By road, the A35 leads towards the town centre, with local parking available nearby once you arrive. Rail travellers can head for Axminster Railway Station, which is well served by South Western Railway, and from there it is a short taxi ride or a brisk walk to the centre. Bus routes also stop frequently near the station or close to the high street, putting most of Axminster within easy reach of the test venue.
The test format follows the same national structure as any DVSA theory test: 50 multiple-choice questions covering the Highway Code and road safety, where 43 correct passes, plus a hazard perception section of video clips out of 75, with 44 needed to pass. Both parts are taken in one sitting and must both be passed, and you will get your result at the centre straight away rather than waiting for it later. The fee is £23, and a provisional photocard driving licence is required for identification on the day.
After a theory pass, the practical side of learning usually moves quickly, particularly with an intensive course. Our Bronze 15 course suits learners around Axminster and Lyme Regis who want concentrated lessons in the run-up to their practical test. If you would like more detail on what the theory test costs and how to pay, see our theory test costs guide.
Photo ID is essential before you can sit the test: a current UK photocard driving licence works alone, but an old-style paper licence needs a valid passport as a companion document. A result that does not go your way means a minimum three working day wait, under DVSA rules, before a resit can be booked, so use that gap to focus revision on whichever part, multiple-choice questions or hazard perception, cost you marks. The pass certificate that follows a successful sitting is valid for two years, which is normally plenty of time to move through an intensive course and book a practical test around Axminster or Lyme Regis.
Working through official DVSA mock theory tests in the final week before your appointment is a sensible way to check readiness, particularly on the hazard perception clips, where knowing how the scoring works is nearly as important as spotting the hazard developing on screen. It is also worth revisiting any Highway Code sections that felt shaky in practice, stopping distances and road signs especially, rather than relying on general knowledge alone. The A35 approach into Axminster is a fair sample of the kind of road your practical test will later cover, so it is worth keeping in mind once theory is behind you.
Page reviewed and updated 17 July 2026.