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South-east England

Swap your driving test at Gillingham

Somebody holding a Gillingham 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.

56.4% of car tests at Gillingham end in a pass, 6.4 points above the national average of 50%. Within South-east England it ranks 11th of 29. It is also one of the busiest centres in the country, putting roughly 286 car tests through every week, which means a lot of learners holding a Gillingham slot at any one time.

holding a slot at Gillingham
learners want a slot here
want to move earlier
want to move later

Which way the board is moving

A swap needs someone who wants the opposite of you. A centre with movement in both directions is a centre where swaps actually happen.

0 want earlier0 want later

Pass rate at Gillingham

Above average
56.4%
passed here, Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 (14,886 tests)
50%
national average, same period
-0.8
points down on last year (57.2%)

Official DVSA figures (dataset DRT122A). A low pass rate does not make your test harder to swap: it often means more learners trying to move, which is exactly what a swap needs.

Where a swap could take you

Every centre Gillingham can legally swap with, and how each one does on the DVSA pass-rate table. Of these, Maidstone has the highest rate at 60.2%.

CentreDistancePass rate vs here
Maidstoneabout 9 miles60.2% +3.8
Sevenoaksabout 24 miles59% +2.6
Herne Bayabout 28 miles55.9% same

Pass rates are DVSA figures for April 2025 to March 2026 and describe the centre, not you.

Centres you can swap with from Gillingham

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 Gillingham's three nearest or if Gillingham 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).

CentreDistanceOn the board
Maidstoneabout 9 miles0
Sevenoaksabout 24 miles0
Herne Bayabout 28 miles0

The four rules, applied here

  1. You both need a change left

    Two changes per car test, and a swap spends one of them.

  2. 10 working days' notice

    To whichever of the two tests is first. Sundays and bank holidays do not count.

  3. Centres near each other

    Gillingham's own three nearest are Maidstone, Sevenoaks. The rule works both ways, so Herne Bay also qualifies because Gillingham is among its three nearest.

  4. Same test type

    Weekday with weekday; evening and weekend tests only with each other.

The rules in full
Know the roads first

Gillingham test routes on video

Examiners at Gillingham 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 Gillingham route videos

We link rather than embed here, because we only put a video on the page once somebody has actually watched it. This search is aimed at Gillingham specifically.

Swapping at Gillingham: questions

Can I swap a test at Gillingham 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 Gillingham the full list is Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Herne Bay. Anywhere else would be refused on the call.

What is the pass rate at Gillingham?

56.4% of car tests at Gillingham ended in a pass between April 2025 and March 2026, from 14,886 tests. The national average over the same period was 50%, so Gillingham is 6.4 points above it, ranking 92nd 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 Gillingham?

Of the centres you can legally move a Gillingham test to, Maidstone has the highest pass rate at 60.2%, against 56.4% 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 Gillingham?

It depends on how many learners hold a slot here and whether any want the opposite of what you want. DVSA runs about 286 car tests a week at Gillingham, so the pool of people holding a slot is large. 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 Gillingham 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 Gillingham 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.

Swaps only work if both people are on the board, so passing this to a classmate or your instructor's group chat genuinely helps you too.