How long is the wait for a driving test at Clacton-on- Sea?

The median wait at Clacton-on- Sea is 14.2 weeks as of July 2026, from DVSA's own figures, which makes it the 188th shortest of the 311 centres on this site.

Can I get an earlier driving test near Clacton-on- Sea?

Yes. Of the three centres you may legally move this test to, 3 are quicker — Southend-on-Sea at 7.5 weeks (6.7 weeks sooner, 25.7 miles away), Ipswich at 8 weeks (6.2 weeks sooner, 16.1 miles away), Colchester at 12.4 weeks (1.8 weeks sooner, 10.9 miles away). You can also swap with another learner holding an earlier date at this centre.

Can someone book a Clacton-on- Sea driving test cancellation for me?

No — not at Clacton-on- Sea or anywhere else. Since 12 May 2026 it is against the law for a third party to change, cancel or swap a test on your behalf, which is why the 14.2-week wait here cannot be jumped by paying someone to watch for cancellations. Zwitch introduces two learners who each want the other's date; you complete the swap with DVSA yourselves.

Which centres can I swap a Clacton-on- Sea test to?

DVSA allows a move to the centre you first booked at or one of the three nearest to it — for Clacton-on- Sea those are Colchester (10.9 miles), Ipswich (16.1 miles), Southend-on-Sea (25.7 miles).

Swap your Clacton-on- Sea driving test for an earlier date

103 - 105 Carnarvon Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 6PR

Median wait

14.2 wks

2.3 wks longer than the 11.9-wk national median

Month on month

↓ 0.7%

Waits are getting shorter at this centre

Slots still bookable

9.7%

Of the tests released in the booking window

Clacton-on- Sea driving test centre, in Clacton-on-Sea, is a DVSA practical test centre in the East of England, on 103 - 105 Carnarvon Road.

As of July 2026 the median wait here is 14.2 weeks, 2.3 weeks longer than the 11.9-week national median — which is why learners often look to swap a driving test in Clacton-on- Sea rather than wait it out.

Its closest alternative is Colchester, 10.9 miles away.

Clacton-on- Sea driving test waiting times, August 2025 to July 2026

Median weeks between booking and taking a driving test at Clacton-on- Sea. Source: DVSA table DRT122F, published monthly. Latest month: July 2026.

Median waiting time in weeks by month at Clacton-on- Sea
Month	Median wait	Still bookable
July 2026	14.2 wks	9.7%
June 2026	14.3 wks	10.5%
May 2026	13.5 wks	6.1%
April 2026	11.4 wks	6.5%
March 2026	8 wks	6.1%
February 2026	10.1 wks	6.2%
January 2026	10.4 wks	6.1%
December 2025	6.3 wks	6.1%
November 2025	7 wks	5.7%
October 2025	8 wks	5.4%
September 2025	6 wks	7%
August 2025	9.6 wks	6.3%

The 3 centres you can move this test to

Since 9 June 2026, DVSA only lets you move a car test to one of your 3 nearest test centres, or the centre you first booked at. If you are booked at Clacton-on- Sea, these are those three — measured as straight-line distance from the centre itself.

1 Colchester 10.9 miles away 12.4 wk wait 1.8 wks sooner 2 Ipswich 16.1 miles away 8 wk wait 6.2 wks sooner 3 Southend-on-Sea 25.7 miles away 7.5 wk wait 6.7 wks sooner

Southend-on-Sea is currently 6.7 weeks quicker than Clacton-on- Sea. Moving a test there is allowed under the location rule, and it is one of the changes a learner-to-learner swap can achieve.

How to swap a driving test in Clacton-on- Sea

Both of you need a spare change. Learners get 2 changes per booking, and a swap uses one each.

At least 10 full working days' notice before the earlier of the two tests.

Same test type and price band. A weekday test (£62) can only swap with another weekday test; evening, weekend and bank holiday tests (£75) swap with each other.

The location rule must work for both of you — see the three centres above.

By phone only. One of you calls DVSA, they put you on hold and call the other learner, and you both confirm. It cannot be done online, by email or over WhatsApp.

Zwitch introduces the two learners and stops there — you complete the swap with DVSA yourselves. Since 12 May 2026 it is against the law for anyone else to change, cancel or swap a test on your behalf. Never give another learner your driving licence number or booking reference.

Getting to the centre

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Address: 103 - 105 Carnarvon Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 6PR
Postcode: CO15 6PR
Coordinates: 51.79840, 1.15467
Region: East of England, England
Parking: There are car parking spaces available at the centre
Toilets: Male and female toilets are available

How Clacton-on- Sea compares

188 of 311 centres on this site, counting up from the shortest wait.
3.2 weeks longer than the East of England median of 11 weeks, across 24 centres. 15 centres in East of England currently wait less.
DVSA made 1,878 tests available here in July 2026; 1,696 were booked — 182 went unused.
The wait has moved 0.7% shorter across the months on record.

Questions about swapping a Clacton-on- Sea test

How long is the wait for a driving test at Clacton-on- Sea?: The median wait at Clacton-on- Sea is 14.2 weeks as of July 2026, from DVSA's own figures, which makes it the 188th shortest of the 311 centres on this site.
Can I get an earlier driving test near Clacton-on- Sea?: Yes. Of the three centres you may legally move this test to, 3 are quicker — Southend-on-Sea at 7.5 weeks (6.7 weeks sooner, 25.7 miles away), Ipswich at 8 weeks (6.2 weeks sooner, 16.1 miles away), Colchester at 12.4 weeks (1.8 weeks sooner, 10.9 miles away). You can also swap with another learner holding an earlier date at this centre.
Can someone book a Clacton-on- Sea driving test cancellation for me?: No — not at Clacton-on- Sea or anywhere else. Since 12 May 2026 it is against the law for a third party to change, cancel or swap a test on your behalf, which is why the 14.2-week wait here cannot be jumped by paying someone to watch for cancellations. Zwitch introduces two learners who each want the other's date; you complete the swap with DVSA yourselves.
Which centres can I swap a Clacton-on- Sea test to?: DVSA allows a move to the centre you first booked at or one of the three nearest to it — for Clacton-on- Sea those are Colchester (10.9 miles), Ipswich (16.1 miles), Southend-on-Sea (25.7 miles).

Where these numbers come from

Waiting times and availability — DVSA table DRT122F: car driving test availability by driving test centre, published monthly on the second Wednesday. Latest month in this dataset: July 2026. "Median wait" is DVSA's own measure of the middle waiting time between booking and taking a test.
Address, postcode, coordinates and facilities — the DVSA test centre list behind the GOV.UK find a driving test centre service.
Distances — great-circle distance calculated from the published coordinates. Straight-line, not driving distance.
Known limitation — the DVSA centre list lags the live GOV.UK finder, so a centre that has recently been renamed or split may appear here in its older form. Closed centres are excluded using DRT122F. Always confirm on GOV.UK before booking.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Zwitch is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Page data last updated 2026-08-18.