East of England · postcode area WD
Watford MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Watford area pass 71.2% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 69 of 118 areas in Britain. From 131,737 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 2.1 times per 100 failures here, ranking 91 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Watford is 1.0 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 74.0%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 63,959 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Watford
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 damaged13.7%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.2%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.7%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.4%
- 5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.0%
- 6.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.9%
- 7.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.6%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.5%
- 9.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.9%
- 10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.0%
Corrosion
2.1 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Watford 91 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 requirements20.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged15.0% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.0% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.8% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.9% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened5.2% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Watford
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Watford
- Ford13,226 tests
- Volkswagen11,501 tests
- BMW10,477 tests
- Vauxhall8,976 tests
- Mercedes-Benz8,950 tests
- Audi8,491 tests
- Toyota8,485 tests
- Nissan6,640 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
- St Albans74.0% · #36
- Stevenage73.8% · #40
- Ipswich73.1% · #46
- Colchester73.0% · #48
- Cambridge72.9% · #51
- Norwich72.4% · #56
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Watford?
- 71.2% of MOT tests in the Watford postcode area (WD) 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 74.0%. That ranks Watford 69 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Watford?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Watford is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 13.7% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (9.2%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 2.1 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 91 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Watford, 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 Watford 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 Watford 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