South East · postcode area CT
Canterbury MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Canterbury area pass 72.2% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 58 of 118 areas in Britain. From 256,716 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 3.3 times per 100 failures here, ranking 77 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Canterbury is 0.1 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 71.0%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 78,058 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Canterbury
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 damaged12.2%
- 2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.8%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements8.8%
- 4.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.6%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.1%
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.8%
- 7.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.8%
- 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.8%
- 9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.7%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.4%
Corrosion
3.3 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Canterbury 77 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a minor factor in this area's failures, as it is across most of urban England. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements25.3% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged18.5% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.0% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.6% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users6.9% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Canterbury
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Canterbury
- Ford34,149 tests
- Volkswagen23,292 tests
- Vauxhall22,137 tests
- Nissan15,951 tests
- Peugeot13,434 tests
- BMW12,784 tests
- Mercedes-Benz12,634 tests
- Audi11,548 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
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Southampton71.8% · #63
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Canterbury?
- 72.2% of MOT tests in the Canterbury postcode area (CT) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is about the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 71.0%. That ranks Canterbury 58 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Canterbury?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Canterbury is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 12.2% of failed tests, followed by "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning" (9.8%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 3.3 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 77 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Canterbury, 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 Canterbury 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 Canterbury 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