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Wick Practical Driving Test Centre

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Before you travel

Listed in the official practical test centre dataset when last checked. Opening hours may change. Check the official office page before travelling.

Wick driving test centre guide

Wick follows the standard DVSA format for car driving tests. Practise observing traffic, managing speed, choosing a safe road position and driving independently on a range of roads.

Plan your arrival before test day

The published address is Driving Test Centre Wick, Airport Industrial Estate, Wick, KW1 4QS. Before you travel, check the map, your booking confirmation and any instructions on where to report. Check whether parking is available for candidates.

Local access, parking, and reception arrangements can change. Follow current signs and official appointment instructions when you arrive.

Useful skills and road types to practise

Treat these as preparation themes, not published test routes. Change the direction, timing, and traffic conditions with your instructor so you practise reading the road.

  • Vehicle control

    Make moving off, stopping, steering, speed changes, and safe clearance feel routine enough that your attention stays on the road around you.

  • Junction observations

    Vary the junctions and roundabouts you practise. Look early, judge gaps without pressure, and choose the correct lane before the decision becomes rushed.

  • Independent decisions

    Follow traffic signs or directions from a sat nav. If you miss a turn, keep driving safely and avoid sudden changes in direction.

  • A complete road mix

    Practise on suitable local roads, including residential streets, urban and rural roads, and roads with higher speed limits. Build the skills to adapt to unfamiliar routes.

What happens on the day

  1. Eyesight and safety question

    Read a number plate from 20 metres away, or from 20.5 metres if the plate uses the older format. Before you drive, answer a ‘tell me’ question about vehicle safety.

  2. Around 35 minutes of driving

    GOV.UK says the driving portion lasts around 35 minutes. You drive in varied road and traffic conditions while the examiner assesses observation, control, and safe decisions.

  3. Independent driving

    Follow a sat nav, traffic signs, or both for 20 to 35 minutes. A wrong turn is not a fault if you continue safely.

  4. Reversing and vehicle safety

    Complete one reversing exercise and answer a “show me” question while driving. You might also be asked for an emergency stop.

Routes change. Good decisions travel.

DVSA does not publish routes used in driving tests. If you take a wrong turn during independent driving, the examiner will help you get back on route. The turn itself does not count as a fault. Practise on a variety of local roads to build confidence in unfamiliar conditions.

Checklist for test day

  • Bring your physical UK driving licence and your theory test pass certificate if you have it.

  • Use a suitable car. Most learners use their instructor’s car. If you bring your own, check that it meets the DVSA rules.

  • Recheck the appointment time, published address, route to the centre, and any instructions in your confirmation.

  • Allow extra time for travel and follow any arrival instructions in your booking confirmation.

Official guidance: what happens during the car test, what to take to a car test, book or manage a practical test and driving test faults and results. Always recheck the official requirements before the appointment.

Pass rate at this centre

In 2025/26, 142 of 239 car driving tests at Wick resulted in a pass. The pass rate was 59.4%. The national average was 50.0%. Wick ranked 56th out of 317 car test centres in Great Britain. The rate is 6.7 percentage points higher than the 52.7% recorded in 2024/25.

Pass rate
59.4% · 9.4 percentage points above the national average
Tests conducted
239
Tests passed
142
National rank
56th out of 317

Among the 5 nearest driving test centres with published figures, Golspie has the highest pass rate at 71.0% and Elgin the lowest at 42.3%. 2 of those 5 pass more candidates than Wick.

Source: DVSA table DRT122A, financial years 2025/26 and 2024/25. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Where you take the theory test

Wick does not run that test. The nearest theory test centre is a separate site of the same name, 1.1 miles away.

Other theory test centres nearby

Nearest alternative practical test centres

The closest is Thurso, 18.8 miles from Wick. The furthest is 55.9 miles away. None is within 10 miles, so Wick is the only practical test centre in its immediate area.

Distances are measured directly between locations. Driving distances can vary.

Common questions about this centre