MOT cost .

UK MOT · 2025 data

Will your car pass its MOT?

And what will it cost if it doesn't? Independent UK car-buyer's guide. Pass rates, real failure reasons, retest budgets — without the dealer spin.

Browse cars See failure reasons

UK fleet pass rate

77.5%

First-time pass across every tracked make and model last year. Roughly 22.5% ended in a fail or retest.

Top-five reasons UK cars failed last year

  1. 01 A rear registration plate lamp or…
  2. 02 Windscreen or window damaged or seriously…
  3. 03 Tyre tread depth not in accordance…
  4. 04 A spring or spring component fractured…
  5. 05 A lamp missing, inoperative or in…
  6. 06 A transmission shaft constant velocity joint…
  7. 07 a brake lining or pad worn…
  8. 08 Wiper blade missing or obviously not…
  9. 09 A suspension pin, bush or joint…
  10. 10 A suspension pin, bush or joint…

The most-tested

Seven cars, seven stories.

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Filter failures:

Top 5 UK MOT failures — last year

The five faults breaking the most MOTs.

Filter out the wear items at the top of the page to see what actually wears out the UK fleet — the shocks, springs, and brake parts under the lamp-and-tread noise.

Showing top 5 of 10 ranked. Toggling filters above promotes the next-ranked items into the visible slots.

  1. 01

    A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

    RFR #31084

    1,514,421

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  2. 02

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    RFR #30823

    1,376,718

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  3. 03

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    RFR #31194

    1,131,791

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  4. 04

    A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

    RFR #31227

    777,605

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  5. 05

    A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    RFR #32041

    739,781

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  6. 06

    A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

    RFR #31604

    696,706

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  7. 07

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    RFR #30329

    682,348

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  8. 08

    Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

    RFR #30858

    613,214

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  9. 09

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    RFR #31322

    536,592

    occurrences

    Models at risk →
  10. 10

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    RFR #31321

    501,048

    occurrences

    Models at risk →

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The editorial line: affiliates don't shape the numbers. Failure rankings are sorted by frequency, not by which garage pays better.