East of England · postcode area AL
St Albans MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the St Albans area pass 74.0% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 36 of 118 areas in Britain. From 147,254 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 2.2 times per 100 failures here, ranking 89 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
St Albans is 1.8 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 76.0%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 66,640 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in St Albans
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 weakened11.7%
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged10.8%
- 3.A tyre cords visible or damaged9.8%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 4.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements8.5%
- 5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.3%
- 6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.9%
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.3%
- 8.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm6.3%
- 9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements5.5%
- 10.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.2%
Corrosion
2.2 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks St Albans 89 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 requirements22.4% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged14.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.7% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.7% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened4.3% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in St Albans
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in St Albans
- Ford17,738 tests
- Volkswagen15,027 tests
- Vauxhall9,955 tests
- Audi9,673 tests
- Toyota8,784 tests
- Nissan7,798 tests
- BMW6,910 tests
- Mercedes-Benz6,142 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
- Peterborough74.3% · #32
- 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 St Albans?
- 74.0% of MOT tests in the St Albans postcode area (AL) 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 76.0%. That ranks St Albans 36 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in St Albans?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in St Albans is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", in 11.7% of failed tests, followed by "A tyre seriously damaged" (10.8%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 2.2 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 89 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in St Albans, 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 St Albans 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 St Albans 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