South West · postcode area BS
Bristol MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Bristol area pass 66.7% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, well below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 110 of 118 areas in Britain. From 575,556 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 4.3 times per 100 failures here, ranking 73 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Bristol is 5.5 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 76,037 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Bristol
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 requirements12.3%
- 2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.7%
- 3.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen9.6%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.4%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.1%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.0%
- 7.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.8%
- 8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.0%
- 9.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened6.8%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.5%
Corrosion
4.3 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Bristol 73 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 requirements30.4% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged15.2% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.2% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.5% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.8% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.7% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Bristol
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Bristol
- Ford80,729 tests
- Volkswagen57,492 tests
- Vauxhall49,570 tests
- Toyota30,595 tests
- BMW28,811 tests
- Nissan28,146 tests
- Peugeot26,788 tests
- Mercedes-Benz26,693 tests
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
- Bath68.9% · #92
- Salisbury68.6% · #97
- Truro68.2% · #99
- Plymouth68.0% · #103
- Exeter67.7% · #106
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Bristol?
- 66.7% of MOT tests in the Bristol postcode area (BS) 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 66.0%. That ranks Bristol 110 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Bristol?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Bristol is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 12.3% of failed tests, followed by "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning" (9.7%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 4.3 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 73 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Bristol, 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 Bristol 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 Bristol 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