East of England · postcode area PE
Peterborough MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Peterborough area pass 74.3% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 32 of 118 areas in Britain. From 617,736 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 6.1 times per 100 failures here, ranking 62 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Peterborough is 2.1 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 73.0%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 83,159 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Peterborough
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 weakened12.8%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.9%
- 3.A tyre seriously damaged9.7%
- 4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.2%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.2%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.7%
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.1%
- 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.5%
- 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.4%
- 10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements5.8%
Corrosion
6.1 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Peterborough 62 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 requirements21.5% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged12.9% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.7% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.3% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.4% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded5.4% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Peterborough
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Peterborough
- Ford85,889 tests
- Vauxhall56,994 tests
- Volkswagen53,081 tests
- BMW38,369 tests
- Audi36,000 tests
- Mercedes-Benz31,055 tests
- Nissan30,799 tests
- Peugeot29,575 tests
East of England
Other areas in East of England
- Southend-on-Sea76.7% · #13
- Luton76.5% · #15
- Hemel Hempstead75.3% · #22
- Chelmsford74.7% · #30
- 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 Peterborough?
- 74.3% of MOT tests in the Peterborough postcode area (PE) 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 73.0%. That ranks Peterborough 32 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Peterborough?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Peterborough is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", in 12.8% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (9.9%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 6.1 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 62 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Peterborough, 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 Peterborough 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 Peterborough 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