Where is Bala Test Centre?

Bala Test Centre is at Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala, LL23 7SP. The map on this page shows its published location.

What is the pass rate at Bala Test Centre?

Practical: 61.6% for 2025-26. Pass rates are historical DVSA statistics and do not predict an individual learner's result.

Does Bala Test Centre's pass rate mean it is easier or harder?

No. A pass rate shows what happened to a group of learners in the past. Preparation, experience, traffic and local conditions can all affect the result. It does not prove that a centre, route or examiner is easier.

Which tests are available at Bala Test Centre?

This location is listed for practical driving tests. Use the official booking link on this page to check current appointment availability.

What is the driving test waiting time at Bala?

DVSA's published median booking-to-test wait was 11.4 weeks for July 2026. This is historical data, not a live appointment estimate.

What is the first-attempt pass rate at Bala?

The published first-attempt pass rate was 64.8% from 352 first attempts in 2025-26. It describes a group of past tests and does not predict an individual's result.

What is the automatic-car pass rate at Bala?

The published automatic-car pass rate was 45.7% from 94 tests in 2025-26. It does not show that automatic or manual tests are easier.

Are the roads listed near Bala official driving test routes?

No. They are nearby roads and map features from OpenStreetMap. They are not official DVSA test routes, and we do not know which roads an examiner will use.

Practical driving test centre in Bala

Bala Driving Test Centre

Find the address, postcode and map. You can also compare official DVSA pass rates, numbers of tests and the full published history, including past practical-test waiting times.

Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala, LL23 7SP

Show published results for

Your choice updates every result on this page that DVSA publishes for men and women. It does not estimate your personal chance of passing. Waiting-time and cancellation figures are not split this way.

At a glance

Bala driving test pass rate and waiting time

Latest published practical driving test pass rate: 61.6% from 607 tests in 2025-26. Published median waiting time: 11.4 weeks in Jul 2026 (historical data, not live availability).

Overall pass rate: 61.6%; 2025-26 · 607 tests
Published median wait: 11.4 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical, not live
First-attempt pass rate: 64.8%; 2025-26 · 352 first attempts
Automatic pass rate: 45.7%; 2025-26 · 94 automatic tests

These are group-level historical results. They do not predict an individual learner's result or prove that a centre is easier.

Bala Test Centre map and location

Address and test-centre details

Bala Test Centre
Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops
Bala
LL23 7SP

Location checked: 24 August 2026
Statistics period: Practical: 2025-26
Data imported: 13 August 2026

Browse all practical driving test centres in Wales.

Bala driving test information

Latest full year: 2025-26. DVSA centre name: Bala.

Appointments

Booking and waiting times

Start here if you are deciding when to book. These figures are historical DVSA measures, not live appointment availability.

Published waiting-time and appointment-availability trend

The recorded median wait moved from 14.8 weeks in Aug 2024 to 11.4 weeks in Jul 2026. In Jul 2026, 13.1% of standard appointments in the booking window were still available.

Standard appointments still available

Percentage of standard test slots in the published booking window that had not been booked.

View exact monthly values

Published booking-to-test waiting times and appointment availability for Bala
Month	Median wait	Weeks to 10% availability	Standard slots released	Booked	Still available	Available (%)
Jul 2026	11.4 weeks	9.8 weeks	305	265	40	13.1%
Jun 2026	12.1 weeks	5.8 weeks	367	244	123	33.5%
May 2026	16.7 weeks	9 weeks	285	242	43	15.1%
Apr 2026	17.9 weeks	3.3 weeks	188	176	12	6.4%
Mar 2026	16.9 weeks	11 weeks	253	175	78	30.8%
Feb 2026	17.4 weeks	14 weeks	219	195	24	11%
Jan 2026	17.2 weeks	15.3 weeks	232	213	19	8.2%
Dec 2025	17.7 weeks	11.6 weeks	285	259	26	9.1%
Nov 2025	19.4 weeks	16.8 weeks	298	261	37	12.4%
Oct 2025	20.1 weeks	10.5 weeks	297	212	85	28.6%
Sept 2025	17 weeks	11 weeks	259	209	50	19.3%
Aug 2025	17.4 weeks	20.3 weeks	270	248	22	8.1%
Jul 2025	16.3 weeks	18 weeks	259	259	0	0%
Jun 2025	17.6 weeks	18.8 weeks	264	248	16	6.1%
May 2025	18 weeks	19.5 weeks	278	261	17	6.1%
Apr 2025	13.1 weeks	19.3 weeks	282	271	11	3.9%
Mar 2025	16.6 weeks	2.4 weeks	208	203	5	2.4%
Feb 2025	13.2 weeks	6.5 weeks	290	279	11	3.8%
Jan 2025	16.2 weeks	8 weeks	302	291	11	3.6%
Dec 2024	17.1 weeks	5 weeks	202	193	9	4.5%
Nov 2024	18 weeks	9.5 weeks	193	186	7	3.6%
Oct 2024	18.1 weeks	13 weeks	214	207	7	3.3%
Sept 2024	11.9 weeks	6 weeks	219	191	28	12.8%
Aug 2024	14.8 weeks	8.8 weeks	209	202	7	3.3%

Hover over or focus any point or bar for its exact value. Official DVSA DRT122F historical data. Both lines use weeks on the same scale. These figures are not live appointment availability and do not guarantee when a new booking can be made.

Results

How learners performed

These figures describe groups of tests in published DVSA tables. They do not estimate your personal chance of passing or prove that a centre is easier.

Overall pass rate

61.6%

Tests conducted

607

Results shown

All candidates

First attempts

64.8%

228 of 352 first attempts passed. 13 passes had no recorded driving faults.

Financial year 2025-26 · DVSA DRT122C

Automatic cars

45.7%

43 of 94 practical tests taken in automatic cars passed.

Financial year 2025-26 · DVSA DRT122E

How this pass rate compares

Overall practical driving pass rate

Official DVSA result for 2025-26

61.6%

Great Britain rank

44th of 312

Centres with a published 2025-26 rate; tied with 1 other centre.

Wales rank

4th of 21

The regional comparison rate is 52.4%.

Compared with Great Britain

11.6 points above

The Great Britain comparison rate is 50%.

Nearby centre with a higher published rate

Bangor

30.1 miles away · 62.2% from 4,032 tests

View centre →

A higher past rate does not mean this centre is easier or has appointments available now.

Published history

Historical charts and detailed tables

These charts show the historical results and breakdowns DVSA has published for this centre. Open any table to see the exact published values.

Loading full history...

Official test-day guidance

Prepare for test day at Bala

This checklist summarises current GOV.UK guidance for practical car tests. Your booking confirmation remains the source for your appointment time and any centre-specific instructions.

What to take

Your UK driving licence.
Your theory pass certificate if you have it.
A suitable car, usually your instructor's car.

Check the complete GOV.UK list

What happens

An eyesight check and two vehicle-safety questions.
General and independent driving in varied conditions, but not on motorways.
One reversing exercise and possibly an emergency stop.
A standard test includes around 35 minutes of driving.

Read how the test works

Using your own car

The car must meet DVSA safety, visibility, tax, MOT, insurance and equipment rules. A test can be cancelled without a refund if the car is unsuitable.

Check every vehicle requirement

Official links checked 14 August 2026. GOV.UK should be followed if this summary and current official guidance ever differ.

Roads near the test centre

What the roads are like around Bala

This section shows main roads, roundabouts and traffic lights mapped within 2.2 miles of the test centre. You can use it to get familiar with the area before your test.

These are not DVSA test routes. We do not know which roads an examiner will use.

Skills to practise for these road environments

These suggestions are derived from mapped nearby features, not from examiner-route information.

Faster-road planning

Build confidence reading signs early, selecting a lane, joining safely and leaving a longer following distance as speeds rise.

Why this is included: Mapped nearby examples include A4212, Pont Ty'n-y-ddol (A4212), B4403.

Signal-controlled junctions

Practise scanning for lane arrows and stop lines, planning for changing lights, and checking that a junction is clear before proceeding.

Why this is included: OpenStreetMap contains 3 traffic-signal map points within the mapped radius.

Lower-speed road awareness

Practise meeting traffic safely, allowing for parked vehicles, and looking early for pedestrians, cyclists and side-road hazards.

Why this is included: Mapped lower-speed or local-road examples include Heol Pensarn (A494), Y Stryd Fawr (A494), Heol Yr Orsaf (A494).

Changing speed environments

Practise spotting speed-limit changes promptly and choosing an appropriate speed for the road and conditions rather than driving at the limit automatically.

Why this is included: The selected nearby roads carry mapped limits ranging from 20 mph to 60 mph.

Main roads nearby

Heol Pensarn (A494)Major road · about 51 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph
Y Stryd Fawr (A494)Major road · about 51 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph
Heol Yr Orsaf (A494)Major road · about 452 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph
A494Major road · about 515 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph
Heol Ffrydan (A4212)Main road · about 482 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph
A4212Main road · about 1,062 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 60 mph
Pont Ty'n-y-ddol (A4212)Main road · about 1.6 miles from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 60 mph
B4391Local main road · about 462 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 30 mph
B4403Local main road · about 875 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 60 mph
B4401Local main road · about 1.5 miles from the test centre
Pont y Ceunant (B4391)Local main road · about 1.5 miles from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 60 mph
Heol TegidLocal road · about 188 metres from the test centreMapped maximum speed: 20 mph

Map data downloaded and automatically checked on 22 August 2026. OpenStreetMap can be incomplete or out of date. Distances are straight-line estimates, not driving distances. © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence. The numbers count OpenStreetMap map entries, not physical junctions.

Compare alternatives

Test centres near Bala

Distances are straight-line centre-to-centre estimates, not driving distances. Rates and waits cover the displayed published period and do not show that one centre is easier.

Overall latest pass rate (2025-26)

Published median wait (Jul 2026)

The charts only include centres with figures from the same period as Bala. Hover over or focus a point for its exact value. Exact figures, test volumes and distances are shown below.

Oswestry Test Centre

Oswestry, SY10 8GA

About 23.7 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 52.4%; 2025-26 · 1,851 tests
Median wait: 11.4 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 54.3%
Automatic: 39%

View Oswestry

Wrexham Test Centre

Wrexham, LL13 7YP

About 26.2 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 51.9%; 2025-26 · 4,819 tests
Median wait: 7 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 54.2%
Automatic: 38.3%

View Wrexham

Rhyl Test Centre

Rhyl, LL18 2EL

About 28.4 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 56.9%; 2025-26 · 4,011 tests
Median wait: 6 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 56.7%
Automatic: 50.5%

View Rhyl

Newtown Test Centre

Newtown, SY16 1JB

About 29.8 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 58%; 2025-26 · 2,256 tests
Median wait: 14 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 59.5%
Automatic: 47.4%

View Newtown

Bangor Test Centre

Bangor, LL57 4YH

About 30.1 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 62.2%; 2025-26 · 4,032 tests
Median wait: 11.9 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 62.7%
Automatic: 49.9%

View Bangor

Pwllheli Test Centre

Pwllheli, LL53 5NT

About 34.4 miles straight-line · practical tests

Overall result: 68.1%; 2025-26 · 737 tests
Median wait: 12.7 weeks; Jul 2026 · historical
First attempt: 66.7%
Automatic: 58.8%

View Pwllheli

Questions about Bala Test Centre

Where is Bala Test Centre?: Bala Test Centre is at Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala, LL23 7SP. The map on this page shows its published location.
What is the pass rate at Bala Test Centre?: Practical: 61.6% for 2025-26. Pass rates are historical DVSA statistics and do not predict an individual learner's result.
Does Bala Test Centre's pass rate mean it is easier or harder?: No. A pass rate shows what happened to a group of learners in the past. Preparation, experience, traffic and local conditions can all affect the result. It does not prove that a centre, route or examiner is easier.
Which tests are available at Bala Test Centre?: This location is listed for practical driving tests. Use the official booking link on this page to check current appointment availability.
What is the driving test waiting time at Bala?: DVSA's published median booking-to-test wait was 11.4 weeks for July 2026. This is historical data, not a live appointment estimate.
What is the first-attempt pass rate at Bala?: The published first-attempt pass rate was 64.8% from 352 first attempts in 2025-26. It describes a group of past tests and does not predict an individual's result.
What is the automatic-car pass rate at Bala?: The published automatic-car pass rate was 45.7% from 94 tests in 2025-26. It does not show that automatic or manual tests are easier.
Are the roads listed near Bala official driving test routes?: No. They are nearby roads and map features from OpenStreetMap. They are not official DVSA test routes, and we do not know which roads an examiner will use.