Where cars rust: MOT structural rust failures by area, 2025

Research • Published 13 November 2026

In 2025, 383,285 MOT tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain failed on structural rust. That is 1 in 87. Where the car is tested makes a large difference: about 1 in 28 in Kirkcaldy against about 1 in 750 in north-west London, after allowing for the age of the vehicles.

This page ranks the 116 postcode areas with enough tests to compare, shows how the rate climbs with age, and lists what the testers failed. The figures are our own count from the 42.7 million test records DVSA publishes as open data. Every table can be downloaded.

  • 383,285 MOT tests failed on structural rust (1.15% of tests)
  • 599,015 failed on rust of any kind, including brake pipes and suspension parts. About 1 in 15 of all MOT failures
  • 14,721 structural rust failures the tester marked as dangerous
  • 1,719,209 tests with structural rust recorded as a failure or an advisory (5.18%)

The highest and lowest areas

The tables give the share of MOT tests that failed on structural rust in each postcode area. The rate is adjusted for vehicle age, so an area does not rank higher just because its cars are older. The area is where the test station is.

Highest 10
Rank Area Rate Roughly
1 Kirkcaldy KY 3.61% 1 in 28
2 Perth PH 3.26% 1 in 31
3 Aberdeen AB 2.97% 1 in 34
4 Dundee DD 2.92% 1 in 34
5 Kilmarnock KA 2.86% 1 in 35
6 Inverness IV 2.86% 1 in 35
7 Falkirk FK 2.85% 1 in 35
8 Motherwell ML 2.47% 1 in 40
9 Paisley PA 2.47% 1 in 41
10 Truro TR 2.32% 1 in 43
Lowest 10
Rank Area Rate Roughly
107 Twickenham TW 0.22% 1 in 452
108 Sutton SM 0.20% 1 in 488
109 Croydon CR 0.20% 1 in 495
110 Ilford IG 0.20% 1 in 503
111 Harrow HA 0.20% 1 in 505
112 Southall UB 0.17% 1 in 575
113 South West London SW 0.15% 1 in 676
114 West London W 0.14% 1 in 709
115 East London E 0.14% 1 in 725
116 North West London NW 0.13% 1 in 746

The nine highest areas are all in Scotland, and Truro is tenth. The fourteen lowest are all in and around London. Kirkcaldy's rate is 28 times that of north-west London.

Structural rust failures by region, 2025
Region MOT tests Failed on structural rust Rate (age-adjusted)
Scotland 2,605,617 44,949 2.64%
Rest of England and Wales 27,060,104 329,999 1.17%
London, inner and outer 3,543,036 8,336 0.24%

London here means these postcode areas: BR, CR, DA, E, EN, HA, IG, KT, N, NW, RM, SE, SM, SW, TW, UB, W and WD.

Road salt and sea air are the usual explanations, and the pattern fits both. This data records where rust failures happen. It cannot show why.

Every postcode area

Structural rust failures in every postcode area, 2025
Rank Area MOT tests Failed on structural rust Rate Age-adjusted rate Range
1 Kirkcaldy KY 186,858 4,996 2.67% 3.61% 3.51 to 3.71%
2 Perth PH 98,541 2,165 2.20% 3.26% 3.13 to 3.39%
3 Aberdeen AB 254,259 4,944 1.94% 2.97% 2.89 to 3.05%
4 Dundee DD 136,160 2,770 2.03% 2.92% 2.82 to 3.03%
5 Kilmarnock KA 178,076 3,212 1.80% 2.86% 2.77 to 2.96%
6 Inverness IV 143,021 2,955 2.07% 2.86% 2.76 to 2.96%
7 Falkirk FK 143,757 2,430 1.69% 2.85% 2.73 to 2.96%
8 Motherwell ML 164,970 2,236 1.35% 2.47% 2.37 to 2.58%
9 Paisley PA 152,360 2,351 1.54% 2.47% 2.37 to 2.57%
10 Truro TR 203,285 6,431 3.16% 2.32% 2.27 to 2.38%
11 Edinburgh EH 418,764 6,432 1.54% 2.31% 2.25 to 2.36%
12 Glasgow G 532,334 7,102 1.33% 2.28% 2.23 to 2.33%
13 Swansea SA 420,248 8,941 2.13% 2.17% 2.13 to 2.21%
14 York YO 315,823 6,110 1.94% 2.16% 2.11 to 2.21%
15 Dumfries DG 77,778 1,432 1.84% 2.16% 2.05 to 2.27%
16 Galashiels TD 63,587 1,027 1.61% 2.10% 1.97 to 2.23%
17 Carlisle CA 198,012 3,384 1.71% 2.08% 2.01 to 2.15%
18 Darlington DL 192,426 3,148 1.64% 2.02% 1.95 to 2.09%
19 Plymouth PL 339,450 8,633 2.54% 1.99% 1.95 to 2.03%
20 Stoke-on-Trent ST 369,773 6,661 1.80% 1.96% 1.92 to 2.01%
21 Sunderland SR 110,609 1,524 1.38% 1.88% 1.79 to 1.98%
22 Lancaster LA 180,363 3,443 1.91% 1.87% 1.81 to 1.93%
23 Kirkwall KW 27,960 472 1.69% 1.86% 1.69 to 2.02%
24 Exeter EX 374,484 9,208 2.46% 1.78% 1.75 to 1.82%
25 Wigan WN 154,435 2,340 1.51% 1.78% 1.71 to 1.85%
26 Blackpool FY 141,300 2,663 1.89% 1.78% 1.71 to 1.84%
27 Llandrindod Wells LD 28,368 565 1.99% 1.70% 1.57 to 1.84%
28 Durham DH 165,412 2,209 1.33% 1.70% 1.62 to 1.76%
29 Newcastle upon Tyne NE 556,809 7,125 1.28% 1.69% 1.65 to 1.73%
30 Cardiff CF 539,764 7,883 1.46% 1.67% 1.64 to 1.71%
31 Hull HU 231,618 3,345 1.44% 1.67% 1.61 to 1.72%
32 Newport NP 290,375 4,686 1.61% 1.66% 1.61 to 1.70%
33 Llandudno LL 317,464 5,930 1.87% 1.63% 1.58 to 1.67%
34 Cleveland TS 308,138 3,972 1.29% 1.58% 1.53 to 1.63%
35 Chester CH 369,877 5,244 1.42% 1.55% 1.51 to 1.59%
36 Torquay TQ 169,280 3,975 2.35% 1.53% 1.49 to 1.58%
37 Blackburn BB 288,452 4,136 1.43% 1.51% 1.47 to 1.56%
38 Shrewsbury SY 225,180 3,811 1.69% 1.51% 1.46 to 1.56%
39 Harrogate HG 93,409 1,028 1.10% 1.50% 1.41 to 1.58%
40 Bolton BL 254,329 2,940 1.16% 1.48% 1.43 to 1.53%
41 Telford TF 126,240 1,930 1.53% 1.47% 1.41 to 1.54%
42 Halifax HX 83,052 1,099 1.32% 1.47% 1.38 to 1.55%
43 Oldham OL 228,145 2,675 1.17% 1.43% 1.38 to 1.48%
44 Lincoln LN 188,510 2,637 1.40% 1.42% 1.36 to 1.47%
45 Doncaster DN 433,685 5,678 1.31% 1.41% 1.38 to 1.45%
46 Crewe CW 201,508 2,377 1.18% 1.39% 1.33 to 1.44%
47 Norwich NR 456,465 7,590 1.66% 1.37% 1.34 to 1.40%
48 Dorchester DT 130,375 2,887 2.21% 1.37% 1.32 to 1.42%
49 Wakefield WF 294,951 3,478 1.18% 1.35% 1.31 to 1.39%
50 Gloucester GL 410,599 6,701 1.63% 1.33% 1.30 to 1.36%
51 Preston PR 305,315 3,686 1.21% 1.33% 1.29 to 1.38%
52 Huddersfield HD 136,726 1,479 1.08% 1.33% 1.26 to 1.40%
53 Stockport SK 335,296 3,670 1.09% 1.32% 1.28 to 1.36%
54 Warrington WA 340,554 3,387 0.99% 1.30% 1.26 to 1.34%
55 Nottingham NG 615,138 7,718 1.25% 1.28% 1.25 to 1.31%
56 Bristol BS 575,556 8,261 1.44% 1.26% 1.24 to 1.29%
57 Taunton TA 217,052 3,912 1.80% 1.25% 1.21 to 1.29%
58 Bath BA 281,123 4,575 1.63% 1.24% 1.20 to 1.27%
59 Leeds LS 373,060 3,843 1.03% 1.22% 1.18 to 1.26%
60 Hereford HR 124,379 1,917 1.54% 1.21% 1.16 to 1.27%
61 Sheffield S 749,011 8,222 1.10% 1.15% 1.12 to 1.17%
62 Bradford BD 295,508 3,376 1.14% 1.14% 1.10 to 1.18%
63 Bournemouth BH 348,759 5,202 1.49% 1.09% 1.06 to 1.12%
64 Derby DE 458,772 4,759 1.04% 1.08% 1.05 to 1.12%
65 Brighton BN 402,221 5,600 1.39% 1.08% 1.05 to 1.11%
66 Ipswich IP 395,533 5,267 1.33% 1.08% 1.05 to 1.11%
67 Worcester WR 196,043 2,444 1.25% 1.07% 1.03 to 1.11%
68 Dudley DY 225,523 2,635 1.17% 1.07% 1.03 to 1.11%
69 Salisbury SP 159,006 2,099 1.32% 1.04% 1.00 to 1.09%
70 Walsall WS 238,980 2,375 0.99% 1.04% 1.00 to 1.08%
71 Portsmouth PO 470,978 6,432 1.37% 1.03% 1.01 to 1.06%
72 Liverpool L 363,255 3,146 0.87% 1.03% 0.99 to 1.06%
73 Manchester M 498,544 4,796 0.96% 0.98% 0.96 to 1.01%
74 Peterborough PE 617,736 6,472 1.05% 0.98% 0.95 to 1.00%
75 Wolverhampton WV 224,430 2,061 0.92% 0.95% 0.91 to 0.99%
76 Swindon SN 296,008 3,086 1.04% 0.94% 0.91 to 0.98%
77 Northampton NN 451,762 4,040 0.89% 0.91% 0.88 to 0.94%
78 Canterbury CT 256,716 2,799 1.09% 0.89% 0.86 to 0.93%
79 Tonbridge TN 444,864 4,916 1.10% 0.88% 0.85 to 0.90%
80 Southampton SO 406,858 4,115 1.01% 0.87% 0.84 to 0.89%
81 Cambridge CB 235,701 2,251 0.95% 0.84% 0.81 to 0.88%
82 Leicester LE 589,085 5,267 0.89% 0.84% 0.82 to 0.86%
83 Colchester CO 263,636 2,641 1.00% 0.82% 0.79 to 0.85%
84 Coventry CV 491,027 4,078 0.83% 0.82% 0.79 to 0.84%
85 Birmingham B 1,038,789 7,493 0.72% 0.71% 0.69 to 0.72%
86 Oxford OX 372,106 2,922 0.79% 0.69% 0.67 to 0.72%
87 Medway ME 355,180 2,537 0.71% 0.66% 0.63 to 0.69%
88 Guildford GU 453,061 3,260 0.72% 0.64% 0.62 to 0.66%
89 Redhill RH 346,774 2,637 0.76% 0.63% 0.61 to 0.66%
90 Milton Keynes MK 349,988 2,196 0.63% 0.63% 0.60 to 0.65%
91 St Albans AL 147,254 813 0.55% 0.60% 0.56 to 0.64%
92 Chelmsford CM 399,806 2,173 0.54% 0.56% 0.54 to 0.59%
93 Reading RG 506,805 2,991 0.59% 0.56% 0.54 to 0.58%
94 Watford WD 131,737 584 0.44% 0.53% 0.48 to 0.57%
95 Stevenage SG 243,292 1,177 0.48% 0.47% 0.45 to 0.50%
96 Hemel Hempstead HP 321,232 1,636 0.51% 0.47% 0.45 to 0.49%
97 Southend-on-Sea SS 291,456 1,532 0.53% 0.45% 0.43 to 0.47%
98 Dartford DA 244,502 886 0.36% 0.40% 0.37 to 0.43%
99 Luton LU 219,158 908 0.41% 0.38% 0.36 to 0.41%
100 Bromley BR 120,173 310 0.26% 0.33% 0.29 to 0.36%
101 Romford RM 270,164 770 0.28% 0.32% 0.30 to 0.34%
102 Slough SL 238,855 810 0.34% 0.30% 0.28 to 0.32%
103 Kingston upon Thames KT 277,514 866 0.31% 0.29% 0.28 to 0.31%
104 Enfield EN 195,435 509 0.26% 0.27% 0.24 to 0.29%
105 South East London SE 260,886 753 0.29% 0.26% 0.24 to 0.28%
106 North London N 224,138 555 0.25% 0.22% 0.20 to 0.24%
107 Twickenham TW 243,725 551 0.23% 0.22% 0.20 to 0.24%
108 Sutton SM 74,601 179 0.24% 0.20% 0.17 to 0.24%
109 Croydon CR 225,833 462 0.20% 0.20% 0.18 to 0.22%
110 Ilford IG 145,798 239 0.16% 0.20% 0.17 to 0.23%
111 Harrow HA 200,040 379 0.19% 0.20% 0.18 to 0.22%
112 Southall UB 204,599 359 0.17% 0.17% 0.16 to 0.19%
113 South West London SW 143,591 207 0.14% 0.15% 0.13 to 0.17%
114 West London W 89,463 128 0.14% 0.14% 0.12 to 0.17%
115 East London E 268,239 345 0.13% 0.14% 0.12 to 0.15%
116 North West London NW 222,605 254 0.11% 0.13% 0.12 to 0.15%
Not ranked Outer Hebrides HS 14,822 280 1.89% 2.14% 1.89 to 2.39%
Not ranked Small areas grouped by DVSA XX 2,165 1 0.05% 0.04% 0.00 to 0.11%
Not ranked Shetland ZE 12,372 145 1.17% 1.79% 1.50 to 2.09%

The range is a 95% confidence interval. Outer Hebrides and Shetland had fewer than 20,000 tests, so they are listed but not ranked. DVSA groups a few small areas together as XX, and EC and WC do not appear separately.

Download this table with more columns (CSV)

Rust and age

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40+ Vehicle age in years Structural rust recorded, failure or advisory Failed on structural rust
Share of MOT tests by vehicle age, 2025. The dashed line counts advisories as well as failures.

Structural rust is rare on a young car. At 10 years old, 0.22% of tests fail on it. At 15 it is 2.57%, at 20 it is 5.71%, and it peaks at 8.71% at 27 years.

Count advisories as well and the numbers are much larger: structural rust is written on 12.74% of tests at 15 years old and 19.02% at 20.

Vehicles aged 13 or more take 29% of the tests and 91% of the structural rust failures.

The rate falls for the oldest vehicles, likely because the ones that last that long have been looked after. Most vehicles over 40 years old no longer need an MOT, so those still being tested are there by choice.

Download the figures by age (CSV)

What the testers failed

The MOT has no single box for rust. The tester picks the defect that fits, and 89 of the defects for cars name corrosion. These ten were recorded most often in 2025.

Corrosion defects most often recorded as MOT failures, 2025
Defect Structural Times recorded
Rigid brake pipe excessively corroded No 272,147
Corrosion within 30 cm of a suspension component mounting Yes 252,171
Body structure corroded so that rigidity is significantly reduced Yes 88,506
Seat belt anchorage area: strength significantly reduced Yes 78,422
Body or chassis corrosion within 30 cm of a body mounting Yes 62,962
Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened No 49,194
Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened Yes 46,054
Chassis corroded so that rigidity is significantly reduced Yes 37,835
Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded No 36,874
Corrosion within 30 cm of a sub-frame mounting Yes 24,358

There is no MOT defect for sills. A rotten sill is recorded as body structure corrosion, or as corrosion within 30 cm of a suspension or seat belt mounting. It is counted in these figures but cannot be shown separately.

Corroded brake pipes are the most common rust failure of all. They count under rust of any kind, not under structural rust.

Month by month

January 1.15% February 1.13% March 1.03% April 1.17% May 1.07% June 1.07% July 1.16% August 1.17% September 1.12% October 1.30% November 1.32% December 1.16%
Share of MOT tests that failed on structural rust, by month, 2025.

The share of tests failing on structural rust ran from 1.03% in March to 1.32% in November.

Download the figures by month (CSV)

How we counted

The source

DVSA publishes an anonymised record of every MOT test and every defect recorded, under the Open Government Licence. We used the 2025 files, published in June 2026: 42,728,066 test records and 92,473,454 defect records.

DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results

Which tests

Class 4 vehicles (cars, motor caravans and vans up to 3,000 kg), first attempts only, with a result of pass, fail, or pass after a repair during the test. Retests are left out. That gives 33,210,951 tests, of which 9,193,623 (27.68%) failed. This is the definition DVSA uses for its own initial failure rate.

What counts as rust

DVSA does not flag corrosion. We read the wording of all 1,930 current defects for class 4 and listed the 89 whose failure wording names corrosion. 34 of them are structural: the body structure, chassis and sub-frames, and the areas within 30 cm of suspension, steering, brake, seat belt and towbar mountings.

Download the corrosion defect code list (CSV)

One judgement call

Since May 2018 the failure wording for a weak seat belt anchorage area no longer says what weakened it. The advisory version of the same defect names corrosion, so we count it. Without it the national rate is 1.05%. Leaving out sub-frames gives 1.03%. Neither change moves the area ranking.

What is left out

Brake discs and drums ("worn, pitted or scored"), exhausts and floors ("excessively deteriorated") are not counted, because the wording does not say corrosion. The true number of rust failures will be somewhat higher than ours.

Adjusting for age

Older cars rust more, and some areas have older cars. Each area's rate is recalculated as if its vehicles had the national mix of ages, in eleven age bands.

Checked against DVSA

Counted the same way, our totals for classes 3 and 4 match DVSA's published quarterly figures closely.

Our test counts against DVSA's published figures
Period Our count DVSA's count Difference
January to March 2025 8,968,657 8,967,189 +0.02%
April to June 2025 7,545,787 7,545,188 +0.01%
October to December 2025 8,076,121 8,107,453 -0.39%

DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain

What this does not show

  • Where the owner lives. The area is the test station's, and people take cars to garages outside their own postcode area.
  • Vehicles. These are tests, so a car tested twice in the year counts twice.
  • Why. Salt, coast, rainfall, the mix of vehicles and how strict local testers are all feed in. London stations fail fewer cars for any reason (22.5% against 33.1% in Scotland, age-adjusted), so part of the gap may be down to testers.
  • Make and model. The ranking barely changes when make is allowed for as well as age. Those figures are in the download.
  • Rust nobody recorded. A tester can only fail what they can see.
  • Other years. This is 2025 only.

If your MOT mentions corrosion

An advisory for corrosion is the time to act, while it is still a treatment job.

Use this data

You are welcome to reuse these tables and charts. Please credit Car Rust Handbook and link to this page.

Suggested citation

Car Rust Handbook (2026). MOT structural rust failures by postcode area, Great Britain, 2025. https://carrust.co.uk/research/mot-rust-failures-by-area/

Source: DVSA, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Next update: mid 2027, after DVSA publishes its 2026 data.

Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will correct it on this page with the date.