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MOT reliability

MOT pass rates by postcode area

How cars did at MOT test stations in each postcode area of Great Britain in 2025. Areas with older cars pass less often, so each area is also compared with what cars of the same ages score nationally.

Last updated
Records analysed
29,121,010 car MOT tests
Methodology
View methodology

In 2025, cars tested in Ilford (IG) passed their MOT first time most often (79.8%), and those in Kirkcaldy (KY) least often (64.4%), against 72.8% across Great Britain. Allowing for the ages of the cars tested, Sutton (SM) did best (+7.6 pts) and Kirkcaldy (KY) worst (−10.2 pts).

  • Best for the age of its cars Sutton SM: +7.6 pts
  • Worst for the age of its cars Kirkcaldy KY: −10.2 pts
  • Great Britain, 2025 72.8% passed first time
  • Postcode areas 118 29,122,953 car tests

Every postcode area

Ranked by the difference between each area’s pass rate and what cars of the same ages score across Great Britain. The area is where the test station is, not where the car is kept.

Showing all 118 areas

MOT first-time pass rates by postcode area of the test station, 2025. Column headers are buttons that sort the table.
1 Sutton SM · England 66,584 79.0% 71.4% +7.6 pts 11.4 yrs 5.9% 5,079
2 Southall UB · England 183,750 79.0% 72.0% +7.0 pts 11.0 yrs 5.6% 6,389
3 Slough SL · England 212,671 78.5% 72.2% +6.3 pts 11.1 yrs 5.2% 6,687
4 Romford RM · England 241,671 79.4% 73.5% +5.9 pts 10.3 yrs 4.9% 6,550
5 Harrow HA · England 182,424 78.5% 72.8% +5.7 pts 10.7 yrs 5.9% 5,854
6 Ilford IG · England 129,958 79.8% 74.1% +5.7 pts 10.1 yrs 5.1% 6,203
7 Kingston upon Thames KT · England 251,668 78.9% 73.6% +5.3 pts 10.5 yrs 5.1% 5,478
8 Enfield EN · England 173,625 78.5% 73.3% +5.2 pts 10.5 yrs 5.3% 6,074
9 Twickenham TW · England 218,943 78.6% 73.4% +5.2 pts 10.5 yrs 5.6% 5,738
10 Croydon CR · England 201,743 77.8% 73.0% +4.8 pts 10.7 yrs 5.5% 5,530
11 North London N · England 198,477 76.8% 72.0% +4.8 pts 11.1 yrs 5.9% 5,684
12 East London E · England 236,099 77.5% 72.9% +4.6 pts 10.6 yrs 5.5% 6,052
13 Southend-on-Sea SS · England 254,649 77.0% 72.4% +4.6 pts 11.0 yrs 6.2% 6,167
14 Bromley BR · England 110,867 79.5% 75.2% +4.3 pts 9.6 yrs 5.0% 5,077
15 Birmingham B · England 936,917 76.3% 72.1% +4.2 pts 10.8 yrs 6.1% 6,896
16 Dartford DA · England 212,372 77.7% 73.6% +4.1 pts 10.3 yrs 5.4% 6,196
17 North West London NW · England 195,281 78.7% 74.8% +3.9 pts 9.9 yrs 5.5% 5,453
18 Luton LU · England 199,663 75.0% 71.3% +3.7 pts 11.2 yrs 6.5% 7,489
19 South West London SW · England 130,010 77.3% 73.8% +3.5 pts 10.3 yrs 5.5% 4,761
20 South East London SE · England 235,379 75.5% 72.1% +3.4 pts 11.1 yrs 5.4% 5,253
21 West London W · England 80,724 77.6% 74.2% +3.4 pts 10.3 yrs 5.5% 5,021
22 Blackburn BB · England 255,625 76.0% 72.7% +3.3 pts 10.5 yrs 7.0% 7,010
23 Sheffield S · England 661,784 75.5% 72.5% +3.0 pts 10.6 yrs 6.7% 6,588
24 Hemel Hempstead HP · England 287,372 75.6% 72.7% +2.9 pts 10.8 yrs 6.5% 6,953
25 Bradford BD · England 264,059 74.3% 71.6% +2.7 pts 10.9 yrs 7.9% 6,784
26 Coventry CV · England 438,798 75.2% 72.7% +2.5 pts 10.7 yrs 6.5% 6,954
27 Leicester LE · England 524,874 74.6% 72.1% +2.5 pts 10.9 yrs 6.9% 6,931
28 Rochester ME · England 312,024 74.8% 72.3% +2.5 pts 10.9 yrs 6.0% 6,953
29 Reading RG · England 449,334 75.2% 72.7% +2.5 pts 10.7 yrs 6.1% 6,841
30 Chelmsford CM · England 349,115 76.0% 73.7% +2.3 pts 10.3 yrs 6.1% 6,950
31 St Albans AL · England 131,164 76.2% 74.0% +2.2 pts 10.2 yrs 5.7% 6,377
32 Derby DE · England 402,250 75.2% 73.0% +2.2 pts 10.5 yrs 6.4% 6,870
33 Dudley DY · England 198,303 74.4% 72.2% +2.2 pts 10.9 yrs 6.0% 6,114
34 Redhill RH · England 304,099 74.4% 72.2% +2.2 pts 11.1 yrs 6.9% 6,543
35 Dumfries DG · Scotland 63,725 75.3% 73.5% +1.8 pts 10.1 yrs 6.7% 7,490
36 Wolverhampton WV · England 201,148 74.6% 72.9% +1.7 pts 10.5 yrs 6.9% 6,550
37 Milton Keynes MK · England 312,187 74.5% 73.0% +1.5 pts 10.6 yrs 6.9% 7,273
38 Stevenage SG · England 216,404 74.7% 73.2% +1.5 pts 10.6 yrs 6.2% 6,970
39 Peterborough PE · England 541,100 73.7% 72.3% +1.4 pts 10.8 yrs 6.5% 7,444
40 Worcester WR · England 169,102 73.7% 72.3% +1.4 pts 11.0 yrs 7.0% 6,920
41 Hereford HR · England 102,847 72.6% 71.3% +1.3 pts 11.4 yrs 7.1% 6,954
42 Bolton BL · England 228,969 75.4% 74.2% +1.2 pts 9.8 yrs 7.3% 6,637
43 Oldham OL · England 206,306 74.7% 73.5% +1.2 pts 10.1 yrs 7.7% 6,716
44 Manchester M · England 450,640 73.0% 71.9% +1.1 pts 10.8 yrs 8.3% 6,634
45 Wakefield WF · England 262,144 74.0% 73.0% +1.0 pts 10.3 yrs 8.4% 6,819
46 Tonbridge TN · England 382,294 72.7% 71.9% +0.8 pts 11.3 yrs 7.3% 6,592
47 Colchester CO · England 229,375 72.1% 71.4% +0.7 pts 11.4 yrs 7.5% 6,946
48 Oxford OX · England 324,332 72.7% 72.2% +0.5 pts 11.0 yrs 7.1% 7,274
49 Liverpool L · England 323,251 74.1% 73.7% +0.4 pts 10.1 yrs 7.5% 6,408
50 Ipswich IP · England 341,571 71.6% 71.3% +0.3 pts 11.4 yrs 6.7% 7,341
51 Shrewsbury SY · England 186,252 72.4% 72.2% +0.2 pts 11.0 yrs 7.1% 7,223
52 Cambridge CB · England 208,512 72.2% 72.1% +0.1 pts 11.0 yrs 6.7% 7,540
53 Guildford GU · England 399,892 72.8% 72.7% +0.1 pts 10.8 yrs 6.6% 6,821
54 Canterbury CT · England 224,585 71.6% 71.6% 0.0 pts 11.3 yrs 7.2% 6,739
55 Norwich NR · England 394,802 71.3% 71.3% 0.0 pts 11.4 yrs 6.6% 6,883
56 Telford TF · England 110,413 72.1% 72.1% 0.0 pts 10.9 yrs 7.3% 7,182
57 Doncaster DN · England 379,944 72.7% 72.8% −0.1 pts 10.5 yrs 6.9% 7,226
58 Durham DH · England 144,924 73.9% 74.1% −0.2 pts 9.8 yrs 7.2% 7,052
59 Southampton SO · England 352,416 71.7% 72.0% −0.3 pts 11.1 yrs 7.1% 6,646
60 Walsall WS · England 210,593 72.3% 72.6% −0.3 pts 10.6 yrs 7.5% 6,485
61 Preston PR · England 267,053 73.1% 73.5% −0.4 pts 10.3 yrs 8.0% 6,635
62 Llandudno LL · Wales 264,629 70.8% 71.3% −0.5 pts 11.2 yrs 8.1% 7,307
63 Watford WD · England 119,841 74.4% 74.9% −0.5 pts 9.8 yrs 6.8% 6,207
64 Newcastle upon Tyne NE · England 496,108 73.5% 74.2% −0.7 pts 9.8 yrs 6.9% 6,890
65 Swindon SN · England 257,186 71.5% 72.3% −0.8 pts 10.9 yrs 7.4% 7,078
66 Warrington WA · England 305,677 73.7% 74.5% −0.8 pts 9.7 yrs 7.5% 6,473
67 Nottingham NG · England 541,710 71.6% 72.4% −0.8 pts 10.7 yrs 7.3% 6,778
68 Stockport SK · England 299,827 73.6% 74.4% −0.8 pts 9.8 yrs 7.4% 5,927
69 Lancaster LA · England 150,555 71.8% 72.7% −0.9 pts 10.6 yrs 8.5% 6,814
70 Crewe CW · England 177,336 73.1% 74.1% −1.0 pts 10.0 yrs 8.0% 6,651
71 Harrogate HG · England 81,834 74.4% 75.4% −1.0 pts 9.4 yrs 6.7% 6,763
72 Kirkwall KW · Scotland 21,507 72.1% 73.2% −1.1 pts 10.3 yrs 7.7% 6,688
73 Carlisle CA · England 165,413 72.8% 74.1% −1.3 pts 9.9 yrs 7.2% 7,375
74 Stoke-on-Trent ST · England 321,870 71.9% 73.2% −1.3 pts 10.3 yrs 7.7% 6,715
75 Leeds LS · England 332,943 72.1% 73.4% −1.3 pts 10.2 yrs 8.3% 6,762
76 Dorchester DT · England 108,524 67.9% 69.4% −1.5 pts 12.4 yrs 8.5% 6,649
77 Gloucester GL · England 351,679 70.0% 71.5% −1.5 pts 11.3 yrs 8.2% 6,931
78 Cleveland TS · England 274,517 72.0% 73.5% −1.5 pts 10.1 yrs 7.3% 7,333
79 Halifax HX · England 72,032 71.2% 72.9% −1.7 pts 10.5 yrs 7.8% 6,340
80 Outer Hebrides HS · Scotland 11,229 71.7% 73.6% −1.9 pts 10.1 yrs 8.2% 6,772
81 Taunton TA · England 181,164 68.3% 70.2% −1.9 pts 12.0 yrs 7.9% 6,761
82 Northampton NN · England 401,177 71.1% 73.1% −2.0 pts 10.5 yrs 7.3% 7,373
83 Bournemouth BH · England 298,723 68.8% 71.0% −2.2 pts 11.6 yrs 7.6% 6,053
84 York YO · England 270,512 71.2% 73.4% −2.2 pts 10.3 yrs 7.3% 7,202
85 Wigan WN · England 136,560 70.8% 73.4% −2.6 pts 10.2 yrs 8.4% 6,324
86 Galashiels TD · Scotland 52,968 71.8% 74.5% −2.7 pts 9.8 yrs 7.5% 7,745
87 Portsmouth PO · England 404,139 68.4% 71.2% −2.8 pts 11.5 yrs 8.2% 6,197
88 Chester CH · England 324,501 70.2% 73.1% −2.9 pts 10.4 yrs 8.0% 6,687
89 Brighton BN · England 348,747 68.5% 71.4% −2.9 pts 11.4 yrs 8.3% 6,126
90 Torquay TQ · England 139,878 66.8% 69.7% −2.9 pts 12.2 yrs 9.1% 6,240
91 Huddersfield HD · England 121,981 71.4% 74.4% −3.0 pts 9.8 yrs 7.9% 6,455
92 Newport NP · Wales 253,746 69.5% 72.6% −3.1 pts 10.6 yrs 8.9% 7,106
93 Inverness IV · Scotland 117,571 71.9% 75.1% −3.2 pts 9.5 yrs 6.3% 7,580
94 Darlington DL · England 165,666 70.4% 73.7% −3.3 pts 10.1 yrs 7.7% 7,458
95 Swansea SA · Wales 353,340 69.5% 72.9% −3.4 pts 10.4 yrs 9.2% 7,020
96 Bath BA · England 241,922 67.7% 71.3% −3.6 pts 11.4 yrs 8.7% 6,674
97 Hull HU · England 205,134 69.5% 73.4% −3.9 pts 10.2 yrs 8.0% 6,590
98 Blackpool FY · England 125,052 68.5% 72.6% −4.1 pts 10.7 yrs 10.3% 6,034
99 Glasgow G · Scotland 478,466 72.4% 76.5% −4.1 pts 8.8 yrs 8.4% 6,957
100 Truro TR · England 162,713 66.5% 70.6% −4.1 pts 11.7 yrs 9.8% 6,894
101 Cardiff CF · Wales 473,860 69.1% 73.2% −4.1 pts 10.3 yrs 10.0% 6,799
102 Lincoln LN · England 161,794 68.6% 72.7% −4.1 pts 10.6 yrs 7.6% 7,142
103 Salisbury SP · England 136,956 66.9% 71.3% −4.4 pts 11.4 yrs 8.7% 7,464
104 Llandrindod Wells LD · Wales 22,304 66.6% 71.1% −4.5 pts 11.4 yrs 8.9% 7,551
105 Sunderland SR · England 100,708 69.9% 74.4% −4.5 pts 9.7 yrs 9.3% 6,663
106 Exeter EX · England 307,693 66.1% 70.7% −4.6 pts 11.7 yrs 8.8% 6,816
107 Kilmarnock KA · Scotland 156,961 71.1% 76.0% −4.9 pts 9.0 yrs 8.2% 7,315
108 Plymouth PL · England 282,477 65.6% 70.5% −4.9 pts 11.6 yrs 10.2% 6,707
109 Perth PH · Scotland 80,776 70.6% 75.7% −5.1 pts 9.2 yrs 7.7% 7,663
110 Edinburgh EH · Scotland 372,553 70.3% 75.6% −5.3 pts 9.3 yrs 8.0% 6,682
111 Bristol BS · England 499,790 66.6% 71.9% −5.3 pts 11.0 yrs 8.7% 6,389
112 Falkirk FK · Scotland 127,595 70.9% 76.6% −5.7 pts 8.8 yrs 7.2% 7,418
113 Motherwell ML · Scotland 146,287 71.1% 77.0% −5.9 pts 8.6 yrs 9.2% 7,277
114 Lerwick ZE · Scotland 9,288 70.2% 76.3% −6.1 pts 9.1 yrs 9.0% 6,905
115 Paisley PA · Scotland 134,106 70.0% 76.3% −6.3 pts 8.9 yrs 8.4% 6,745
116 Aberdeen AB · Scotland 219,025 68.6% 76.0% −7.4 pts 9.1 yrs 7.8% 7,315
117 Dundee DD · Scotland 119,278 65.7% 75.6% −9.9 pts 9.2 yrs 9.5% 7,127
118 Kirkcaldy KY · Scotland 164,125 64.4% 74.6% −10.2 pts 9.6 yrs 9.3% 7,204

Normal MOT tests of cars aged three and over in 2025; retests excluded. Same ages: what all cars in Great Britain would score with the area’s mix of ages. Dangerous: tests that found at least one dangerous defect. Miles a year: average annual mileage from consecutive MOT odometer readings.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring 		2025 29,121,010 car MOT tests 15 September 2026
  • Areas are the postcode area of the MOT test station, not of the car’s keeper. Most people use a station near home or work, but not all.
  • Postcode area names are Royal Mail’s: usually the main post town. An area often covers far more than that town.
  • 29,122,953 car tests in Great Britain in 2025; a small number with no usable postcode area are counted nationally but in no area.
How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.