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MOT defects · Lights

Number plate light not working MOT minor defect: what it means and which cars get it

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as a minor defect on at least 3.0 in 100 and as a failure on at least 0.8 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Volvo C30 got it most often: recorded 16.0 times per 100 of its 24,617 tests.

DVSA wording: A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources; A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps.

Failures
0.8 in 100
At least 278,392 tests in 2023
Minor defects
3.0 in 100
At least 1,018,743 tests in 2023
Most often
Volvo C30
16.0 per 100 tests

What it means

A rear number plate light is out, often a blown bulb or water in the lamp.

How serious it is

With two or more lamps and one out, a minor defect, which passes. With a single lamp, or all of them out, a major defect, a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 4.7.1.

  1. Major Fail
    It may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately.
  2. Minor Pass
    No significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment. Repair as soon as possible.

What fixing it usually involves

A new bulb or lamp unit, usually a few minutes' work.

A general guide, not a quote: ask a garage to inspect the car.

Which models get it most

Per 100 initial MOT tests on each model, among the 200 models with at least 20,000 tests where it is among the 40 most common items. DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail.

ModelTestsFailMinor
Volvo C3024,617
3.5
12.5
Renault Kangoo59,516
5.1
10.7
Citroen Berlingo190,230
4.3
9.2
Nissan NV20026,275
4.3
9.1
Citroen Dispatch52,335
4.0
9.2
Mercedes-Benz Citan20,306
4.3
8.7
Peugeot Partner152,999
4.0
8.7
Vauxhall Antara22,582
3.0
9.0
Citroen C4141,093
3.4
8.5
Peugeot 207159,030
2.9
8.8

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Turn the lights on and check the rear plate is lit.
  2. In the MOT history
    If this appears in past results, ask what was done and when, and for the receipt.

Check a specific car

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

UK

Questions

What does "Number plate light not working" mean on an MOT?
A rear number plate light is out, often a blown bulb or water in the lamp.
Number plate light not working: is it an MOT fail?
With two or more lamps and one out, a minor defect, which passes. With a single lamp, or all of them out, a major defect, a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "number plate light not working" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Volvo C30 (16.0 per 100 tests), the Renault Kangoo (15.8 per 100 tests), the Citroen Berlingo (13.5 per 100 tests).

More lights defects

See every MOT defect we explain or MOT pass rates by model.

Side or tail light not workingBrake light not workingHeadlight not workingHeadlight lens slightly defectiveHeadlight aim outNumber plate light not workingIndicator discoloured or wrong colourSide repeater not workingRear fog light not working

How these figures are made. We counted the defects recorded at every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 in the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Each item counts once per test. A failure is a major or dangerous defect, including one fixed during the test. A model's rate is the share of its tests where the item was recorded.

For each model we keep its 40 most frequent items, so a model where a defect is rarer than that is not listed, and figures for all cars are a floor. Defect names and explanations are ours, checked against the MOT inspection manual; DVSA's own wording is shown under each name.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.