Gillingham LGV test centre: pass rates, location and what to expect
Gillingham LGV on Ambley Road is the only DVSA lorry test centre in Kent. Here's its pass rate over 10 years, how it compares with nearby lorry test sites, and how the test day works.
Short answer
Gillingham LGV (Ambley Road, Gillingham, ME8 0SJ) ran 1,533 on-road lorry tests in 2025 to 2026, and 58.3% were passes, against 60.7% across Great Britain. Its pass rate has been between 58% and 61% for the last four years. GOV.UK's test centre finder now lists it as "Medway Ambely Road (Formally Gillingham LGV)"; DVSA's statistics still call it Gillingham LGV. Canterbury's lorry test centre stopped appearing in DVSA's figures after 2020 to 2021, so Kent learners now take the on-road test at Gillingham or at an approved school site.
Pass rate over 10 years
Gillingham LGV against the national rate and other lorry test sites near Kent.
| Year | Gillingham LGV | Tests | Thurrock LGV | Canterbury LGV | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 58.3% | 1,533 | 58.8% | – | 60.7% |
| 2024 to 2025 | 58.1% | 1,405 | 57.6% | – | 60.9% |
| 2023 to 2024 | 60.9% | 1,585 | 56.7% | – | 61.0% |
| 2022 to 2023 | 60.2% | 2,368 | 56.7% | – | 59.7% |
| 2021 to 2022 | 54.1% | 2,664 | 50.9% | – | 58.7% |
| 2020 to 2021 | 54.4% | 638 | 47.5% | 62.7% | 58.0% |
| 2019 to 2020 | 55.0% | 1,541 | 55.0% | 56.8% | 59.0% |
| 2018 to 2019 | 58.4% | 1,604 | 55.9% | 57.7% | 58.3% |
| 2017 to 2018 | 54.6% | 1,569 | 56.5% | 57.1% | 57.8% |
| 2016 to 2017 | 52.2% | 1,826 | 57.8% | 53.6% | 56.7% |
Training schools that host lorry tests
Some large schools have DVSA examiners test their own learners on site. These rates aren't directly comparable with a public centre, because the school decides when each learner is ready.
| Site | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream Training, Sittingbourne | 69.3% | 77.2% | 81.6% |
| Driver Training Centre, Hastings | – | 66.7% | 78.6% |
| National Driving Centre, Croydon | 55.7% | 60.5% | 54.1% |
How the lorry driving test works
- Off-road exercises (Module 3a) come first: an S-shaped reverse into a bay, and for Class 1, uncoupling and recoupling the trailer. Many Kent schools are approved to run this on their own yard, but your own trainer can't be the one who assesses you.
- The on-road test (Module 3b) must be passed within 6 months of 3a. It starts with vehicle safety questions, then about an hour of driving, including independent driving. You pass with 12 or fewer driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults.
- Driver CPC Module 4, the practical demonstration, is often taken on the same day.
Your school provides the truck and normally books the test, so ask before you pay when your test is booked and at which centre. All Kent lorry test sites and approved off-road providers.
If you fail
You only retake the part you failed. The on-road test costs £115 again on a weekday, plus your school's charge for the truck and instructor. Kent schools that publish a retest price charge £427 to £495. Retests and pass protection.
Related: How the tests are marked · Automatic or manual?
Common questions
Where is the HGV test centre in Gillingham?
Gillingham LGV test centre is on Ambley Road, Gillingham, ME8 0SJ. It's the only DVSA lorry test centre in Kent.
What is the pass rate at Gillingham LGV?
58.3% of on-road lorry tests at Gillingham LGV were passes in April 2025 to March 2026, from 1,533 tests. The national rate was 60.7%.
Is there an HGV test centre in Canterbury?
Canterbury LGV last appears in DVSA's lorry test figures in 2020 to 2021. Kent learners now take the on-road test at Gillingham LGV or at an approved training school's site.