Swap your driving test at Bury St Edmunds
Somebody holding a Bury St Edmunds slot wants a date they can't get. Somebody else wants theirs. DVSA will swap the two of you over the phone. They just won't introduce you.
46.2% of car tests at Bury St Edmunds end in a pass, 3.8 points below the national average of 50%. Within East of England it ranks 19th of 22. It runs roughly 167 car tests a week, so there is a steady population of learners holding a slot here.
Which way the board is moving
Pass rate at Bury St Edmunds
Below averageWhere a swap could take you
| Centre | Distance | Pass rate vs here |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge (Brookmount Court) | about 29 miles | 53.8% +7.6 |
| Ipswich | about 34 miles | 62.3% +16.1 |
| Kings Lynn | about 40 miles | 51.9% +5.7 |
| Colchester | about 44 miles | 50.6% +4.4 |
| Norwich (Peachman Way) | about 46 miles | 61.7% +15.5 |
| Lowestoft (Mobbs Way) | about 54 miles | 43.3% -2.9 |
Slots listed at Bury St Edmunds
What is on the board right now. Every one belongs to a real learner.
Centres you can swap with from Bury St Edmunds
DVSA only allows a swap where both tests are at the same centre, or within each other's three nearest. That last word matters: a centre counts if it is one of Bury St Edmunds's three nearest or if Bury St Edmunds is one of its three. Everywhere not on this list is off the table however keen you both are. The list and distances below are DVSA's own published ones (driving distance, avoiding motorways).
| Centre | Distance | On the board |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge (Brookmount Court) | about 29 miles | 0 |
| Ipswich | about 34 miles | 0 |
| Kings Lynn | about 40 miles | 0 |
| Colchester | about 44 miles | 0 |
| Norwich (Peachman Way) | about 46 miles | 0 |
| Lowestoft (Mobbs Way) | about 54 miles | 0 |
The four rules, applied here
You both need a change left
Two changes per car test, and a swap spends one of them.
10 working days' notice
To whichever of the two tests is first. Sundays and bank holidays do not count.
Centres near each other
Bury St Edmunds's own three nearest are Cambridge (Brookmount Court), Ipswich, Colchester. The rule works both ways, so Kings Lynn and Norwich (Peachman Way) and Lowestoft (Mobbs Way) also qualify, because Bury St Edmunds is among theirs.
Same test type
Weekday with weekday; evening and weekend tests only with each other.
Bury St Edmunds test routes on video
Examiners at Bury St Edmunds work from a set of local routes, and instructors film them. Watching the junctions and roundabouts before test day is the cheapest practice there is, whether you end up swapping or not.
Find Bury St Edmunds route videos
Swapping at Bury St Edmunds: questions
Can I swap a test at Bury St Edmunds for one at another centre?
Only if the other centre is the same one, or within each other's three nearest. That works in both directions. From Bury St Edmunds the full list is Cambridge (Brookmount Court), Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Colchester, Norwich (Peachman Way), Lowestoft (Mobbs Way). Anywhere else would be refused on the call.
What is the pass rate at Bury St Edmunds?
46.2% of car tests at Bury St Edmunds ended in a pass between April 2025 and March 2026, from 8,702 tests. The national average over the same period was 50%, so Bury St Edmunds is 3.8 points below it, ranking 257th of 314 centres in Great Britain. These are DVSA's own published figures and they describe the centre, not you.
Which nearby centre has a better pass rate than Bury St Edmunds?
Of the centres you can legally move a Bury St Edmunds test to, Ipswich has the highest pass rate at 62.3%, against 46.2% here. That is a difference in the centre, not a promise about your test, and a swap has to suit the other learner too.
How long does it take to find a swap at Bury St Edmunds?
It depends on how many learners hold a slot here and whether any want the opposite of what you want. DVSA runs about 167 car tests a week at Bury St Edmunds, so the pool of people holding a slot is reasonable. The live count is at the top of this page, and a three-way chain often resolves it faster than waiting for a perfect pair.
Does swapping at Bury St Edmunds cost anything?
No. You exchange slots rather than rebooking, so you keep your original booking reference and payment. Matching here is free, and DVSA does the swap on the phone at no charge.
How much notice do I need?
At least 10 working days before whichever of the two tests comes first. Sundays and bank holidays do not count towards that, so the real deadline is earlier than the calendar suggests.
Can my instructor arrange it for me?
No. Since 12 May 2026 only the learner taking the test can book or manage it, and it is against the law for anyone to book a car test for someone else. Your instructor can sit with you while you call.
Your Bury St Edmunds date is somebody's dream date
Somewhere there is a learner holding the slot you want, who wants the one you are stuck with. Put yours on the board and we will find them, then email you the moment they appear. Free, no card, no fee if it works.