The areas of the UK where you’re least likely to pass your MOT

Drivers in Enfield are least likely to fail their MOT, with the data showing a 87.04% pass rate

A new study examining MOT tests and outcomes has revealed the areas in the UK least likely to pass.

Analysing 118 postcode areas in the UK, the data – presented by A-Plan insurance – identified the Scottish town of Kirkcaldy as having the lowest pass rates, at 72.9%. Here, drivers are 14% less likely to pass an MOT than in the London Borough of Enfield, the area with the highest percentage pass rates at 87.04%.

A new study examining MOT tests and outcomes has revealed the areas in the UK least likely to pass (PA)

Dundee and Truro were ranked second and third worst respectively. The fourth largest city in Scotland, Dundee has a pass rate of 74%. Almost twice as likely to fail than drivers in Enfield, Truro averages at 74.5%.

Plymouth is ranked as the fourth least likely area to pass an MOT, averaging 74.8%. Meanwhile, Aberdeen has a pass rate of 75.9%, with Exeter ranking sixth at 76.2%, 4% below the national average.

Due on either the third anniversary of a vehicle’s registration or three years since its last assessment, the MOT test is in place to check that vehicles meet road safety and environmental standards. It is illegal to drive a car with an expired MOT, punishable with a fine of up to £1,000.

Depending on the type of vehicle, there are legal restrictions on how much a garage can charge for an MOT. Gov UK lists the maximum fee for a car as £54.85, and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.

Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for A-Plan Insurance said: “An MOT checks that your vehicle meets the road safety and environmental standards and is a requirement by law but it is a particularly easy test to fail.

“Small ways to fail your MOT include your screen wash not being filled up or having a lit-up warning light on the dashboard; ensure that you have checked both of these things.”

A-Plan Insurance has over 100 branches nationwide, providing a personalised service to over 900,000 policy holders.

The top 10 areas least likely to pass an MOT test are:

1.     Kirkcaldy: 72.9% pass rate

2.    Dundee: 74%

3.    Truro: 74.5%

4.    Plymouth: 74.8%

5.    Aberdeen: 75.9%

6.    Exeter: 76.2%

7.     Torquay: 76.3%

8.    Llandrindod Wells, Perth: 76.7%

9.    Telford, Bristol, Inverness: 77.2%

10. Paisley: 77.3%.