New Zealand Driving Test Pass Rates 2026
Compare NZTA pass rates across 78 test centres. Averaging those 78 centres gives 55.8%, ranging from 80.0% (AA Westport) to 40.0% (Saturn Place).
How to read the 55.8% figure, and where these numbers come from
It is an average of centres, not a national pass rate. We take each centre's published rate and average them. Centres are not weighted by how many tests they actually run, so a small regional centre counts the same as a busy metropolitan one.
Where the figures come from. Each centre below is labelled with its own source. Across the list:
- Waka Kotahi OIA-12485: 49 centres, averaging 55.8% (AUK, BOP, CAN, GIS, HKB, MBH, MWT, NSN, NTL, OTA, STL, TKI, WGN, WKO, WTC)
- Auckland Region Avg: 5 centres, averaging 51% (AUK)
- Waikato Region Avg: 4 centres, averaging 64% (WKO)
- Northland Region Avg: 4 centres, averaging 63% (NTL)
- Bay of Plenty Region Avg: 3 centres, averaging 61% (BOP)
- Otago Region Avg: 3 centres, averaging 48% (OTA)
- Hawke's Bay Region Avg: 3 centres, averaging 47% (HKB)
- Southland Region Avg: 2 centres, averaging 58% (STL)
- Manawatu-Whanganui Region Avg: 2 centres, averaging 57% (MWT)
- Wellington Region Avg: 1 centre, averaging 56% (WGN)
- Canterbury Region Avg: 1 centre, averaging 54% (CAN)
- Waka Kotahi Open Data: 1 centre, averaging 45% (OTA)
Some centres show a regional average, not their own rate. Any centre whose source is labelled "Region Avg" does not have a published figure of its own; it is displaying the average for its region. Those centres cannot meaningfully be ranked against each other.
Pass rate definitions differ between providers and between countries, particularly in how tests that are stopped before they finish are counted. That single choice can move a pass rate by twenty points, so figures are not directly comparable across borders.
Top 10 Easiest Centres
| # | Centre | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
AA Westport
|
80.0% |
| 2 |
Levin
|
71.0% |
| 3 |
Greymouth
|
69.0% |
| 4 |
Invercargill
|
69.0% |
| 5 |
Cambridge
|
68.0% |
| 6 |
Upper Hutt
|
67.0% |
| 7 |
Gisborne - Childers Road
|
65.0% |
| 8 |
AA Morrinsville
|
65.0% |
| 9 |
Te Kuiti
region avg |
64.0% |
| 10 |
Thames
region avg |
64.0% |
Top 10 Hardest Centres
| # | Centre | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Saturn Place
|
40.0% |
| 2 |
Christchurch - Lichfield Street
|
42.0% |
| 3 |
Westgate
|
43.0% |
| 4 |
Alexandra
|
45.0% |
| 5 |
Tauranga - Greerton
|
45.0% |
| 6 |
Whangarei
|
46.0% |
| 7 |
AA Wairoa
region avg |
47.0% |
| 8 |
AA Waipukurau
region avg |
47.0% |
| 9 |
Onekawa
region avg |
47.0% |
| 10 |
New Lynn
|
48.0% |
All Centres by Region
| Centre | Pass Rate |
|---|---|
| Sylvia Park | 62.0% |
| Highbrook | 59.0% |
| Takanini | 58.0% |
| Wiri | 56.0% |
| Glen Innes | 56.0% |
| Pukekohe | 53.0% |
| Manukau City | 53.0% |
| Warkworth region avg | 51.0% |
| North Shore | 51.0% |
| North Harbour region avg | 51.0% |
| Kumeu region avg | 51.0% |
| Kingsland region avg | 51.0% |
| Henderson region avg | 51.0% |
| Manukau Driving Centre | 50.0% |
| Silverdale | 49.0% |
| New Lynn | 48.0% |
| Westgate | 43.0% |
| Saturn Place | 40.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average driving test pass rate in New Zealand?
Averaging the published rate of each of the 78 New Zealand test centres gives 55.8%. That is a plain average of centres, not a national pass rate: it does not weight centres by how many tests they run. Pass rates vary significantly between centres — the highest is 80.0% at AA Westport and the lowest is 40.0% at Saturn Place.
Which is the easiest driving test centre in New Zealand?
Based on the latest NZTA data, AA Westport has the highest pass rate at 80.0%. However, choosing a centre you're familiar with often matters more than raw statistics.
How can I improve my chances of passing the driving test?
Practice on real test routes at your chosen centre, familiarise yourself with local road conditions and common test areas, and ensure you're comfortable with all manoeuvres. AUDrive provides mapped test routes for centres across New Zealand.
Data source: Waka Kotahi OIA-12485 (AUK, BOP, CAN, GIS, HKB, MBH, MWT, NSN, NTL, OTA, STL, TKI, WGN, WKO, WTC): 49 centres; Auckland Region Avg (AUK): 5 centres; Waikato Region Avg (WKO): 4 centres; Northland Region Avg (NTL): 4 centres; Bay of Plenty Region Avg (BOP): 3 centres; Otago Region Avg (OTA): 3 centres; Hawke's Bay Region Avg (HKB): 3 centres; Southland Region Avg (STL): 2 centres; Manawatu-Whanganui Region Avg (MWT): 2 centres; Wellington Region Avg (WGN): 1 centre; Canterbury Region Avg (CAN): 1 centre; Waka Kotahi Open Data (OTA): 1 centre. Last updated: 2026.
Pass rates vary by season, examiner, and conditions. Use as a general guide only.