How to Check MOT History for Free (and What to Look For)

You can check MOT history for free with nothing more than the car's registration number, either through our free MOT history check or on GOV.UK. The record shows every MOT test since 2005 for cars tested in England, Scotland and Wales: whether the car passed or failed, the mileage at each test, and every defect and advisory the tester noted.

How to check MOT history by registration

1. Get the registration number. It's the only thing you need, and any genuine seller will give it to you before a viewing.
2. Enter it in a free MOT history check. Use our MOT check or GOV.UK's Check MOT history service. Both use DVSA's official records.
3. Confirm it's the right car. The make, model, colour and fuel type at the top should match the advert and the car in front of you.
4. Read the tests from oldest to newest. Patterns are easier to spot in order: an advisory that becomes a fail, or a mileage trend that suddenly changes.
5. Want to know where each test was done? On GOV.UK, enter the 11-digit reference number from the V5C logbook to see the test location.

Our check puts the MOT history alongside the DVLA record (tax status, MOT expiry and more) and adds a mileage analysis, which works out the average miles per year and flags any drop between tests. It's free, and the registration is all you need.

What an MOT history record shows

Each test in the history is a snapshot of the car on that day. This is what you'll see:

GOV.UK also lets you download current and previous MOT certificates for tests in England, Scotland and Wales. For cars, records go back to tests done since 2005; Northern Ireland records start in 2017.

MOT defect categories explained

Since 20 May 2018, testers have sorted defects by severity. Older tests in a history list failure reasons and advisories without these labels.

A car fails if the tester records any dangerous or major defect. Minor defects and advisories don't cause a fail on their own, but they're a useful guide to upcoming costs. Driving a car with a dangerous defect can lead to a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points.

How to read MOT advisories

Advisories are the most useful part of an MOT history when you're buying, because they show what the next owner is likely to pay for. Sort them into four groups:

• Wear items. Tyres close to the legal limit, or brake pads and discs wearing, are normal on any used car. Budget for them, and use them in your negotiation.
• Corrosion. Light surface rust is common on older cars. Corrosion on brake pipes, or on structural parts near suspension mounts and sills, is more serious, because it can turn into an expensive fail.
• Leaks. An oil leak advisory might mean a cheap seal or a bigger job. Ask whether it was fixed, and look under the car.
• Suspension and steering. Worn bushes, ball joints or shock absorbers affect handling and can turn into a fail at a later test.

Then check what happened next. An advisory followed by a repair, or a clean pass the year after, shows an owner who looks after the car. The same advisory at three tests in a row shows one who doesn't. To get an idea of what an advisory might cost to fix, compare prices for repairs at local garages on our car service and repair page.

MOT history red flags to look out for

Most histories are unremarkable, but these patterns deserve questions before you hand over any money.

A mileage drop is the most serious of these. Our guide on how to spot a clocked car explains the other signs, and our mileage check flags drops for you.

The same-day pass is usually innocent: the garage found faults, fixed them and retested the car. It's still worth checking that the work was proper repairs, particularly where several major defects disappeared within hours.

Worked example: reading an MOT history

Here's an illustrative history for a ten-year-old hatchback. It isn't a real car, but it shows how to turn a list of tests into questions for the seller.

How to read it:

• The tyre fail is fine. The owner replaced them the same day, which is exactly what you'd hope to see.
• The oil leak has been advised at four tests in a row. Find out where it's coming from before you buy, because the fix could be a cheap seal or something bigger.
• The corrosion is spreading. Subframe and brake pipe corrosion that keeps coming back can turn into a major fail. Price the repair into your offer, or get the car inspected.
• The mileage has slowed right down, from about 9,000 miles a year to under 2,000. Lower use is often genuine, but check that the service records show the same readings.

What MOT history doesn't show

An MOT history is a record of roadworthiness tests, not a full background check. It won't tell you:

• Whether there's outstanding finance. A car on hire purchase or PCP belongs to the lender until it's settled.
• Whether it's been stolen. Police stolen markers aren't part of DVSA's records.
• Whether it's been written off. Insurance write-offs, including Cat S and Cat N, aren't shown. Our guide to write-off categories explains what they mean.
• Keeper changes, plate changes or imports. These sit on other databases.
• Mechanical health. As GOV.UK points out, the MOT test doesn't cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox, and an MOT isn't a service. See MOT vs service for the difference.

For finance, theft, write-off, scrapped, keeper and plate change records, run a full car history check before you commit.

What if the MOT history is wrong?

Testers occasionally type the wrong mileage. If the test was within the last 28 days, the test centre that did it can correct the mileage after seeing the car again. After 28 days, the keeper reports it to DVSA online with evidence showing the correct mileage, dated within a day of the test, such as an MOT invoice, emissions printout, service receipt or job card. GOV.UK explains how to fix mistakes on an MOT record.

If you're buying, a corrected record is fine. An uncorrected drop with no paperwork to explain it isn't something to take on trust.

Checking your own car's MOT history

The same check is useful for your own car. Your first MOT is due when the car is three years old, then every 12 months, and you can get it done up to a month (minus a day) early and keep the same renewal date. Driving without a valid MOT can bring a fine of up to £1,000.

Your last set of advisories makes a ready-made to-do list before the next test. Our MOT checklist covers what you can check yourself, and when you're ready you can book an MOT at a local garage. The maximum fee for a car MOT is £54.85.

Next steps: put the MOT history to work

If you're buying, run the free check before you view, read every test, and ask the seller about anything on the red-flag list. Then run a full history check for the things MOT records can't show, and use our used car buying checklist at the viewing.

If it's your own car, the most useful thing you can do is never miss a due date. The app sends MOT and tax reminders, and keeps your car's MOT history a tap away.