South West · postcode area SP
Salisbury MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Salisbury area pass 68.6% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, below the national average of 72.2% and ranking 97 of 118 areas in Britain. From 159,006 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 2.9 times per 100 failures here, ranking 79 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Salisbury is 3.6 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 66.2%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 83,586 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Salisbury
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 tyre seriously damaged12.8%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.4%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.3%
- 4.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.6%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.3%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.1%
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.7%
- 8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.7%
- 9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.6%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.3%
Corrosion
2.9 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Salisbury 79 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a minor factor in this area's failures, as it is across most of urban England. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements29.1% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured17.4% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged14.3% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm12.0% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.8% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.4% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Salisbury
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Salisbury
- Ford20,718 tests
- Volkswagen19,232 tests
- Vauxhall10,571 tests
- Audi8,739 tests
- BMW8,314 tests
- Nissan6,878 tests
- Mercedes-Benz6,809 tests
- Peugeot6,746 tests
South West
Other areas in South West
- Swindon71.8% · #62
- Dorchester71.3% · #66
- Gloucester71.1% · #70
- Taunton70.9% · #75
- Bournemouth69.3% · #88
- Torquay69.0% · #90
- Bath68.9% · #92
- Truro68.2% · #99
- Plymouth68.0% · #103
- Exeter67.7% · #106
- Bristol66.7% · #110
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Salisbury?
- 68.6% of MOT tests in the Salisbury postcode area (SP) 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 66.2%. That ranks Salisbury 97 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Salisbury?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Salisbury is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 12.8% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (10.4%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 2.9 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 79 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Salisbury, 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 Salisbury 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 Salisbury 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