How long learners actually waited
Time between booking and taking a test for people who completed one that month. Half waited less and half waited longer.
Bala Driving Test Centre
Address, postcode, current appointment availability, how long learners actually waited and pass-rate information from official published sources.
Official centre location
Address and postcode
Bala Driving Test CentreUnit 4, Penllyn WorkshopsBalaPostcode LL23 7SPLocation source: the live GOV.UK driving-test-centre directory, checked 9 September 2026 (dataset version 231).
GOV.UK remains the definitive source for temporary locations, facilities and special instructions.
Official centre facilities and access notes
You can access this test centre if you use a wheelchair.
This test centre provides these types of tests: car.
Two figures. One clearer picture.
Median actual wait versus appointment availability
DVSA publishes both figures because they answer different questions.
How far ahead DVSA had to look
Point where at least 10% of weekly appointments remained available. It is not a live appointment search.
At Bala, the median actual wait was 11.4 weeks—0.8 weeks shorter than the 12.2 weeks appointment-availability measure. These figures do not contradict one another.
- Tests taken within 7 weeks of booking
- 37.5% Of tests completed in August 2026, including rescheduled tests. This is past experience, not the chance of booking a test within 7 weeks now. “Tests conducted” below covers a different, annual period.
- Previous appointment availability
- 9.8 weeks
- Availability change since previous month
- +2.4 weeks
- Overall pass rate
- 61.6%
- Tests conducted
- 607
- Data period
- August 2026 how long learners actually waited and current appointment availability; April 2025 to March 2026 pass rates
- Last updated
- 9 September 2026
- Record status
- Official DVSA statistics
Annual pass-rate breakdown
Bala pass rates by test type
These official DVSA figures add context to the overall pass rate by showing first attempts and automatic-car tests separately.
First-attempt pass rate
64.8%228 passes from 352 first attempts.
Automatic-car pass rate
45.7%43 passes from 94 automatic-car tests.
Low sample: DVSA advises caution because this rate is based on fewer than 100 tests.
These figures describe different groups. The first-attempt figure includes first attempts in manual and automatic cars. The automatic-car figure includes automatic tests across all attempts, so it is not an automatic first-attempt rate. The percentages should not be subtracted or treated as a like-for-like comparison.
The annual tables cover April 2025 to March 2026. Sample-size warnings follow DVSA's published guidance. The figures do not predict an individual result or prove that one centre is easier. View the official DVSA source tables (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab)
Centre-specific analysis
What the figures mean at Bala
At this centre, the median actual wait was 0.8 weeks shorter than the appointment-availability measure. The comparisons below use published centre records and the three official nearby relationships, not live booking availability.
How this centre compares
The median actual wait of 11.4 weeks ranks 16th shortest of 21 centres with published figures in Wales. It is 2.5 weeks above the Wales centre median of 8.9 weeks.
Across Great Britain, it ranks 148th shortest of 311 published centre medians. It is 0.5 weeks below the Great Britain centre median of 11.9 weeks.
The separate appointment-availability measure of 12.2 weeks ranks 10th shortest of 21 in Wales.
Movement across the published series
From September 2025 to August 2026, appointment availability rose by 1.2 weeks, from 11 weeks to 12.2 weeks. This direction describes the published 10% measure, not live appointments.
The lowest recorded point was 3.3 weeks in April 2026; the highest was 16.8 weeks in November 2025.
The most useful nearby comparison
Rhyl recorded a median actual wait of 6 weeks—5.4 weeks shorter than Bala—and is about 36 miles away on DVSA's list.
For appointment availability, Oswestry had the lowest matched figure at 10.8 weeks, 1.4 weeks below this centre.
Rank and evidence base
The 61.6% overall pass rate ranks 4th highest of 21 published centres in Wales, and 43rd of 314 across Great Britain.
It is based on 607 tests from April 2025 to March 2026. Pass rates reflect the candidates and tests taken; they do not prove that one centre is easier.
Ranks use all centres with a numeric value in the same release. Tied values share a rank. A shorter historical figure does not guarantee an earlier appointment.
Analysis coverage: 12 published monthly points and comparisons with 21 centres in Wales. Rankings and differences are calculated by Drive Test Finder UK from the cited DVSA records.
Official DVSA list
Alternatives to Bala
Since 9 June 2026, a car driving test can normally be moved only to the three nearest centres DVSA lists for the booked centre. The original centre remains an option.
| Centre | Official distance | How long learners actually waited | Current appointment availability | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrexham | About 30 miles | 7 weeks | 16.6 weeks | 51.9% |
| Oswestry | About 32 miles | 11.4 weeks | 10.8 weeks | 52.4% |
| Rhyl | About 36 miles | 6 weeks | 19 weeks | 56.9% |
These are different kinds of information: DVSA's nearest-centre list supplies the relationships and approximate driving distances; the waiting and pass-rate figures come from separate published statistics and are not live appointments.
Compare these alternativesHow to change your test centreCheck the official nearest-centre list (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab)Read the 2026 booking-rule guidance (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab)
DVSA says distances are approximate driving distances calculated using Google Maps while avoiding motorways. The published list was last updated 28 May 2026 and may change.
12-month appointment-availability history
What the 12-month trend shows
From September 2025 to August 2026, current appointment availability rose by 1.2 weeks, from 11 to 12.2 weeks.
- 12-month low
- 3.3 weeks
- 12-month high
- 16.8 weeks
This chart tracks the published 10% appointment-availability measure, not how long learners actually waited or live appointments.
View all 12 appointment-availability figures
| Month | Current appointment availability |
|---|---|
| 11 weeks | |
| 10.5 weeks | |
| 16.8 weeks | |
| 11.6 weeks | |
| 15.3 weeks | |
| 14 weeks | |
| 11 weeks | |
| 3.3 weeks | |
| 9 weeks | |
| 5.8 weeks | |
| 9.8 weeks | |
| 12.2 weeks |
How to interpret the overall pass rate
The published overall pass rate is 61.6%, based on 607 tests during April 2025 to March 2026. Candidate preparation, the mix of tests and local conditions all affect outcomes.
A higher recorded pass rate does not prove that this centre is easier, and it should not be the sole reason to travel a long distance.
Related driving-test advice
Data source
- Data period
- August 2026 how long learners actually waited and current appointment availability; April 2025 to March 2026 pass rates
- Last updated
- 9 September 2026
- Source
- Official published driving-test statistics (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab)
Editorial review
Reviewed by Drive Test Finder UK Editorial Team
Review date: 19 September 2026
How we review: We match each page to the latest imported DVSA tables, check location details against the live GOV.UK centre directory and show missing figures as not published rather than estimating them.
Sources checked: DVSA driving-test data tables (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab), GOV.UK driving-test-centre directory (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab), DVSA nearest-centre list (opens on GOV.UK in a new tab).
The collective byline used by Jamhawks Trading Ltd for source checking, data processing and content updates. It does not represent a named individual or a claim of DVSA affiliation or professional driving-instructor status.