Not every DriveTest centre in Ontario is created equal. Pass rates vary by as much as 30 percentage points depending on where you take your test. If you are picking a location and want the numbers in your favour, the rankings below will help you decide where to book.

Most people pick the DriveTest centre closest to home without thinking twice. That is understandable, but it means many test-takers in the GTA are walking into some of the lowest-pass-rate centres in the province without realizing there are significantly higher-pass-rate options within driving distance.

We pulled G2 and G results from all 56 centres across the province. You can browse the full dataset on our pass rates page. Here are the top performers in each category.

Top 10 Centres by G2 Pass Rate

These centres have the highest G2 road test success rates in Ontario:

  1. Kapuskasing (Northern Ontario) — 88%
  2. Espanola (Northern Ontario) — 86%
  3. Kenora (Northern Ontario) — 84%
  4. Bancroft (Central Ontario) — 83%
  5. North Bay (Northern Ontario) — 83%
  6. Owen Sound (Central Ontario) — 83%
  7. Timmins (Northern Ontario) — 83%
  8. Huntsville (Central Ontario) — 82%
  9. Winchester (Eastern Ontario) — 81%
  10. Belleville (Eastern Ontario) — 79%

Seven of the top ten are in Northern or Central Ontario. Not a single GTA centre appears on this list. Four centres are tied at 83%, which shows how consistent smaller Northern and Central Ontario locations are at producing strong results.

For comparison, the lowest G2 score belongs to Brampton at 58%, followed closely by Toronto Downsview at 60%. That is a 30-point gap between the highest and lowest centres in the province. Even the tenth-place centre, Belleville, still outperforms every single GTA location.

Top 10 Centres by G Pass Rate

The G test ranking reshuffles slightly. Bancroft jumps to the top spot, while Kapuskasing drops to second:

  1. Bancroft (Central Ontario) — 86%
  2. Kapuskasing (Northern Ontario) — 84%
  3. Kenora (Northern Ontario) — 82%
  4. Espanola (Northern Ontario) — 81%
  5. Owen Sound (Central Ontario) — 81%
  6. North Bay (Northern Ontario) — 80%
  7. Winchester (Eastern Ontario) — 80%
  8. Sault Ste Marie (Northern Ontario) — 79%
  9. Timmins (Northern Ontario) — 79%
  10. Walkerton (Southwestern Ontario) — 79%

Once again, no GTA centre cracks the top ten. The lowest G scores in the province are 58% at both Brampton and Toronto Downsview, making the gap between the top and bottom 28 points for the G test. Walkerton is the only Southwestern Ontario centre to appear in either top-ten list, which suggests that being outside the GTA alone is not enough. The smallest, most northern locations consistently perform best.

Why Smaller Centres Rank Higher

The pattern is hard to miss: small-town and northern centres dominate the top of both lists. Several factors likely contribute.

Traffic conditions matter. Road tests in places like Kapuskasing or Espanola happen on quieter streets with fewer unpredictable situations. Urban centres like Brampton and Downsview have dense traffic, complex intersections, and more pedestrians. Higher traffic means more chances for errors during the test.

Test volume plays a role too. GTA centres process far more tests per day. Higher volume can mean tighter scheduling and less margin for a relaxed testing environment. Smaller centres often run fewer tests, which can translate to calmer conditions for both examiner and driver.

Familiarity with the test area is another factor. In a town of 8,000 people, the possible routes are limited and well-known locally. In a large city, the routes are more varied and harder to practice in advance.

Road conditions in the test area also vary by season. Northern centres deal with harsher winters, but during spring and summer months those same centres offer wide, low-traffic roads with clear sightlines. If you are planning a trip to a northern centre, booking in the warmer months can work in your favour.

None of this means that smaller centres are giving away licences. An 83% success rate still means roughly one in six people fail. The examiners apply the same provincial scoring criteria everywhere. But the data consistently shows that test-takers at lower-volume, lower-traffic centres do better on average.

How GTA Centres Compare to Each Other

Since most Ontario drivers live in or near the Greater Toronto Area, it is worth looking at how GTA centres stack up against each other:

  • Oakville — 70% G2, 68% G
  • Burlington — 69% G2, 70% G
  • Oshawa — 69% G2, 66% G
  • Toronto Port Union — 66% G2, 62% G
  • Hamilton — 66% G2, 65% G
  • Mississauga — 63% G2, 64% G
  • Toronto Metro East — 63% G2, 63% G
  • Newmarket — 61% G2, 63% G
  • Toronto Etobicoke — 61% G2, 59% G
  • Toronto Downsview — 60% G2, 58% G
  • Brampton — 58% G2, 58% G

Even within the GTA, the spread is 12 points for G2 (Oakville at 70% vs. Brampton at 58%). If you are set on testing in the GTA, Oakville and Burlington offer the best statistical odds. If you can travel a bit further, Barrie (70% G2, 72% G) is worth considering as well.

How to Use This Data

Knowing these numbers is helpful, but acting on them takes a bit of planning.

First, be realistic about travel. Driving four hours to Kapuskasing will not help if you are unfamiliar with highway driving in northern Ontario or if the cost of a hotel room wipes out the benefit. A centre within a one-to-two-hour drive that scores notably higher than your local option is a more practical choice.

Second, check which centres are covered by our service. Our scope page lists every DriveTest location we monitor for cancellations. If you spot a high-pass-rate centre on that list, you can subscribe to notifications and watch for openings there instead of at your local centre.

Third, combine location choice with timing. Our cancellation statistics page shows which hours of the day see the most road test slots released. Pairing a higher-pass-rate centre with a well-timed cancellation check gives you two advantages at once.

These numbers are not destiny. A well-prepared driver can pass at any centre in the province. But if you have the flexibility to choose your location, the data says some centres give you a measurably better shot. Whether you decide to drive an hour outside the GTA or simply pick the strongest centre in your region, being informed about the numbers puts you one step ahead.