South West · postcode area BH
Bournemouth MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Bournemouth area pass 69.3% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 88 of 118 areas in Britain. From 348,759 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 4.5 times per 100 failures here, ranking 70 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Bournemouth is 2.9 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 68.0%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 75,940 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Bournemouth
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.A tyre seriously damaged10.5%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.6%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.3%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.2%
- 5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.6%
- 6.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.0%
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.4%
- 8.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc7.1%
- 9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.0%
- 10.A tyre cords visible or damaged6.9%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
Corrosion
4.5 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Bournemouth 70 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 requirements27.3% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged16.3% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured13.4% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.5% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm11.3% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users7.9% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Bournemouth
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Bournemouth
- Ford41,031 tests
- Volkswagen36,276 tests
- Vauxhall27,053 tests
- Nissan18,939 tests
- Audi18,275 tests
- Mercedes-Benz17,947 tests
- BMW17,091 tests
- Toyota15,286 tests
South West
Other areas in South West
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Bournemouth?
- 69.3% of MOT tests in the Bournemouth postcode area (BH) 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 68.0%. That ranks Bournemouth 88 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Bournemouth?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Bournemouth is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 10.5% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (9.6%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 4.5 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 70 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Bournemouth, 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 Bournemouth 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 Bournemouth 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