Orkney driving test centre
Orkney passed 57.4% of car driving tests in April 2025 to March 2026, 7.4 points above the national average. That ranks it 60 of 289 centres with enough tests to compare.
Written and checked by James Burfield. Facts checked against GOV.UK and DVSA sources on 8 September 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
This site covers DVSA driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own agency, the DVA, and its own booking service: book or change a test in Northern Ireland on nidirect (checked 11 October 2026).
What the numbers mean for you
Of the 263 car tests taken at Orkney between April 2025 and March 2026, 151 ended in a pass. That is better than the 50% average across the DVSA centres we compare, by 7.4 percentage points.
Against the year before, the pass rate fell 8.5 points from 65.9%.
A pass rate is not a difficulty score. It measures who passed, not how hard the routes are. Centres serving mostly well-prepared candidates score higher, and a quiet rural centre with few tests can swing several points on a handful of results. Use it to compare options, not to predict your own result.
Month by month at Orkney
The best month was December 2025 at 72.2%, the weakest May 2025 at 50%. Monthly figures bounce around at smaller centres because each month rests on a few hundred tests or fewer.
| Month | Tests | Passes | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | 36 | 18 | 50% |
| June 2025 | 40 | 25 | 62.5% |
| July 2025 | 24 | 12 | 50% |
| August 2025 | 23 | 14 | 60.9% |
| September 2025 | 45 | 25 | 55.6% |
| October 2025 | 46 | 23 | 50% |
| December 2025 | 18 | 13 | 72.2% |
| February 2026 | 31 | 21 | 67.7% |
Getting an earlier test at Orkney
Waiting times are set locally, and the national picture (a 20.2 week average) hides a big spread between centres. Whatever the queue at Orkney, the route to a sooner date is the same: hold a booking, then watch for cancellations.
- Book whatever slot Orkney has, even months out. You cannot swap to a cancellation without an existing booking.
- Watch the free GOV.UK change service, especially just after 6am when the booking system reopens.
- Take an earlier slot when one appears, remembering car tests allow only 2 changes.
The full method, including what the paid cancellation checker apps do and where the scams are, is on our driving test cancellations guide.
Test centres near Orkney
Alternatives are thinner on the ground here, so weigh the travel against the wait before switching.
| Test centre | Distance | Pass rate | Tests conducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banff | 92 miles | 58.2% | 134 |
| Elgin | 93 miles | 42.3% | 2,934 |
| Fraserburgh | 95 miles | 64.2% ▲ | 452 |
| Alness | 100 miles | 63.1% ▲ | 731 |
| Lerwick | 103 miles | 67.5% ▲ | 305 |
| Huntly | 106 miles | 63.7% ▲ | 146 |
Distances are measured between the places the centres are named after, at town level, because the DVSA publishes no address list. Close enough to plan with; check the exact address on GOV.UK when you book. To search from where you actually are, use driving test centres near me. Switching centre is free and covered in how to change your driving test centre.
Common questions
What is the pass rate at Orkney driving test centre?
Orkney passed 57.4% of car driving tests in April 2025 to March 2026, from 263 tests conducted. The average across the DVSA centres we compare over the same period was 50%.
Is Orkney a hard test centre?
Its pass rate is 7.4 points above the national average, so on the DVSA numbers it is an easier centre than most. Pass rates reflect who takes tests there as much as the routes themselves, so treat it as a guide rather than a promise.
How do I get an earlier test at Orkney?
Book any available slot at Orkney first, then watch the free change service on GOV.UK for cancellations. Slots freed by other candidates reappear in the booking calendar within minutes and go quickly, so check early mornings around 6am. Car tests allow only 2 changes, so save them for a date you would genuinely keep.
How many driving tests does Orkney conduct?
263 car tests in April 2025 to March 2026, which makes it one of the quieter centres. Busier centres tend to release more cancellation slots, but they also have more people chasing them.