20 Years of UK MOT Data: Trends in Pass Rates and Failures

The UK's MOT test has quietly become easier to pass. Across 20 years of DVSA records — roughly 559 million tests between 2005 and 2024 — the share of cars passing first time fell to a low of 59.50% in 2009, then climbed steadily to 71.65% by 2024. Over the same period the rate of recorded failures fell across every major fault category we track. That is what two decades of DVSA MOT data actually show, and the story is more nuanced than "older cars, worse results."

The figures below come from every Class 4 and Class 7 MOT in the DVSA dataset. Because digital records only begin partway through 2005 (about 5.7 million tests that year, against 24 million or more in every full year since), the year-by-year trend charts start from the first complete year, 2006. We focus on two things the data can support directly: the overall pass rate, and which fault categories were recorded most often per test. We deliberately leave individual makes, fuel types and vehicle ages to their own datasets rather than guess.

The UK MOT pass rate, 2006 to 2024

In 2006, 64.65% of MOTs passed first time. That figure slid to a 20-year low of 59.50% in 2009 — meaning roughly four in ten tests failed that year. From 2010 onwards the direction reverses: the pass rate climbs in almost every year, reaching 71.65% in 2024. That is a 12.15 percentage-point improvement from the 2009 trough to 2024, and the highest first-time pass rate anywhere in the 2005–2024 record.

It is worth being precise about what that line measures. A pass rate is the proportion of tests that passed first time; it reflects the mix of vehicles presented for testing, the age profile of the fleet and changes to the test itself — not the engineering of any one model. A higher pass rate simply means fewer cars needed a repair to get through their MOT that year. You can read exactly how we process these records on our methodology page.

Which fault categories fell the most

The five categories that account for the most MOT failures — electrical, brakes, suspension, bodywork, and tyres & wheels — all became less common per test between 2006 and 2024. Measured as failure items per 100 tests:

• Electrical fell from 31.7 to 15.5 per 100 tests (down about 51%) — the largest absolute drop of the five. See the full electrical MOT failure trend.
• Brakes fell from 26.2 to 10.3 per 100 tests (down about 61%) — the biggest proportional fall. See the brakes MOT failure trend.
• Suspension fell from 20.1 to 11.0 per 100 tests (down about 45%).
• Bodywork fell from 15.4 to 8.5 per 100 tests (down about 45%).
• Tyres & wheels fell from 12.2 to 7.4 per 100 tests (down about 39%).

Every category moved the same way — downward — which is consistent with the rising overall pass rate. You can explore each category's full 20-year trend, and how the categories compare, on the problems by MOT category page.

How to read the category chart: failures per 100 tests

Raw failure totals can mislead, because the number of MOTs carried out each year is not fixed: it grew from about 24 million in 2006 to about 34 million in 2024. A category could record more failures simply because more cars were tested. To strip that out, we divide each category's failures by the number of tests in the same year — giving a rate per 100 tests that is comparable across the whole period. One caveat: a single failed MOT can carry more than one failure item in the same category, so these figures are "failure items per 100 tests" rather than "cars failing per 100."

The 2018 rule change — read the trend with care

In May 2018 the MOT changed in two ways that matter for historical comparisons: defects were reclassified into Dangerous, Major and Minor categories, and stricter limits were introduced for diesel emissions. Changes like these affect how faults are recorded, and can create step-changes in a category's numbers that have nothing to do with the cars themselves. Where a category's definition shifted around that boundary, year-on-year comparisons across it are best read as indicative rather than exact. We flag this rather than smooth it over.

What this means before you book an MOT

The long-term direction is encouraging, but the test is far from a formality: about 28% of MOTs still failed first time in 2024. Many of the most common failures sit in routine areas — electrical and lighting, tyres, and brakes were three of the largest categories across the whole period — the kind of items a basic pre-test check often catches. Booking with a little time in hand leaves room to fix any advisories before they become failures. You can compare local options in our directory of UK garages, and check when your test is due with the free MOT reminder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current UK MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 71.65% of MOT tests passed first time according to DVSA data — equivalent to a 28.35% failure rate. That is the highest first-time pass rate in the 2005–2024 record.

When was the worst year for MOT failures?

2009 recorded the lowest first-time pass rate in the dataset, at 59.50% — meaning 40.50% of tests failed. Pass rates have improved in most years since.

Which MOT faults have fallen the most?

Measured as failure items per 100 tests, brakes saw the largest proportional fall between 2006 and 2024 (down about 61%), followed by electrical faults (down about 51%). Suspension, bodywork and tyre & wheel failures each fell between 39% and 45%.

Does a higher MOT pass rate mean cars are better made?

Not necessarily. The MOT measures roadworthiness at the point of test — lighting, brakes, tyres, suspension, emissions and structure. A rising pass rate reflects the mix of vehicles tested, the fleet's age profile and changes to the test itself, not the engineering or build of any particular model.

The bottom line

Twenty years of DVSA MOT records point in one direction: after dipping to 59.50% in 2009, the first-time pass rate climbed to 71.65% in 2024, and failure items per 100 tests fell across electrical, brakes, suspension, bodywork and tyres alike. Whether that owes more to better maintenance, a changing fleet or the test itself, the data alone can't say — but the pattern is consistent across two decades. Explore the full picture, by make and by category, on our car problems data hub.