South West · postcode area BA
Bath MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Bath area pass 68.9% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 92 of 118 areas in Britain. From 281,123 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 7.7 times per 100 failures here, ranking 45 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Bath is 3.4 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 66.7%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 80,330 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Bath
Share of failed tests in the area that recorded each item. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.
- 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements11.9%
- 2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning10.0%
- 3.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.7%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.5%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.3%
- 6.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.1%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.7%
- 8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.6%
- 9.A tyre seriously damaged7.5%
- 10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.4%
Corrosion
7.7 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Bath 45 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a meaningful share of failures here, though well short of the coastal and Scottish extremes. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements30.8% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged15.6% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured13.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.3% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.4% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.6% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Bath
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Bath
South West
Other areas in South West
- Swindon71.8% · #62
- Dorchester71.3% · #66
- Gloucester71.1% · #70
- Taunton70.9% · #75
- Bournemouth69.3% · #88
- Torquay69.0% · #90
- Salisbury68.6% · #97
- Truro68.2% · #99
- Plymouth68.0% · #103
- Exeter67.7% · #106
- Bristol66.7% · #110
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Bath?
- 68.9% of MOT tests in the Bath postcode area (BA) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is below the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 66.7%. That ranks Bath 92 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Bath?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Bath is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 11.9% of failed tests, followed by "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning" (10.0%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 7.7 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 45 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Bath, not the testers. Every MOT station applies the same inspection manual, and DVSA monitors testing standards nationally. A regional difference reflects the local fleet and local conditions — roads, weather, salt, how far cars are driven — rather than how hard the test is.
- Is Bath a bad area to buy a used car from?
- The area itself is not a concern. Corrosion is recorded less often on failed tests here than in coastal and northern areas, so a car from Bath is, on the evidence, less likely to carry rust problems than one from Scotland or the West Country. The individual car's MOT history still matters far more than its postcode.
Analysis built from DVSA data of