South West · postcode area GL
Gloucester MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Gloucester area pass 71.1% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 70 of 118 areas in Britain. From 410,599 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 7.3 times per 100 failures here, ranking 49 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Gloucester is 1.2 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 69.3%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 80,599 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Gloucester
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 requirements12.6%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.8%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.8%
- 4.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.5%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 5.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.2%
- 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.5%
- 7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.1%
- 8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.7%
- 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.7%
- 10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.7%
Corrosion
7.3 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Gloucester 49 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 requirements31.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged11.7% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.6% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.4% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded6.8% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Gloucester
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Gloucester
- Ford54,455 tests
- Volkswagen45,351 tests
- Vauxhall32,081 tests
- Audi21,462 tests
- BMW21,183 tests
- Nissan18,196 tests
- Peugeot17,959 tests
- Mercedes-Benz17,395 tests
South West
Other areas in South West
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Gloucester?
- 71.1% of MOT tests in the Gloucester postcode area (GL) 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 69.3%. That ranks Gloucester 70 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Gloucester?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Gloucester is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 12.6% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (10.8%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 7.3 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 49 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Gloucester, 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 Gloucester 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 Gloucester 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