The picture
Dvsa: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 902 MOT tests, the Dvsa returns 96.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a defective wiper blade. Windscreen damage and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 131,923, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Wiper blade defective
22 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
17 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 03
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
10 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
10 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 05
Tyre obviously under inflated
8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 06
Steering box leaking oil
5 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
5 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
5 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Excessive oil discharge from a compressor or brake valve
3 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 10
An obstruction within the driver's field of view that materially affects his view in front or to the sides outside the swept area of windscreen
3 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£38–£160
If every one of this Dvsa's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Dvsa?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Dvsa and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.