A parking brake that doesn't hold well enough on the brake test, a lever with so much travel that it's out of adjustment, a ratchet worn enough that the brake could come off, or an electronic parking brake whose warning light shows a fault.
Testers grade each defect: a major or dangerous defect fails the MOT, a minor one passes but is written on the certificate.
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Parking brake lever pivot or ratchet mechanism obviously worn | PassesMinor |
| Parking brake lever pivot or ratchet mechanism worn to the extent that the brake may inadvertently release | FailsMajor |
| Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment | FailsMajor |
| Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative | FailsMajor |
| Electronic parking brake MIL indicates a malfunction | FailsMajor |
| Parking brake is not capable of being maintained in operation by direct mechanical action only (vehicle first used on or after 1 January 1968) | FailsMajor |
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | FailsMajor |
| Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | FailsDangerous |
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Parking brake inoperative on one side, or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight line | FailsMajor |
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | FailsMajor |
| Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | FailsDangerous |
From DVSA's MOT inspection manual for cars and passenger vehicles. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In 2025, 469,795 car MOTs failed on the handbrake: 1.49%, or about 1 in 67. 17% of those failures were for a dangerous defect. Another 1,899 MOTs recorded it as a minor defect, which passes. Testers also noted it as an advisory on 97,372 MOTs: something to keep an eye on that didn't fail the test.
Share of the MOTs that failed on the handbrake. One MOT can fail for more than one reason.
Share of car MOTs in each mileage band that failed on the handbrake.
4.34% of MOTs on cars registered in 2005 failed on the handbrake, against 0.15% for cars registered in 2022.
Models that failed on the handbrake at least 1.15 times as often as the average car of the same age and mileage, out of 93 with at least 30 MOTs failed on it.
Least often: Audi Q5 (0.0×), Land Rover Discovery Sport (0.1×), Audi Q3 (0.1×), Range Rover Evoque (0.1×), Volvo XC60 (0.1×).
A handbrake that doesn't hold
In 2025, 469,795 car MOTs failed on the handbrake, about 1 in 67. 17% of those were rated dangerous.
1 in 67car MOTs failed on the handbrake in 2025
1,899minor defects recorded in 2025, which pass
A parking brake that doesn't hold well enough on the brake test, a lever with so much travel that it's out of adjustment, a ratchet worn enough that the brake could come off, or an electronic parking brake whose warning light shows a fault.
In 2025, 469,795 car MOTs failed on the handbrake: 1.49%, or about 1 in 67. 17% of those failures were for a dangerous defect.
Against the average car of the same age and mileage, the Ford EcoSport (5.7 times as often), Kia Picanto (4.4 times as often) and MG ZS (4.3 times as often), going by 2025 MOT results.