Mon - Sat 8am - 6pm 0330 223 2127
Practical test centre in Inverness (Longman Drive)
Inverness’s Longman Drive test centre is the main practical centre for the Highlands, covering a catchment that reaches out across a wide area of the north. Crossing the Kessock Bridge to reach the Longman Industrial Estate is part of most candidates’ final approach, and that stretch of road gives a decent preview of the bridge and dual-carriageway sections examiners like to include in Highland test routes. DVSA keeps the same test structure nationwide: an eyesight check, two show-me-tell-me questions, independent driving lasting about twenty minutes, and a manoeuvre, so familiarity with Longman Drive’s own junctions is what tends to make the real difference here. The eyesight check that opens every DVSA test means glasses or contact lenses need to be worn if you rely on them, since examiners ask candidates to read a number plate from twenty metres away before anything else happens. Bringing the booking confirmation alongside photo ID also avoids delays at reception, particularly during busier periods when Longman Drive sees a steady flow of candidates through the day.
- 4.9★ Rating (159 Reviews)
- 2,300+ Students Trained
- DVSA-Approved ADI Instructors
- Test Date Support, Not Just Lessons
Practical Test Centre Address
The address is Longman Drive, Inverness, IV1 1SU. Toilets are available on site, parking is limited so it is worth allowing a few extra minutes to find a space, and disabled access is provided. Only car tests run from this centre. Bring your provisional licence and aim to arrive around ten minutes before your appointment. Since 12 May 2026, DVSA has required candidates to book, change, or cancel their own practical test personally rather than through an instructor, so hold on to your licence number and test reference yourself, and make sure your theory test pass is on file before you attempt to book, since Highland test slots can already be harder to come by than in more populous areas. LPOD intensive courses aimed at this centre typically spend the last lessons on the Longman Industrial Estate roads and the Kessock Bridge approach, since that combination comes up often on Inverness test routes. Examiners at Longman Drive select from the same set of manoeuvres used nationwide, bay parking, parallel parking, or pulling up on the right to reverse two car lengths, with an emergency stop included for around a third of candidates.
How To Get To Inverness (Longman Drive) Test Centre
Coming from the south, join the A9 heading north and then switch onto the A82 as you near the city; the Kessock Bridge carries you across the Beauly Firth and into the heart of Inverness from there. Rail travellers are well served by ScotRail, with frequent services into Inverness station, and buses run regularly on routes that pass close to Longman Drive. Once you are near the centre, road signs point the way into the Longman Industrial Estate, and the Inverness College UHI campus, followed a little further on by a B&Q store, both work as reliable landmarks. Cyclists can use National Cycle Network Route 1, which runs a scenic path alongside the Caledonian Canal and offers a quieter approach than the main roads. Parking is usually available along Longman Drive itself, though it is worth checking for local restrictions before you leave the car for long. Because Inverness roads can be confusing for newcomers, a map or GPS is genuinely useful even for drivers who already know the wider Highlands well, and instructors running intensive courses here will usually cover the bridge approach early so it stops feeling unfamiliar well before test day. Learners from Nairn, Dingwall, Fort William, and Aviemore all travel in for tests at this centre, and LPOD’s Gold 35 course is built with that longer journey in mind, giving enough lesson time to cover both the drive in and the test routes themselves; the how intensive courses work guide has more detail on how that is scheduled. Because the Kessock Bridge and the A9’s dual-carriageway sections both feature so heavily on the way in, instructors usually cover them early in a course before spending the closing lessons purely on the Longman Industrial Estate.
Page reviewed and updated 17 July 2026.
View All Practical Test Centre Pages Here
Why Book With LPOD Academy?
Can LPOD book my practical test at this centre for me?
No. Since 12 May 2026, only you can book, change or manage your DVSA practical test. LPOD provides test date support instead: centre and timing guidance as standard, plus an optional Test Alerts + Booking Strategy add-on (£50) if you’d like us actively watching for earlier dates and helping you plan around them.
Which course should I choose before my test?
It depends on your experience. Complete beginners usually start with a Gold or Platinum course, while learners who have already had lessons or sat a test before often suit a Silver or Bronze course. Try our course recommendation tool for a personal suggestion.
Are LPOD instructors qualified?
Yes. Every LPOD instructor is a DVSA-approved ADI, paid full market rates, so you get a properly qualified instructor rather than the cheapest bidder.