Buying a car
Where in Britain do cars rust most?
Rust is one of the faults an MOT history can warn you about years ahead. We counted corrosion on 1.8 million MOTs of cars first registered from 2012 to 2016 and sorted them by where they were tested.
By Tania Elsafin. Updated
Where do cars rust most in the UK?
In our count of DVSA records, cars tested around Perth, Swansea, Kirkcaldy and Aberdeen were the most likely to have corrosion noted at the MOT: about one in four. Across Britain it was about one in ten. In London it was nearer one in thirty.
The 15 areas with the most corrosion
By postcode area of the test centre. Corrosion noted means any item worded as corroded, from an advisory to a fail.
| Postcode area | Corrosion noted | Failed on corrosion | MOTs counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| PH (Perth) | 25.2% | 2.8% | 4,975 |
| SA (Swansea) | 24.6% | 1.5% | 23,442 |
| KY (Kirkcaldy) | 23.1% | 3.5% | 10,870 |
| AB (Aberdeen) | 23.0% | 3.6% | 13,000 |
| FK (Falkirk) | 21.6% | 2.3% | 7,530 |
| TR (Truro) | 21.3% | 1.7% | 9,843 |
| IV (Inverness) | 21.2% | 3.2% | 7,304 |
| DD (Dundee) | 19.7% | 3.3% | 7,109 |
| KA (Kilmarnock) | 19.0% | 2.9% | 9,766 |
| EH (Edinburgh) | 18.9% | 2.5% | 22,596 |
| DG (Dumfries) | 18.9% | 1.7% | 4,480 |
| PA (Paisley) | 18.5% | 2.7% | 8,017 |
| TD (Galashiels) | 18.4% | 2.3% | 3,511 |
| NE (Newcastle upon Tyne) | 16.7% | 1.7% | 32,918 |
| ML (Motherwell) | 15.2% | 3.1% | 8,571 |
Across all of Britain, 9.7% of these cars had corrosion noted and 0.8% failed on it. Twelve of the fifteen areas are in Scotland.
The 10 areas with the least
| Postcode area | Corrosion noted | Failed on corrosion | MOTs counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| IG (Ilford) | 2.9% | 0.1% | 7,000 |
| E (East London) | 3.1% | 0.1% | 13,126 |
| SW (South West London) | 3.2% | 0.1% | 6,748 |
| HA (Harrow) | 3.3% | 0.1% | 10,193 |
| RM (Romford) | 3.3% | 0.2% | 13,701 |
| KT (Kingston upon Thames) | 3.3% | 0.2% | 13,300 |
| SM (Sutton) | 3.4% | 0.1% | 4,015 |
| UB (Southall) | 3.5% | 0.2% | 10,567 |
| BR (Bromley) | 3.6% | 0.1% | 5,478 |
| EN (Enfield) | 3.6% | 0.1% | 9,849 |
All ten are in and around London.
Why it varies
Our count shows where corrosion was recorded, not why. The top of the table is mostly Scotland, Wales and Cornwall, with more rain and more gritted winter roads than London.
Testers also differ in how often they write a corrosion advisory. The fail column is the firmer measure, because a fail follows the inspection manual. It shows the same pattern: fails ran at 1.5% to 3.6% across the top fifteen and at 0.1% to 0.2% across London.
How to check a used car for rust
- Read the MOT history for the words corroded and corrosion. Note which part each one is on.
- Treat corrosion on the sills, a subframe, the floor or the brake pipes as serious. Corrosion on a spring or a bracket is more often just age.
- Look underneath with a torch at the viewing, along the sills and around the suspension mounts.
- Ask where the car has been kept. One from an area at the top of our table is worth a closer look underneath.
- If an advisory said corroded, ask what was done about it before the next test.
How to read an MOT historyRun the free MOT checkGOV.UK: MOT changes from 20 May 2018
How we counted
These counts use the anonymised MOT records DVSA put out in June 2026: all 1,801,710 normal tests on cars first registered from 2012 to 2016 with their MOT in February or March 2025, without light vans.
A test counts as corrosion noted if the tester recorded any item worded as corroded or corrosion, whether an advisory, a minor defect or a fail. The area is the postcode area of the test centre, not of the owner. Areas with fewer than 2,000 tests are left out.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Do cars rust more in Scotland?
In our count, yes. Twelve of the fifteen postcode areas with the most corrosion noted at the MOT were in Scotland, led by Perth, Kirkcaldy and Aberdeen.
Is a little rust on an MOT a problem?
It depends where it is. Corrosion on a spring or a bracket is usually age. On the sills, a subframe, the floor or the brake pipes it affects the car’s strength or its brakes, so ask what was done about it.
How common is rust on a ten-year-old car?
Across Britain, 9.7% of cars first registered from 2012 to 2016 had corrosion noted at their MOT in early 2025. Fewer than one in a hundred failed on it.
Does the MOT check for rust?
Yes, where corrosion affects the parts the test covers, such as the structure, brakes, suspension and steering. A tester can also note it as an advisory.
The checks in this guide
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