South and South West London has 6 main driving test centres: Mitcham, Morden, Tolworth, West Wickham, Bromley and Isleworth (Fleming Way). Their 2025–26 pass rates ran from 47.0% to 53.6% (DVSA). Below are all 6 test centres with their pass rates and waits, then a profile of each centre. Then come why pass rates differ, how to choose a centre, and how lessons on the routes of your centre help you pass.
Which driving test centres serve South and South West London?
The driving test centres that serve South and South West London are Mitcham, Morden, Tolworth, West Wickham, Bromley and Isleworth (Fleming Way). Together they ran more than 79,000 car tests in 2025–26. The table below compares each centre’s pass rate, first-attempt pass rate and current wait:
| Test centre | Pass rate | 1st attempt | Tests | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tolworth | 53.6% | 53.7% | 10,164 | 23.1 wks |
| Bromley | 52.9% | 52.9% | 13,228 | 7.9 wks |
| West Wickham | 51.6% | 52.3% | 12,249 | 6.0 wks |
| Morden | 51.0% | 50.4% | 15,770 | 19.1 wks |
| Isleworth | 50.4% | 49.7% | 12,687 | 20.9 wks |
| Mitcham | 47.0% | 46.3% | 15,046 | 16.1 wks |
Sources: DVSA DRT122A and DRT122C (April 2025 to March 2026, published 25 June 2026) and DRT122F (median wait from booking to test, September 2026, published 14 October 2026). Isleworth is the Fleming Way centre. The GB car pass rate was 50.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest local pass rate is 6.6 percentage points. Waits vary far more, from 6.0 weeks at West Wickham to 23.1 weeks at Tolworth. Four nearby areas have no car test centre. DVSA lists Croydon as closed (its data ends in March 2022) and Hither Green as closed (data ends in January 2025). DVSA data since 2019 shows no car test centre in Sutton or Wimbledon.
Mitcham, Morden and Tolworth test centres
Mitcham, Morden and Tolworth test centres are the 3 centres BNM covers, and between them they ran 40,980 car tests in 2025–26 (DVSA). Each profile below gives the centre’s pass rates, wait and the 3 nearest centres a booked test can move to.
Mitcham test centre
Mitcham test centre had a 47.0% pass rate from 15,046 car tests in 2025–26, the lowest of the 6 centres (DVSA). The rate fell from 48.9% in 2024–25. First-attempt learners passed 46.3% of the time, and automatic tests passed 45.4% of the time. The median wait from booking to test was 16.1 weeks in September 2026. A Mitcham test can move to West Wickham (about 6 miles), Morden (about 6 miles) or Bromley (about 9 miles), according to GOV.UK. Our guide to Mitcham driving test centre covers its routes and hotspots.
Morden test centre
Morden test centre had a 51.0% pass rate from 15,770 car tests in 2025–26, making it the busiest of the 6 centres (DVSA). The rate rose from 48.8% in 2024–25. First-attempt learners passed 50.4% of the time, and automatic tests 49.8%. The median wait was 19.1 weeks in September 2026. A Morden test can move to Tolworth (about 5 miles), Mitcham (about 6 miles) or West Wickham (about 12 miles). Our guide to Morden driving test centre covers its routes and hotspots.
Tolworth test centre
Tolworth test centre had a 53.6% pass rate from 10,164 car tests in 2025–26, the highest of the 6 centres (DVSA). The rate was 53.3% the year before, so it has stayed above the GB average for 2 years. First-attempt learners passed 53.7% of the time, and automatic tests 49.9%. Tolworth also had the longest wait, at 23.1 weeks in September 2026. A Tolworth test can move to Morden (about 5 miles), Isleworth Fleming Way (about 8 miles) or Mitcham (about 12 miles).
West Wickham, Bromley and Isleworth test centres
West Wickham, Bromley and Isleworth test centres sit on the edges of South and South West London, and they ran 38,164 car tests in 2025–26 (DVSA). Each one appears on the nearest-centre list of a Mitcham, Morden or Tolworth test.
West Wickham test centre
West Wickham test centre had a 51.6% pass rate from 12,249 car tests in 2025–26, up from 50.9% the year before (DVSA). First-attempt learners passed 52.3% of the time. West Wickham had the shortest median wait of the 6 centres, at 6.0 weeks in September 2026. Its 3 nearest centres are Bromley (about 5 miles), Mitcham (about 8 miles) and Sidcup (about 9 miles).
Bromley test centre
Bromley test centre had a 52.9% pass rate from 13,228 car tests in 2025–26, up from 51.7% the year before (DVSA). First-attempt learners also passed 52.9% of the time. The median wait was 7.9 weeks in September 2026. A Bromley test can move to West Wickham (about 5 miles), Sidcup (about 7 miles) or Mitcham (about 7 miles).
Isleworth (Fleming Way) test centre
Isleworth (Fleming Way) test centre had a 50.4% pass rate from 12,687 car tests in 2025–26, down from 51.8% the year before (DVSA). First-attempt learners passed 49.7% of the time. The median wait was 20.9 weeks in September 2026. Its 3 nearest centres are Southall (about 6 miles), Greenford Horsenden Lane (about 7 miles) and Tolworth (about 8 miles).
Why do pass rates differ between test centres?
Pass rates differ between test centres for 4 main reasons, even though every examiner uses the same DVSA test and marking standard. The 4 reasons are listed below:
- Roads on the routes: routes with more multi-lane roundabouts, bus lanes and heavy traffic give learners more chances to make a serious fault.
- Readiness at booking: long waits push learners to book before they’re ready, and a test taken too early is more likely to fail.
- First attempts and retests: each centre has its own mix, and Mitcham’s first-attempt rate (46.3%) sits below its overall rate (47.0%).
- Year-to-year change: rates move each year, and Morden rose from 48.8% to 51.0% while Mitcham fell from 48.9% to 47.0% (DVSA).
A 3-point gap between 2 centres is smaller than the gap a well-prepared learner makes. For comparison, Sidcup in South East London passed 58.7% of tests in 2025–26 (DVSA), but a Sidcup test is not one a South West London learner can practise for easily. The figures describe all candidates at a centre, not your own chances.
How to use this list to choose your test centre
To choose your test centre, weigh the roads you learn on before the pass rate. Since 9 June 2026, a booked test can move only to its 3 nearest centres, so the first choice matters. Follow these 5 steps in order:
- Start with the centre near your lessonsThe roads you practise on every week are the roads you know best on test day.
- Compare the first-attempt pass rateIt shows how learners like you did, from 46.3% at Mitcham to 53.7% at Tolworth.
- Check the current waitSeptember 2026 waits ran from 6.0 weeks at West Wickham to 23.1 weeks at Tolworth, and they change every month.
- Check the 3 nearest centresThese are the only centres your test can move to later, so make sure they suit you too.
- Agree the centre with your instructorBook where your instructor teaches the test routes, and agree a date you’ll be ready for.
The full rules on moving and changing a booking are in our guide to the 2026 driving test booking rules. Use the tool below to compare a centre’s figures and the centres it can move to. Pick a test centre:
Compare a test centre
Figures are DVSA’s: pass rates for April 2025 to March 2026, waits for September 2026. Move options are from GOV.UK (October 2026).
- First-attempt pass rate46.3%
- Car tests in 2025–2615,046
- Median wait (Sep 2026)16.1 weeks
A Mitcham test can move to West Wickham (6 miles), Morden (6 miles) or Bromley (9 miles).
Lessons on the routes of your centre
Lessons on the routes of your centre prepare you for the roads the examiner uses, because DVSA doesn’t publish test routes. The Driving Standards Agency stopped publishing them when independent driving began on 4 October 2010. The examiner chooses your route on the day. Every car test has the same 5 parts at every centre, according to GOV.UK:
- Eyesight check: reading a number plate from 20 metres before the drive starts.
- Vehicle safety questions: one “tell me” question before you drive and one “show me” question on the move.
- General driving: normal stops, pulling out from behind a parked car and, in some tests, a hill start.
- Reversing: one manoeuvre, either a parallel park, a bay park, or pulling up on the right and reversing.
- Independent driving: about 20 minutes following a sat nav or traffic signs.
London routes add features you need to practise in real traffic: bus lanes with set hours, red routes where you can’t stop, 20 mph zones and box junctions. Each centre profile above has a full test-route video filmed by BNM: Mitcham (2025), Morden (2025) and Tolworth (2024).
Watching a route helps, but driving it with an instructor is what builds the skill. Our guide on how to pass your driving test first time covers the top 10 fail reasons and an 8-step plan. Starting from scratch? Our guide to learning to drive in South London sets out the full path from provisional licence to test.
How we prepare learners for Mitcham, Morden and Tolworth
We prepare learners for Mitcham, Morden and Tolworth by teaching on the roads around those 3 test centres. Our 4 DVSA-approved instructors are Syed Nauman Ali, Martin West, Marine Averlan and Paul Wylde. A mock test on a local route costs £45 on its own. The 20-hour block costs £730 and includes a mock test, and so does the 30-hour intensive course at £1,125.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the easiest driving test centre in South London?
Tolworth had the highest pass rate of the 6 South and South West London centres, at 53.6% in 2025–26 (DVSA). Sidcup, in South East London, reached 58.7%.
Which test centre has the shortest wait?
West Wickham had the shortest median wait of the 6 centres, at 6.0 weeks in September 2026 (DVSA). Tolworth had the longest, at 23.1 weeks.
Is there a driving test centre in Croydon?
No. DVSA lists the Croydon test centre as closed, and its data ends in March 2022. Mitcham and West Wickham are the closest open centres.
Is there a driving test centre in Sutton?
No. DVSA data since 2019 shows no car test centre in Sutton. The closest centres for Sutton and Wallington learners are Mitcham and Morden.
Can I choose any test centre?
Yes, for your first booking. Since 9 June 2026, a booked test can move only to its 3 nearest centres, or back to the centre you first booked (GOV.UK).
Are driving test routes published?
No. The Driving Standards Agency stopped publishing test routes when independent driving began on 4 October 2010. The examiner chooses the route on the day.
Does a higher pass rate mean an easier test?
No. Every centre uses the same DVSA test and marking standard. Pass rates also reflect local roads, traffic and how ready learners are when they book.
Driving test centres in South London and driving lessons in your area
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, on the roads around the Mitcham, Morden and Tolworth test centres. Our learners have a 98% pass rate, and more than 2,000 have passed with us.
The 6 driving test centres in South and South West London passed between 47.0% and 53.6% of tests in 2025–26, and the best one for you is the one whose roads you know. Testing at Tolworth? Book driving lessons in Tolworth on its test routes. Learning in Sutton? Book Sutton driving lessons with an instructor who teaches the Mitcham and Morden routes.
