Galashiels Theory Test Centre

Drivers heading in should take the A7 and watch for the signs into Galashiels town centre, where car parking sits within easy reach of the venue, though checking for the nearest car park before setting off saves time on the day. The A7 climbs and bends its way through the Borders, and the roundabouts and open sections drivers meet along it are a fair preview of the road types examiners favour when planning practical test routes out of this centre. The Borders Railway runs services directly into Galashiels station, and once you’re off the train it’s a short walk, or a quick taxi ride if you’d rather not carry bags or notes. Bus travellers should aim for Galashiels Bus Station, from where the test centre is reachable on foot or via a short local bus hop if the weather isn’t cooperating. A provisional licence is a prerequisite for booking in the first place, so make sure that’s sorted before you try to reserve a slot. Once you’re sitting the exam, expect the standard DVSA format: 50 multiple-choice questions with 43 needed to pass, then hazard-perception clips marked out of 75, where 44 is the pass mark, and a combined pass is valid for two years. Learners coming in from Hawick, Melrose, Selkirk and Peebles tend to build extra travel time into the trip given how spread out the Borders road network is, and many use the same visit to start an LPOD Academy Silver 20 intensive course, since the driving routes around town cover the roundabouts and open A-road stretches that examiners like to use locally. Have your provisional licence to hand and build in a few spare minutes, because DVSA won’t hold your slot if check-in has already closed. Since 12 May 2026, it’s down to the candidate themselves, rather than a parent or instructor, to book and manage the linked practical test on the DVSA system, so it’s worth deciding on a preferred test centre while you’re already thinking about logistics. Full detail on the £23 theory fee and payment options sits in our theory test costs guide.

Page reviewed and updated 17 July 2026.