Scotland · postcode area G
Glasgow MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Glasgow area pass 68.8% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 93 of 118 areas in Britain. From 532,334 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 6.5 times per 100 failures here, ranking 59 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Glasgow is 3.4 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 72.2%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 63,401 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Glasgow
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 weakened18.4%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements14.3%
- 3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.0%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.7%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.6%
- 6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.6%
- 7.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn7.2%
- 8.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.5%
- 9.A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play6.4%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.2%
Corrosion
6.5 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Glasgow 59 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 requirements23.2% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured15.5% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged10.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.1% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.7% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded5.8% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Glasgow
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Glasgow
- Vauxhall59,144 tests
- Ford56,549 tests
- Volkswagen46,409 tests
- Audi32,813 tests
- BMW30,383 tests
- Mercedes-Benz28,242 tests
- Nissan25,540 tests
- Renault24,872 tests
Scotland
Other areas in Scotland
- Dumfries74.0% · #39
- Outer Hebrides70.9% · #76
- Kirkwall70.8% · #77
- Galashiels69.6% · #85
- Inverness68.7% · #96
- Kilmarnock67.7% · #107
- Motherwell66.9% · #109
- Edinburgh66.6% · #111
- 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 Glasgow?
- 68.8% of MOT tests in the Glasgow postcode area (G) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is below the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 72.2%. That ranks Glasgow 93 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Glasgow?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Glasgow is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", in 18.4% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (14.3%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 6.5 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 59 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Glasgow, 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 Glasgow 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 Glasgow 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