South East · postcode area BN
Brighton MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Brighton area pass 68.0% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, well below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 104 of 118 areas in Britain. From 402,221 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 7.6 times per 100 failures here, ranking 46 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Brighton is 4.2 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 74,413 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Brighton
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 damaged11.7%
- 2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning10.3%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.9%
- 4.A tyre cords visible or damaged9.2%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 5.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.0%
- 6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.9%
- 7.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.4%
- 8.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.7%
- 9.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.6%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.4%
Corrosion
7.6 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Brighton 46 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 requirements26.0% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged20.4% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured13.4% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.3% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.3% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users6.6% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Brighton
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Brighton
- Ford50,139 tests
- Volkswagen40,178 tests
- Vauxhall28,139 tests
- Toyota24,700 tests
- Nissan22,155 tests
- BMW21,897 tests
- Mercedes-Benz19,658 tests
- Audi18,187 tests
South East
Other areas in South East
- Slough78.8% · #3
- Dartford76.2% · #17
- Medway74.8% · #27
- Reading74.7% · #31
- Milton Keynes74.3% · #33
- Redhill74.0% · #37
- Oxford73.0% · #49
- Tonbridge72.7% · #55
- Canterbury72.2% · #58
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Southampton71.8% · #63
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Brighton?
- 68.0% of MOT tests in the Brighton postcode area (BN) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is well below the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 67.2%. That ranks Brighton 104 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Brighton?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Brighton is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 11.7% of failed tests, followed by "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning" (10.3%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 7.6 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 46 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Brighton, 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 Brighton 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 Brighton 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