MOT pass rates in St Albans

147,254 cars took a first MOT at test centres in the AL postcode area in 2025. The AL postcode area covers St Albans and the towns around it — Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Harpenden among them. How the cars did, what they failed on, and what the area drives — computed from the official DVSA record. Figures describe tests done in this area, wherever the cars live.

Pass rate 2025
76.0%
3.7 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); reflects the mix of cars tested here
Tests analysed
147,254
first tests, 2025
Average car age at test
10.2 yrs
national average 10.7 yrs
Arrived with a dangerous fault
5.7%
of AL-area first tests; national 7.3%

How St Albans compares

Ranks and comparisons cover the 116 postcode areas with 20,000 or more first tests in 2025 — the full field at that floor; DVSA merges its smallest areas into one shared code, which is excluded. Location is always the test centre's postcode area, not where any car is kept. Ranks are unadjusted for the age and mix of each area's fleet — they say where an area sits, not why. Areas are often separated by a fraction of a year or a fraction of a point: each rank is exact on the data, but neighbouring ranks can be effectively level.

Pass rate rank
#20 highest
76.0% of first tests passed, of the 116 areas
Fleet age
#89 oldest
average 10.2 yrs at test, of the 116 areas
Electric share
#17 highest
3.1% of first tests were electric cars, of the 116 areas
Tests done
#94 busiest
147,254 first tests in 2025, of the 116 areas

The area's signature make

Of the twelve most-tested makes at AL-area test centres, Honda is the one tested furthest above its national share: 3.9% of AL-area first tests against 2.7% of tests nationally — 1.5 times its national rate. That is a fact about what the area drives, not a claim about the make.

St Albans and its neighbours

St Albans and five neighbouring postcode areas, 2025. Pass rates are unadjusted for fleet age and mix.

AreaFirst tests Pass rateAvg ageElectric
AL (St Albans)147,25476.0%10.2 yrs3.1%
EN (Enfield)195,43578.3%10.4 yrs2.7%
HP (Hemel Hempstead)321,23275.3%10.9 yrs2.7%
LU (Luton)219,15874.9%11.2 yrs2.0%
SG (Stevenage)243,29274.2%10.7 yrs2.3%
WD (Watford)131,73774.0%9.8 yrs3.8%

Pass rate by car age — AL area vs national

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 2025.

St Albans (AL) areaAll of Britain
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)AL area, vehicle age 3: 87.8%AL area, vehicle age 4: 86.8%AL area, vehicle age 5: 86.6%AL area, vehicle age 6: 85.4%AL area, vehicle age 7: 83.1%AL area, vehicle age 8: 81%AL area, vehicle age 9: 78.4%AL area, vehicle age 10: 75.7%AL area, vehicle age 11: 72.3%AL area, vehicle age 12: 68.3%AL area, vehicle age 13: 66%AL area, vehicle age 14: 63.6%AL area, vehicle age 15: 62.9%AL area, vehicle age 16: 62.2%AL area, vehicle age 17: 61.5%AL area, vehicle age 18: 60.4%AL area, vehicle age 19: 59.8%AL area, vehicle age 20: 61.1%All of Britain, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 5: 86%All of Britain, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All of Britain, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All of Britain, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All of Britain, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All of Britain, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All of Britain, vehicle age 19: 57%All of Britain, vehicle age 20: 57.6%AL area 61.1%All of Britain 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)AL area testsAL area pass rateAll cars
310,46187.8%88.5%
49,68786.8%87.2%
59,38686.6%86.0%
612,31585.4%83.5%
712,09983.1%80.9%
811,93781.0%78.2%
911,65178.4%74.9%
1010,38675.7%71.9%
118,98672.3%68.6%
127,88768.3%65.8%
136,56266.0%63.5%
145,69663.6%61.2%
155,40962.9%59.3%
164,81762.2%58.3%
173,95461.5%57.2%
183,53660.4%57.4%
192,92759.8%57.0%
202,22061.1%57.6%

Better or worse than the national average?

The AL area's pass rate minus the national pass rate at each car age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: AL-area tests beat the national average for that age. Below zero: they trail.

AL area aheadAL area behind
-6-3+0+3+6Age 3: -0.7 points vs the average car3Age 4: -0.4 points vs the average carAge 5: +0.6 points vs the average car5Age 6: +1.9 points vs the average carAge 7: +2.2 points vs the average car7Age 8: +2.8 points vs the average carAge 9: +3.5 points vs the average car9Age 10: +3.8 points vs the average carAge 11: +3.7 points vs the average car11Age 12: +2.5 points vs the average carAge 13: +2.5 points vs the average car13Age 14: +2.4 points vs the average carAge 15: +3.6 points vs the average car15Age 16: +3.9 points vs the average carAge 17: +4.3 points vs the average car17Age 18: +3.0 points vs the average carAge 19: +2.8 points vs the average car19Age 20: +3.5 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3-0.7
4-0.4
5+0.6
6+1.9
7+2.2
8+2.8
9+3.5
10+3.8
11+3.7
12+2.5
13+2.5
14+2.4
15+3.6
16+3.9
17+4.3
18+3.0
19+2.8
20+3.5

The cars tested around St Albans, by age

How many cars of each age took a first MOT at AL-area test centres in 2025 — the age profile of what the area actually drives.

05k10k15k20kAge 3: 10k3Age 4: 9kAge 5: 9k5Age 6: 12kAge 7: 12k7Age 8: 11kAge 9: 11k9Age 10: 10kAge 11: 8k11Age 12: 7kAge 13: 6k13Age 14: 5kAge 15: 5k15Age 16: 4kAge 17: 3k17Age 18: 3kAge 19: 2k19Age 20: 2k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
310,461
49,687
59,386
612,315
712,099
811,937
911,651
1010,386
118,986
127,887
136,562
145,696
155,409
164,817
173,954
183,536
192,927
202,220

What cars fail on around St Albans

Where the failure items land for tests done in the AL area, 2025.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment28.7%
Suspension18.3%
Tyres15.6%
Brakes11.2%
Visibility9.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.0%
Body, chassis, structure4.7%
Steering2.9%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (96.9% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" in the AL area, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 36.1% of advisories36.1%Brakes: 24.2% of advisories24.2%Suspension: 20.6% of advisories20.6%Non-component advisories: 5.8% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 3.0% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 2.7% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres36.1%
Brakes24.2%
Suspension20.6%
Non-component advisories5.8%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.0%
Body, chassis, structure2.7%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested fuel types in the AL area, 2025, against the national all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 75.7% of 89,273 tests75.7%Petrol89,273 testsDiesel: 72.8% of 41,105 tests72.8%Diesel41,105 testsHybrid electric: 85.7% of 12,030 tests85.7%Hybrid12,030 testsElectric: 82.3% of 4,493 tests82.3%Electric4,493 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol89,27375.7%
Diesel41,10572.8%
Hybrid electric12,03085.7%
Electric4,49382.3%

What mileage is normal around St Albans?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, AL-area tests, 2025. The line is the typical (median) car; the shaded band holds the middle half.

Typical car, AL area (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 23,750 miles (middle half 16,250–33,750)Age 4: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–43,750)Age 5: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 23,750–48,750)Age 6: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 28,750–58,750)Age 7: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 33,750–66,250)Age 8: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 38,750–76,250)Age 9: typical 61,250 miles (middle half 43,750–83,750)Age 10: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 48,750–88,750)Age 11: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 53,750–96,250)Age 12: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 56,250–101,250)Age 13: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 58,750–106,250)Age 14: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 63,750–113,750)Age 15: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 66,250–116,250)Age 16: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 63,750–118,750)Age 17: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 71,250–126,250)Age 18: typical 98,750 miles (middle half 71,250–128,750)Age 19: typical 98,750 miles (middle half 71,250–128,750)Age 20: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 68,750–128,750)96k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
316,25023,75033,750
421,25031,25043,750
523,75036,25048,750
628,75041,25058,750
733,75048,75066,250
838,75056,25076,250
943,75061,25083,750
1048,75068,75088,750
1153,75073,75096,250
1256,25078,750101,250
1358,75081,250106,250
1463,75088,750113,750
1566,25088,750116,250
1663,75088,750118,750
1771,25096,250126,250
1871,25098,750128,750
1971,25098,750128,750
2068,75096,250128,750

What the AL area drives

The 12 most-tested makes at AL-area test centres, 2025, ordered by how many were tested — not a pass-rate league. Pass rates are unadjusted for fleet age: a make whose cars round here run older sits lower for that reason alone.

MakeTests 2025 Pass rate
Ford17,73871.0%
Volkswagen15,02777.1%
Vauxhall9,95567.1%
Audi9,67380.9%
Toyota8,78474.7%
Nissan7,79873.6%
BMW6,91079.4%
Mercedes-Benz6,14275.6%
Honda5,80378.7%
Kia5,21177.1%
Hyundai5,15881.4%
Peugeot4,66273.0%

MOT test centres in the AL area

70 DVSA-approved MOT test stations across the AL postcode area, 63 of them approved for cars (class 4). Grouped by town, largest first. Classes: 1–2 motorcycles, 3 three-wheelers, 4 cars and small vans, 5 minibuses, 7 vans 3,000–3,500 kg.

CentreAddressPhoneClasses
St Albans — 27 centres
Abbey Autos LimitedUnit 30, Soothouse Spring, AL3 6PF07850 8618924, 5, 7
Brayley HondaLyon Way, Hatfield Road, AL4 0QU01727 7220004
Bridge Motors51 Radlett Road, Frogmore, AL2 2JX01727 8746604
Citygate Volkswagen St AlbansUnit 11 Alban Park, Hatfield Road, AL4 0JJ01727 890100Not listed
D P Motors13-15 Sutton Road, AL1 5JQ01727 8366734
Drive Thru Mot LtdUnit 13, North Orbital Commercial Park, Napsbury Lane, AL1 1XB01727 8583004, 5, 7
Formula One AutocentresUnit 6, Acrewood Way, Hatfield Road, AL4 0FT01727 8520004
Gates Of Stevenage105 Ashley Road, AL1 5DE01727 7913004, 5, 7
Glyn HopkinLyon Way, AL4 0QU01708 7379994, 7
Glyn Hopkin LimitedCla-Gal House, Lyon Way, AL4 0LB01727 8180654
Glyn Hopkin LtdLyon Way, Off Hatfield Road, AL4 0QU01727 8118114
Gold Crest Motors Ltd165a Camp Road, AL1 5LZ01727 8328354
Guildford Road Motors20 Guildford Road, AL1 5JY01727 8308844
Halfords Autocentres LtdUnit 1, Acrewood Park, Acrewood Way, AL4 0FT01727 8104314, 7
Harts Motors131 High Street, Markyate, AL3 8LG01582 8404741, 2, 4
Intelligent Autos279 High Street, London Colney, AL2 1EU01727 8241961, 2, 4
John Gordon Motors LtdRear Of 117 London Road, AL1 1LR01727 855096Not listed
Kwik - Fit212 Hatfield Road, AL1 4HY01727 8323814
M Chapman Auto Services LimitedUnit 6, North Orbital Commercial Park, Napsbury Lane, AL1 1XB07860 3437511, 2, 4, 7
M Wilson Motor RepairsUnit 9, Sphere Industrial Estate, Campfield Road, AL1 5HT01727 8305394
Old London Road Garage Ltd103-105 Old London Road, AL1 1QD01727 8672144
Park Street Test CentrePaynes Yard, Park Street Lane, AL2 2NE01727 8738144
Prestige Performance Ltd214-218 Hatfield Road, AL1 4LW01727 8363724
Royal Mail Group Plc Fleet And Maintenance Services12-14 Brickknoll Park, Ashley Road, AL1 5BB07483 1575784, 7
St Albans Car ClinicUnits 5 & 6, The Gryphon Industrial Park, Porters Wood, AL3 6XZ01727 8677474
St Albans Recovery610 Hatfield Road, Smallford, AL4 0HP01727 8348404
Watling Test Centre Ltd88 Park Street, AL2 2LR01727 7688264
Welwyn Garden City — 16 centres
Bikersrealm LtdUnit 23, Little Ridge, Ridgeway, AL7 2BH01707 3216661, 2
Burrowfield Auto Services Ltd2 Woodfield Road, AL7 1JQ01707 3930174
Formula One Autocentres Limited1 South Mundells, AL7 1EP01707 3714114
G & B Autos Ltd12 Little Burrow, AL7 4SW01707 7071104
G & D Auto Services LtdUnit 7, Mundells Court, AL7 1EN01707 3213114
Halfords AutocentreUnit B, Bridge Park, 27 Bridge Road East, AL7 1HL01707 3960974
Hallgrove Garage LtdUnit 4, Tewin Court, AL7 1AU01707 3919854
Kwik-Fit27 Bridge Road East, AL7 1JE01707 3959954
Malmech & Mannion3 & 4 Southfield, Chequers Industrial Estate, AL7 4ST01707 3226684, 5, 7
Mot Your Car LtdRear Of 34 Burrowfield, AL7 4SR01707 5187291, 2, 3, 4
Overland AutomotiveUnit 6, The Bridgefields Estate, Bridgefields, AL7 1RX07985 5531901, 2, 4, 5, 7
Pit-Stop Autocentres (wgc) LtdUnit 4, East Burrowfield, AL7 4TB01707 3937394
Supertyres Motorist Centre (welwyn) Ltd23a Broadwater Road, AL7 3BQ01707 3711114
Welwyn Auto Centre9 Blenheim Couirt, Brownfields, AL7 1AN01707 8184924
Welwyn Tyre And Mot Centre8 Quadrant Park, Mundells, Blackfan Road, AL7 1FS01707 3223994, 5, 7
Wings Of Welwyn5 Southfield, AL7 4ST01707 3201744, 5, 7
Hatfield — 12 centres
Brayleys Cars LimitedMillwards House, Great North Road, North Mymms, AL9 5SD01707 9129004, 5, 7
Citroen Hatfield1 Great North Road, AL9 5JA01707 2885504
Fairway Tyre & Auto Services Ltd1 Bury Road, AL10 8BJ01707 2687404, 5, 7
Hatfield Jaguar Land RoverGrange Hatfield, Mosquito Way, AL10 9US01707 2662554
Jack Barclay Service CentreHr Owen Dealerships, Hatfield Business Park, Mosquito Way, AL10 9WN01707 9253834
Jack Barclay Service CentreHr Owen Dealerships, Hatfield Business Park, Mosquito Way, AL10 9WN01707 5241114
M G SticklandUnit 25, The I O Centre, Hearle Way, AL10 9EW01707 2658874
Multi Sites174 Great North Road, AL9 5JN07717 5163674
Porsche Centre Hatfield1 Hatfield Avenue, AL10 9UA01707 2779114
Saga Truck & Van LtdTravellers Lane, AL9 7HN01707 261111Not listed
Steven Eagell ToyotaH R Owen Park, 168 Great North Road, AL9 5JN01707 2521004
Welham Green Service StationDellsome Lane, Welham Green, AL9 7NF01707 267100Not listed
Harpenden — 6 centres
Brayleys Cars Ltd17 Luton Road, AL5 2UA01582 4641004
Harpenden Mill Autocare LtdUnit 3 Batford Mill, Lower Luton Road, AL5 5BZ01582 8535674, 7
Harpenden Mot CentreUnit 3, Southdown Ind Est, AL5 1PW01582 4699694
Kwik - Fit74 - 76 High Street, AL5 2SP01582 4616264
Pan Auto ServicesUnit 1, 48 Coldharbour Lane, AL5 4UN01582 7643224, 7
The Two Wheel Centre Ltd50 Westfield Road, AL5 4HW01582 7686301, 2
Herts — 2 centres
Jn Tyres7 Swallow End, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1JA01707 329181Not listed
Welwyn Test Centre27a Hyde Way, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3UQ01707 3736224
Redbourn — 2 centres
Redbourn Auto SolutionsUnit 6 Redbourn Industrial Estate, High Street, AL3 7LG01582 6793004, 5, 7
Redbourn Mot Centre Ltd1 High Street, AL3 7LE01582 7940004, 5, 7
Welwyn — 2 centres
Jwj Car & Commercial113-115 Codicote Road, AL6 9TY01438 8203514
Old Welwyn Mot12-14 School Lane, AL6 9PH01438 7150761, 2, 4
London Colney — 1 centre
Golden Lion Garage Used CarsGolden Lion Garage, 111 High Street, AL2 1RG01727 8222684
North Mymms — 1 centre
P T Motors LtdSouthern Cross Garage, Swanland Road, AL9 7TS01707 6626874
Wheathampstead — 1 centre
Jessamine Motor Co Ltd15 High Street, AL4 8BQ01582 8322124

Source: DVSA Active MOT test stations (Open Government Licence v3.0), release of 26 February 2026. Listing here means DVSA approves the station for the classes shown; it is not a recommendation, and we publish no per-garage pass rates. Some stations are sole traders, so an address may be a home address — we show it because DVSA publishes it as the approved test site. Run a test station and want your entry corrected or removed? Email [email protected] and we will act within 7 days.

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Location is the test centre's postcode area, not where any car is kept. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.