MOT pass rates in St Albans (AL postcode area)
In 2025, 139,886 cars and vans took their MOT at test stations in the AL postcode area — and 75.6% passed first time. That ranks St Albans 20 of 118 UK postcode areas, with a first-attempt failure rate of 24.4% against a national average of 27.9% (-3.6 points better than the country as a whole).
Testing here soon? Check your MOT due date free and run the 10-minute pre-test checklist first.
MOT test centres in the AL area
Frequently asked questions
Why do pass rates differ between areas?
Vehicle age is the biggest driver — areas with older cars fail more often — along with mileage patterns, road conditions and local incomes. The test itself is the same everywhere, and the fee is capped by law at £54.85 for a car.
Does this mean garages in St Albans are stricter?
No — these figures reflect the vehicles being tested, not tester behaviour. Wherever you test, the same DVSA inspection manual applies.
Where does this data come from?
DVSA's anonymised MOT results for 2025 (Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0), aggregated by the postcode area of the test station. See the full methodology.