Porsche 911 MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 37,427 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 87.5% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 94.9% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 83.6% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Porsche 911?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 2,373 | 94.9% |
| 6–9 years | 6,490 | 94.4% |
| 10–14 years | 6,163 | 91.8% |
| 15–30 years | 22,401 | 83.6% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Porsche 911 to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Exhaust Emissions — 2% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Condition — 1.9% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 1.9% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 1.1% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Transmission — 1% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
- Rigid Brake Pipes — 1% of tests. Corroded brake pipes. Safety-critical and a sign of underbody corrosion.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Porsche 911 are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 53,627 licensed and 19,303 SORN vehicles in the Porsche 911 generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Porsche 911
Before you buy
- Exhaust Emissions — 2% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Condition — 1.9% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 1.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 1.1% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 72,930 911 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 4 is SORN (19,303 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual 911 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Porsche models
- Porsche Boxster — 82.3% pass
- Porsche Macan — 90.8% pass
- Porsche Cayenne — 84.2% pass
- Porsche Cayman — 88.5% pass
- Porsche Panamera — 87.8% pass
- Porsche Taycan 4S 93kwh — 91.6% pass
See every Porsche model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Porsche 911 MOT pass rate?
87.5% of 37,427 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Porsche 911 passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the 911 fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are exhaust emissions (2% of tests), condition (1.9% of tests), headlamp aim (1.9% of tests), position lamps (1.1% of tests).
How many Porsche 911 are left in the UK?
53,627 were licensed and 19,303 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular 911 is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.