East of England · postcode area CM
Chelmsford MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Chelmsford area pass 74.7% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 30 of 118 areas in Britain. From 399,806 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failures here, ranking 114 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Chelmsford is 2.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 72,078 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Chelmsford
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 damaged12.7%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.5%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.2%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.6%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.5%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.7%
- 7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.7%
- 8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements5.7%
- 9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.5%
- 10.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.4%
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.0% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged14.5% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.8% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.4% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.8% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded4.3% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Chelmsford
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Chelmsford
- Ford76,793 tests
- Volkswagen32,201 tests
- Vauxhall25,875 tests
- Mercedes-Benz23,935 tests
- Audi23,250 tests
- BMW22,706 tests
- Nissan18,224 tests
- Peugeot16,297 tests
East of England
Other areas in East of England
- Southend-on-Sea76.7% · #13
- Luton76.5% · #15
- Hemel Hempstead75.3% · #22
- Peterborough74.3% · #32
- St Albans74.0% · #36
- Stevenage73.8% · #40
- Ipswich73.1% · #46
- Colchester73.0% · #48
- Cambridge72.9% · #51
- Norwich72.4% · #56
- Watford71.2% · #69
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Chelmsford?
- 74.7% of MOT tests in the Chelmsford postcode area (CM) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is above the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 75.7%. That ranks Chelmsford 30 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Chelmsford?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Chelmsford is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 12.7% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (10.5%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 114 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Chelmsford, 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 Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford 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