Chelmsford MOT pass rate
Cars tested in Chelmsford, age-adjusted, has a pass rate of 81.8%, a little higher than the national average (79.2%).
82.6%
Raw pass rate
81.8%
Age-adjusted pass rate
+2.6 pts
vs national average
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“Cars tested in Chelmsford, age-adjusted, has a pass rate of 81.8%, a little higher than the national average (79.2%).”
82.6% of 652,757 MOT tests carried out in Chelmsford pass — the age-adjusted figure is 81.8%.
Pass rate by vehicle age in Chelmsford
| Vehicle age | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 years | 92.3% | 37,634 |
| 3–6 years | 91.0% | 160,492 |
| 6–10 years | 84.8% | 196,276 |
| 10–15 years | 76.0% | 144,788 |
| 15+ years | 72.4% | 113,567 |
Most common MOT failure reasons in Chelmsford
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 47.5% |
| Suspension | 27.9% |
| Tyres | 26.1% |
| Brakes | 20.9% |
| Visibility | 15.6% |
Methodology and data source
- Source: DVSA “Anonymised MOT tests and results”, data.gov.uk, under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Coverage: Full year 2024, test class 4 (cars), normal (initial) tests only.
- This covers cars tested in Chelmsford (DVSA's postcode_area field is the testing station's location, not the vehicle owner's home address).
- The age-adjusted figure is standardised to the national vehicle-age mix, so it isn't just reflecting whether this area's tested fleet happens to run older or newer than average.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Chelmsford?
- 82.6% of MOT tests carried out in Chelmsford pass, based on 652,757 tests. Adjusted for the age of cars tested there, the figure is 81.8%.
- Does this show cars registered in Chelmsford, or tested there?
- Tested there. DVSA's data records the postcode of the testing station, not the vehicle owner's home address, so this reflects cars tested in Chelmsford — which may include vehicles from further afield — not necessarily cars kept locally.
- What's the most common MOT failure reason in Chelmsford?
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the most common failure category among tests carried out in Chelmsford, present in 47.5% of failed tests there.