Learning to Drive in Sunderland

Sunderland is a good place to learn to drive. It has its own practical test centre and a theory test centre in the city centre, so most learners never need to travel far for their tests. The roads give a wide range of practice: busy city-centre junctions and one-way streets, large roundabouts on the A19 and A1231, dual carriageways, and quieter estate roads in Washington and the suburbs. This guide covers the steps from provisional licence to full licence, the test centres, the current official fees and two driving schools that teach in Sunderland. We checked the fees and test centre details on GOV.UK in November 2026.

The steps to a full licence

1. Get a provisional licence. You can apply from 15 years and 9 months old, and start driving a car on the road at 17. It costs £34 to apply online at GOV.UK.
2. Take lessons. Learn with an approved driving instructor, and practise with a family member or friend if you can. They must meet the legal rules for supervising a learner, and the car needs L plates and insurance that covers you.
3. Pass the theory test. It has a multiple-choice section and a hazard perception section, and costs £23.
4. Pass the practical test. It costs £62 on a weekday, or £75 for evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Tests starting from 4:30pm count as evening tests.

Best for: Only book theory and practical tests through the official GOV.UK service. Unofficial booking websites look similar but usually charge more for the same test.

Theory test centre

Sunderland's theory test centre is run by Pearson in the city centre, on West Wear Street near the north end of the Wearmouth Bridge. Your booking confirmation gives the exact address and arrival instructions, so check it before the day. The centre is within walking distance of Sunderland station and St Peter's Metro station, which helps if you do not yet have someone to drive you. Bring your provisional licence, as you will not be allowed to sit the test without it.

Practical test centre

The Sunderland driving test centre is on River Bank Road, on the North Hylton Road industrial estate on the north side of the River Wear. Most Sunderland learners take their test here, and local instructors know its routes well. GOV.UK lists Gateshead, Gosforth and Durham as other centres within reach if you want an earlier date, at around 13, 16 and 17 miles away.

The rules on moving a test to another centre were updated in June 2026, so check GOV.UK before you change your booking. In most cases it makes sense to take your test where your instructor teaches, because you will have practised the junctions and roundabouts on its routes.

Best for: Best for practice: ask your instructor to include the roundabouts on Wessington Way and the junctions around the North Hylton Road area in your lessons before test day.

Driving in Sunderland

A few features of the city's roads come up again and again in lessons:

• Large roundabouts. The A19 and A1231 junctions, and the roundabouts around the Stadium of Light and the city centre, need confident lane discipline.
• Dual carriageways. The A19, A1231 and A183 coast road give practice at higher speeds once you are ready.
• City-centre streets. One-way systems, bus lanes, pedestrian crossings and on-street parking around High Street West and Park Lane.
• Seafront roads. The roads along Roker and Seaburn get busy with pedestrians and parked cars in summer.
• Bridges. The Wearmouth Bridge, Queen Alexandra Bridge and the Northern Spire all cross the Wear, and each has its own junction layout.

Driving schools that teach in Sunderland

Instructors usually come to you, so a school does not need premises in the city. We found two schools that clearly say they teach in Sunderland, and checked each against its own website in November 2026.

driveJohnson's Sunderland

driveJohnson's is a North East driving school with a dedicated Sunderland page listing its local Grade A instructors and recent local test passes. It teaches in both manual and automatic cars, and says its automatic instructors are observed by the school twice a year as well as through the DVSA's standards check. Call 0330 124 4877.

Best for: Best for: learners who want a choice of manual or automatic and a larger team of instructors.

The European Driving School

The European Driving School has taught in Sunderland since 1995. Its instructors are DVSA-approved and DBS checked, and the school is run by a Grade A instructor. Enquiries are by email through its website.

Best for: Best for: learners who prefer a small, long-established local school.

Many other independent instructors work in Sunderland. You can search for approved instructors near your postcode using the "find a driving instructor" service on GOV.UK.

Manual or automatic?

If you pass your test in an automatic, your licence only lets you drive automatic cars. If you pass in a manual, you can drive both. Some learners find an automatic quicker to master, and electric cars are automatic, which is one reason more learners now choose one. Think about what you are likely to drive in the next few years before you decide. If you plan to buy an electric car, our guide to EV charging in Sunderland covers the public charging sites.

Checking your instructor

• Badge. A qualified instructor displays a green ADI badge in the windscreen. A trainee instructor displays a pink badge.
• Grade. Qualified instructors are graded A or B in the DVSA's standards check. You can ask your instructor for their grade.
• Terms. Ask about lesson length, pickup points, cancellation charges and whether block bookings can be refunded.
• Complaints. If something goes wrong, raise it with the instructor or school first. Serious concerns can be reported to the DVSA.

For getting around while you are still learning, see our guide to getting around Sunderland without a car.

Know a driving school we have missed? Get in touch.