South East · postcode area DA
Dartford MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Dartford area pass 76.2% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 17 of 118 areas in Britain. From 244,502 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failures here, ranking 107 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Dartford is 4.0 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 77.8%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 68,887 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Dartford
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 requirements12.0%
- 2.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm11.9%
- 3.A tyre cords visible or damaged9.6%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 4.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen9.1%
- 5.A tyre seriously damaged8.8%
- 6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.2%
- 7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.0%
- 8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.8%
- 9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.4%
- 10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements5.4%
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements18.1% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged13.9% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured8.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.1% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened4.1% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Dartford
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Dartford
- Ford36,754 tests
- Vauxhall25,227 tests
- Volkswagen17,792 tests
- Mercedes-Benz16,585 tests
- BMW13,604 tests
- Toyota13,351 tests
- Nissan13,089 tests
- Audi12,095 tests
South East
Other areas in South East
- Slough78.8% · #3
- 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
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Dartford?
- 76.2% of MOT tests in the Dartford postcode area (DA) 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 77.8%. That ranks Dartford 17 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Dartford?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Dartford is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 12.0% of failed tests, followed by "a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm" (11.9%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 107 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Dartford, 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 Dartford 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 Dartford 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