Tolworth KT6 7RZ. Douglas Road runs off Ewell Road, close to the A3.
What is the pass rate at Tolworth?
Tolworth passed 53.6% of car tests in 2025–26, from 10,164 tests (DVSA). First-time candidates passed 53.7% of the time.
Is Tolworth a hard test centre?
No. Tolworth’s pass rate was 53.6% in 2025–26, above the 50.0% average across Great Britain and the highest of the 6 local centres (DVSA). The A3 is the part learners find hardest, so practise it before your test.
How long is the wait for a test at Tolworth?
The median wait from booking to test at Tolworth was 23.1 weeks in September 2026 (DVSA). Waits change every month.
Can I move my Tolworth test to another centre?
Yes, to one of its 3 nearest centres: Morden, Isleworth or Mitcham. This rule has applied since 9 June 2026 (GOV.UK).
Do Tolworth tests use the A3?
Many do. Public route guides show Tolworth routes joining the A3 Kingston Bypass at Tolworth Junction or Hook, so practise joining and leaving a dual carriageway before your test.
Is there parking at Tolworth test centre?
Yes, but the on-site car park is small. Arrive early, or come with your instructor in the test car.
Are Tolworth test routes published?
No. The Driving Standards Agency stopped publishing test routes on 4 October 2010. The examiner chooses the route on the day.
Tolworth driving test centre and driving lessons nearby
BNM Driving School is a local, independent driving school based in Hackbridge (SM6). Our DVSA-approved instructors teach manual and automatic lessons across South and South West London, including the Tolworth test routes. Our learners have a 98% pass rate, and more than 2,000 have passed with us.
Tolworth driving test centre passed 53.6% of tests in 2025–26, and learners who know its roads give themselves the best chance. Book driving lessons in Tolworth with an instructor who teaches the Tolworth test routes, from Tolworth Junction and the A3 Kingston Bypass to Hook.
