Scotland · postcode area EH
Edinburgh MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Edinburgh area pass 66.6% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, well below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 111 of 118 areas in Britain. From 418,764 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 10.2 times per 100 failures here, ranking 29 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Edinburgh is 5.6 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 70.0%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 63,757 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Edinburgh
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 spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened16.5%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.7%
- 3.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.8%
- 4.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.0%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.8%
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm6.8%
- 7.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.7%
- 8.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded6.7%
- 9.A tyre seriously damaged6.4%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.4%
Corrosion
10.2 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Edinburgh 29 of 118 areas for rust. Brake pipes, suspension mountings and structural metal corrode faster here than almost anywhere in Britain — salt, sea air and wet roads. A used car from this area should be inspected underneath before purchase. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements21.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured18.0% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged14.7% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.7% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded9.5% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.7% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Edinburgh
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Edinburgh
- Ford46,192 tests
- Volkswagen40,863 tests
- Vauxhall39,515 tests
- Nissan21,634 tests
- Audi20,930 tests
- BMW20,586 tests
- Toyota19,905 tests
- Mercedes-Benz18,639 tests
Scotland
Other areas in Scotland
- Dumfries74.0% · #39
- Outer Hebrides70.9% · #76
- Kirkwall70.8% · #77
- Galashiels69.6% · #85
- Glasgow68.8% · #93
- Inverness68.7% · #96
- Kilmarnock67.7% · #107
- Motherwell66.9% · #109
- Perth66.2% · #112
- Shetland65.6% · #113
- Falkirk65.6% · #114
- Paisley65.4% · #115
- Aberdeen64.4% · #116
- Dundee61.4% · #117
- Kirkcaldy61.3% · #118
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Edinburgh?
- 66.6% of MOT tests in the Edinburgh postcode area (EH) 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 70.0%. That ranks Edinburgh 111 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Edinburgh?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Edinburgh is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", in 16.5% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (10.7%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 10.2 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 29 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Edinburgh, 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 Edinburgh a bad area to buy a used car from?
- Not necessarily, but check underneath. Corrosion is recorded far more often on failed tests here than the national norm, so a car that has spent its life in Edinburgh deserves a proper look at brake pipes, suspension mountings and sills before purchase. The MOT history will show whether corrosion advisories have been building up.
Analysis built from DVSA data of