Driving test routes · South East
Portsmouth Driving Test Routes
Everything you need for your test at Portsmouth Driving Test Centre — the roads you'll drive, the current pass rate, and the hardest junctions to rehearse first.
Opposite Fort Southwick, James Callaghan Drive, Portsmouth, PO17 6AR
Data verified July 2026
Driving tests in Portsmouth run from Portsmouth Driving Test Centre (PO17 6AR). Its current DVSA car pass rate is 51.8% for 2024/25 — 1.6 points above the national average of 50.2%. Test routes cover city centre roads around the centre; the examiner picks the route on the day.
- Test centre
- Portsmouth Driving Test Centre
- Pass rate (2024/25)
- 51.8%
- National average
- 50.2%
- Rank
- 93 of 270
- Difficulty
- Around average
Where is Portsmouth Driving Test Centre?
The map shows the test centre (red), its approximate driving catchment, and the nearest alternative centres (blue) — tap a pin to compare pass rates.
Portsmouth test centre pass rate: 51.8%
In 2024/25, Portsmouth recorded a 51.8% car pass rate — 1.6 points above the national average of 50.2%. That ranks it 93 of the 270 centres we track.
Driving test routes around Portsmouth
The Portsmouth test centre sits in an area characterised by dense city-centre driving with heavy traffic, bus lanes, one-way systems, frequent traffic lights and constant pedestrian and cyclist activity. Local candidates should expect their route to reflect this environment. We are currently verifying the specific roads and fault hotspots examiners use around this centre with local instructors before publishing a full turn-by-turn guide — the data-backed pass rate, location map and nearby-centre comparisons below are already based on verified figures.
Test day logistics
Address
Portsmouth Driving Test Centre
Opposite Fort Southwick, James Callaghan Drive, Portsmouth, PO17 6AR
Region & nation
South East, England
Road environment
city centre driving
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Portsmouth driving test: frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Portsmouth Driving Test Centre?
The most recent DVSA car practical pass rate at Portsmouth is 51.8% (2024/25) — 1.6 points above the national average. That places it 93 of 270 among the centres we track.
Is Portsmouth a hard place to take your driving test?
Based on its 51.8% pass rate versus the 50.2% average across the centres we track, Portsmouth is rated "Around average". Difficulty depends far more on your preparation on the local roads than on the centre itself.
What is the nearest test centre to Portsmouth?
The nearest alternative centre is Lee-on-the-Solent (Lee On The Solent Driving Test Centre), about 5.2 miles away with a 59.6% pass rate. It is worth comparing if you are hunting for an earlier cancellation.
Are these the official DVSA test routes for Portsmouth?
DVSA stopped publishing official test routes, and the examiner chooses the route on the day — it can change without notice. Our guides show the roads and hazards learners most commonly encounter around Portsmouth so you can practise the right environment, but they are not a guaranteed route.
Nearby test centres
Comparing centres? These are the closest alternatives to Portsmouth — handy when hunting for an earlier cancellation.
