About Our MOT Data
Last updated: November 2024
Data Source
All statistics on Pre MOT Check are derived from the official DVSA anonymised MOT test dataset, published on data.gov.uk under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
This dataset contains anonymised records from MOT tests conducted at approved testing stations across the UK. Vehicle registration marks and specific test locations are removed to protect privacy.
Coverage
A vehicle profile is a unique combination of make, model, and first registration year. For example, "2015 Ford Fiesta" is one profile.
How We Calculate Statistics
For each vehicle profile, we calculate:
- Pass rate: The percentage of tests that resulted in a pass, calculated as (tests passed ÷ total tests) × 100.
- Top failures: The most common reasons for failure, extracted from DVSA reason-for-rejection codes and ranked by frequency.
- Failure categories: Individual failure reasons are grouped into 8 categories (lighting, brakes, suspension, tyres, visibility, steering, exhaust, and bodywork) to help you prioritise your pre-MOT checks.
Sample Size & Reliability
Statistical reliability depends on sample size. We use the following thresholds:
Reliable statistics. Pass rates and failure patterns are shown with confidence.
Low sample size. A warning is displayed and statistics should be treated as indicative only.
Update Frequency
Our historical statistics are refreshed annually when DVSA publishes new data. The current dataset covers tests from 2023.
For individual vehicle reports accessed via registration lookup, we use the live DVSA MOT History API to provide real-time MOT history and test results.
Limitations
While our data provides useful insights, please be aware of these limitations:
- Historical, not predictive: Statistics reflect past test results and cannot predict your specific vehicle's outcome.
- No regional breakdown: Pass rates are national averages. Regional or garage-specific variations are not captured.
- Maintenance unknown: The data doesn't account for how well individual vehicles have been maintained.
- Model variants: Different trim levels or engine variants of the same model are aggregated together.
Questions?
If you have questions about our data or methodology, please get in touch.