GovWire

About this data set

This data set comes from data held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

It is not classed as an official statistic. This means its not subject to scrutiny and assessment by the UK Statistics Authority.

MOT test results by class

The MOT test checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards. Different types of vehicles (for example, cars and motorcycles) fall into different classes.

This data table shows the number of initial tests. It does not include abandoned tests, aborted tests, or retests.

The initial fail rate is the rate for vehicles as they were brought for the MOT. The final fail rate excludes vehicles that pass the test after rectification of minor defects at the time of the test.

This data table is updated every 3 months.

Initial failures by defect category

These tables give data for the following classes of vehicles:

• class 1 and 2 vehicles - motorcycles
• class 3 and 4 vehicles - cars and light vans up to 3,000kg
• class 5 vehicles - private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats
• class 7 vehicles - goods vehicles between 3,000kg and 3,500kg gross vehicle weight

All figures are for vehicles as they were brought in for the MOT.

A failed test usually has multiple failure items.

The percentage of tests is worked out as the number of tests with one or more failure items in the defect as a percentage of total tests.

The percentage of defects is worked out as the total defects in the category as a percentage of total defects for all categories.

The average defects per initial test failure is worked out as the total failure items as a percentage of total tests failed plus tests that passed after rectification of a minor defect at the time of the test.

These data tables are updated every 3 months.

MOT test stations and testers

You must have an authorised test station to carry out MOTs, and you have to be approved as an MOT tester. Other MOT stations include:

• post office operated test stations
• designated local authorities
• the Crown
• some police authorities

This data table is updated once a year.