Only if the damage affects the driver's view of the road. The MOT fails damage more than 10mm across in zone A, a 290mm-wide strip of the wiper-swept area centred on the steering wheel, or more than 40mm across anywhere else the wipers sweep. Damage that doesn't affect the view is a minor defect, which passes, and a repair finished flush with the glass doesn't count as damage.
Testers grade each defect: a major or dangerous defect fails the MOT, a minor one passes but is written on the certificate.
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver’s view | PassesMinor |
| Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured and affecting the driver’s view of the road or of an obligatory external mirror | FailsMajor |
| Windscreen or window excessively tinted but not adversely affecting driver’s view | PassesMinor |
| Windscreen or window excessively tinted and visibility through swept area of windscreen or of an obligatory external mirror seriously affected | FailsMajor |
| Windscreen or window in an unacceptable condition e.g. due to excessive scratching | FailsMajor |
| Windscreen or window in such a condition that visibility through swept area is seriously affected | FailsDangerous |
| The windscreen or a window wholly or partly on either side of the driver’s seat is not made from safety glass | FailsMajor |
| A window not wholly or partly on either side of the driver’s seat is not made from safety glass or safety glazing | FailsMajor |
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, 24,150 car MOTs failed on windscreen damage: 0.077%, or about 1 in 1,300. 8% of those failures were for a dangerous defect. Another 788,684 MOTs recorded it as a minor defect, which passes.
Share of the MOTs that failed on windscreen damage. One MOT can fail for more than one reason.
Share of car MOTs in each mileage band that failed on windscreen damage.
0.13% of MOTs on cars registered in 2005 failed on windscreen damage, against 0.06% for cars registered in 2022.
Models that failed on windscreen damage at least 1.15 times as often as the average car of the same age and mileage, out of 81 with at least 30 MOTs failed on it.
Least often: Volvo XC60 (0.4×), Kia Niro (0.4×), Jaguar XF (0.5×), Skoda Superb (0.5×), Toyota Auris (0.6×).
Only if it affects your view
In 2025, 24,150 car MOTs failed on windscreen damage, about 1 in 1,300. 8% of those were rated dangerous.
1 in 1,300car MOTs failed on windscreen damage in 2025
788,684minor defects recorded in 2025, which pass
Only if the damage affects the driver's view of the road. The MOT fails damage more than 10mm across in zone A, a 290mm-wide strip of the wiper-swept area centred on the steering wheel, or more than 40mm across anywhere else the wipers sweep. Damage that doesn't affect the view is a minor defect, which passes, and a repair finished flush with the glass doesn't count as damage.
In 2025, 24,150 car MOTs failed on windscreen damage: 0.077%, or about 1 in 1,300. 8% of those failures were for a dangerous defect.
Against the average car of the same age and mileage, the Ford Transit Custom (2.7 times as often), Ford S-Max (1.7 times as often) and Mercedes GLA (1.3 times as often), going by 2025 MOT results.