Life in the UK test centres, city by city

Guidance for 80 cities and towns across the UK: how to find and book a centre near you, what to take with you, what each attempt costs and what the appointment itself is like.

You will not find centre addresses, phone numbers or opening hours here, and it is worth being wary of sites that publish them. Centres are run on behalf of the Home Office and the list of them changes, so the only reliable version is the one the official booking service shows you when you enter your postcode.

Find and book your nearest centre on GOV.UK

• Centres are assigned by postcode

  You do not pick a building from a list on a website. You enter a postcode on GOV.UK and it shows the centres you can book, nearest first.

• £50 wherever you sit it

  The fee is national. Travelling to a nearby city for an earlier appointment costs you the journey, never a higher price.

• ID is what catches people out

  The accepted documents are set by the Home Office, and the details on them have to match your booking exactly. Check the list again before you travel.

Choose your city

Each page covers the local picture — how people get there, which centres are nearest and how far away they are — alongside the booking, identification and cost guidance that applies everywhere.