Free MOT Check: MOT History, Tax and Mileage in Seconds
Enter a registration to run a free MOT check on any car, van or motorbike in the UK. In seconds, you'll see whether the MOT is valid and when it runs out. You also get every test result on record, the advisories, the recorded mileage and the tax status.
- Official DVSA and DVLA records
- Free, with no sign-up
- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Updated · Checked against GOV.UK and DVSA guidance · How we write and review
What a free MOT check shows you
A registration number unlocks more than most people expect. Behind every UK number plate sits a public MOT record that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps. The DVLA holds a second record covering licensing and tax. Our MOT checker pulls both together, then reads them for you, so a page of codes becomes a clear answer.
Each free report covers eight areas. Together, they tell you whether a vehicle is road-legal today and how well its owners have looked after it.
MOT status and expiry date
See at a glance whether the certificate is valid, the exact day it expires and how many days are left. Cars under three years old show their first MOT due date instead.
Full MOT history
Every pass and fail is on record, with test dates, certificate numbers and a running pass rate. Records for Great Britain go back to 2005, while Northern Ireland tests appear from 2017.
Failures and advisories
We explain each defect in plain English and colour-code it by severity: dangerous, major, minor or advisory. On top of that, we flag faults that keep coming back from one test to the next.
Recorded mileage
The odometer reading from every MOT appears on an interactive chart, along with the average miles per year. If a reading ever goes down, the report highlights it in red.
Vehicle tax and SORN
Find out whether the vehicle has valid tax or a SORN (off-road) declaration. You'll also see the date the next payment falls due.
Make, model and specification
You also get the make, model, colour, fuel type and engine size. On top of that, the report lists the year of manufacture, the first registration date and the issue date of the latest logbook (V5C).
CO₂ emissions and Euro status
We show the CO₂ figure on a familiar A to H+ band scale, along with the Euro emissions standard. Both help with tax costs and clean air zone questions.
Warning flags
We move anything unusual to the top of the report. That includes outstanding safety recalls, export markers, imports and registration changes at past tests.
Want the full picture in one place? Our dedicated MOT history check explains every part of the report in more detail.
How to check a vehicle's MOT in three steps
You only need the number plate to run an MOT check. There’s no account to create and no payment to make, and the V5C logbook can stay in the drawer.
- Enter the registration Type it with or without the space, for example AB12 CDE. Personalised and older plates work too.
- Read the summary first Two status cards tell you straight away whether the MOT and the tax are valid. Green means current, amber means due soon and red means expired.
- Dig into the detail Open any past test to read its failures and advisories, then switch the mileage chart between bars, a trend line and miles driven between tests.
Once you've read it, you can print the report, save it as a PDF or share a link. You can also check another car straight away. Many buyers run two or three checks side by side before they arrange a viewing.
DVLA MOT check or DVSA? Who holds the records
Many drivers search for a "DVLA MOT check", and that makes sense, since the DVLA is the name on the logbook. However, MOT records actually belong to a different agency.
- DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) approves MOT test centres and testers and keeps the national MOT database, including every result and odometer reading.
- DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) registers vehicles and keepers, issues the V5C logbook and records vehicle tax and SORN.
A complete vehicle check therefore needs both sources, and that's exactly what this tool combines. We connect to the official DVSA MOT History API and the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service, so the data matches what GOV.UK holds. MOT Check Online is an independent service, though, and neither agency runs it. Our guide to the DVLA MOT check sets out the official routes side by side.
| What you want to know | Official source | In our free report |
|---|---|---|
| Is the MOT valid, and when does it expire? | DVSA | Yes, with a countdown |
| Past MOT results, defects and advisories | DVSA | Yes, explained and colour-coded |
| Mileage at each MOT | DVSA | Yes, charted with drops flagged |
| Is it taxed or SORN? | DVLA | Yes, with the due date |
| Make, colour, engine, CO₂ and Euro status | DVLA | Yes |
| Outstanding manufacturer recall | DVSA (where the maker shares it) | Yes, when available |
When is my MOT due? How to check the date
Quick answer
In England, Scotland and Wales, a car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, and then every year by the date the last certificate runs out. You can take the test up to one month (minus a day) early and keep the same renewal date.
For example, if your MOT expires on 15 May, the earliest test date that keeps every day is 16 April. If you pass on that date, the new certificate still runs to 15 May the following year. By contrast, if you go earlier than that, the new expiry date moves to a year (minus a day) after the day you pass.
- New cars: the first test is due three years after first registration. Taxis, ambulances and some passenger vehicles with nine or more seats need a test from one year old.
- Northern Ireland: different rules apply, and cars are first tested at four years old. The DVA runs testing there.
- Classic vehicles: a vehicle from more than 40 years ago is usually exempt. However, nobody can have substantially changed it in the last 30 years. GOV.UK sets out the full exemption criteria.
Not sure of the date? Run an MOT check above: the report gives the exact expiry and counts down the days. Our MOT due date calculator also works out the earliest day you can book. After that, the government's free MOT reminder service will send a text or email a month before it's due, or you can set one up with our MOT reminder.
How to read an MOT history like a mechanic
Since 20 May 2018, MOT testers have sorted every problem into one of five categories. Understanding them is the quickest way to judge a car, because a single word on the certificate tells you how serious the issue was.
| Category | What it means | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | A direct and immediate risk to road safety or a serious effect on the environment. You must not drive the vehicle until someone repairs it. | Fail |
| Major | A fault that could affect safety or the environment, and needs repair straight away. | Fail |
| Minor | No significant effect on safety or the environment, but you should fix it as soon as possible. | Pass |
| Advisory | Something to monitor, which could become more serious in future. | Pass |
| PRS (pass after rectification) | A fault fixed at the test centre within an hour of the test, so the vehicle passed on the day. | Pass |
Patterns worth noticing
A single fail on its own rarely tells you much. What matters more is the story across several years, so look for these patterns:
- The same advisory, year after year. For instance, "corrosion" or "oil leak" noted three times suggests an owner who drives on rather than repairs. Our report groups these as faults that keep coming back.
- A fail followed by a pass on the same day. This is usually good news, because the garage fixed the fault there and then.
- A dangerous defect at any point. It isn't a reason to walk away, but it is a reason to ask for the repair invoice.
- Long gaps between tests. A missing year can mean the car was off the road, abroad or driven without a valid MOT, so ask the seller why.
If the wording of a defect leaves you puzzled, our guide to MOT advisories explained translates the most common phrases into everyday language.
MOT mileage check: spotting a clocked car
Every MOT records the odometer reading. As a result, an MOT check is one of the best free tools for catching a clocked car. Mileage should only ever climb. So if a reading drops between two tests, something needs explaining.
Not every drop means fraud, however. A tester may have typed a digit wrongly, or a dealer may have replaced the instrument cluster under warranty. Either way, a genuine seller should have paperwork that explains it.
Also, check whether the yearly average fits the car's story: a "one careful owner, short trips only" hatchback covering 20,000 miles a year deserves a second look. Our mileage check page goes through the warning signs in more depth.
Buying a used car? Check these before you pay
An MOT history check is the single most useful free step before buying second-hand. Here is the order we'd work through on a viewing:
- Match the registration, make, model and colour in the report against the car in front of you and its V5C logbook.
- Confirm the MOT is valid and see how long is left, since a car with weeks to go may face an expensive test soon.
- Read the last three years of advisories, then ask whether anyone has repaired those items since.
- Compare the mileage on the dashboard with the most recent MOT reading and the yearly pattern.
- Look out for an outstanding recall, an export marker or a recent change of colour.
- Remember that tax doesn't transfer with the car. You'll need to tax it in your own name before you drive it away.
What an MOT check can't tell you
It won’t show outstanding finance, insurance write-off categories such as Cat S or Cat N, or a stolen-vehicle marker. That information sits in private databases. For a car you're about to buy, a paid full history check covers those points, while the free MOT check answers everything else.
Why cars fail their MOT: the official figures
In the year from April 2025 to March 2026, 27.5% of cars and light vans failed their MOT at the first attempt, according to DVSA's MOT testing data. Surprisingly, most of those failures came down to faults an owner can spot at home.
| Defect area | Share of all tests with a failure here |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.4% |
| Suspension | 8.9% |
| Tyres | 6.2% |
| Brakes | 6.1% |
| Visibility (windscreen, wipers, mirrors) | 4.3% |
| Body, chassis and structure | 3.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.1% |
| Steering | 1.9% |
A ten-minute check before your MOT
With those figures in mind, a quick walk round the car the week before your test can save a retest. Ideally, ask someone to stand outside while you work the switches.
- Lights: check the headlights on dipped and main beam, plus the sidelights and indicators. Then try the hazards, brake lights, reverse light, fog lights and number plate light.
- Tyres: the legal minimum is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way round. Also look for cuts, bulges and cords showing.
- Windscreen: damage over 10mm in the area directly in front of the driver, or over 40mm elsewhere in the area the wipers clear, will fail.
- Wipers and washers: top up the screen wash and replace split blades, because an empty washer bottle can fail the test.
- Warning lights: an airbag, ABS or engine management light that stays on is a common reason for a fail.
- The basics: test the horn, every seatbelt and the number plates, which must be clean, secure and correctly spaced.
MOT rules, costs and penalties at a glance
The rules are simple, yet the penalties for getting them wrong add up quickly. These figures come from GOV.UK and apply in England, Scotland and Wales.
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Driving without a valid MOT | A fine of up to £1,000 |
| Driving a vehicle that failed with a dangerous defect | A fine of up to £2,500, 3 penalty points and a possible driving ban |
| Driving to a pre-booked MOT or to a repair garage | Allowed without a valid MOT, as long as the vehicle is roadworthy |
| Maximum MOT fee for a car | £54.85 |
| Maximum MOT fee for a motorcycle | £29.65 |
| Free partial retest | If the vehicle stays at the centre for repair and is retested within 10 working days |
Keep in mind that driving without a valid MOT can also affect your insurance cover, so a quick MOT check is worth the ten seconds. In addition, police number plate cameras flag a missing MOT. As a result, an expired certificate rarely goes unnoticed for long. GOV.UK's guide to getting an MOT covers the full rules, including appeals.
Car tax check: is the vehicle taxed?
Every MOT check here includes a car tax check from the DVLA. It shows whether the vehicle has valid tax or a SORN (off-road) declaration, and when the next payment falls due. Three rules catch people out more than any others:
- Tax doesn't move with the car. When you buy a vehicle, the old tax ends, so you must tax it before you drive it home.
- Zero-rated vehicles still need taxing. Even if there's nothing to pay, you still have to tax the vehicle before you use it on the road.
- SORN means off the road. You can't drive or park a SORN vehicle on a public road, except on the way to a pre-booked MOT.
You'll find more detail, including how tax bands work, in our car tax check guide.
Why drivers trust MOT Check Online
Vehicle data affects real decisions, such as buying a car, booking a test or challenging a seller. With that in mind, we built this service around four commitments, and we explain each one openly.
Official data, fetched live
Each search queries the DVSA MOT History API and the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service at the moment you ask. We keep a copy for a few hours at most, so a repeat visit loads instantly but stays current.
Free, with nothing held back
Every part of the report is free. There's no trial to cancel, no email gate and no "premium" section blurred out to push a sale.
Private by design
We don't sell search data, and we don't ask who you are. We hold registrations in a short cache only, then they're gone.
Independent and transparent
MOT Check Online has no link to DVSA, DVLA or any government department. The data comes from public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
People who know UK motoring write our guides. Before we publish, we check every fact against GOV.UK and the DVSA inspection manual. Read more about us, see exactly where our data comes from, or get in touch if anything looks wrong.
MOT check: frequently asked questions
About the free MOT check
Is this MOT check really free?
Yes. The full MOT history, tax status, mileage chart and vehicle details are free, with no account or card needed. Advertising funds the site, so we never charge for the report.
How far back does MOT history go?
For cars, vans and motorcycles tested in England, Scotland and Wales, MOT records go back to 2005. Heavy vehicles, trailers, buses and coaches appear from 2018. For tests carried out in Northern Ireland, records start in 2017.
Can I check the MOT status of any car, or only my own?
You can check any UK-registered vehicle. MOT and tax records are public information linked to the number plate, not to the owner. The report never shows any personal details about the keeper.
Why does the check show no MOT history?
Usually the vehicle is under three years old, so it simply hasn't needed a test yet. Other causes include a recent import, a private plate transfer or a classic that's exempt. In those cases, the report shows the first MOT due date where it's known.
Is an MOT history check the same as an HPI check?
No. An MOT history check covers test results, mileage, tax and the vehicle's details. An HPI-style check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and stolen markers, which come from private databases and usually cost money.
MOT dates, rules and costs
Is it illegal to drive without an MOT?
Yes, apart from driving to a pre-booked MOT test or to a garage for repairs. The fine is up to £1,000, and it rises to £2,500 with 3 penalty points if the vehicle has a dangerous defect.
How early can I get my MOT done?
You can take the test up to a month (minus a day) before the current certificate expires and still keep the same renewal date. If you go earlier, the new expiry date falls a year after the day you pass.
Do electric cars need an MOT?
Yes. Electric cars follow the same schedule as petrol and diesel cars. In Great Britain, the first test comes at three years old. The emissions test doesn't apply, but testers check the brakes, tyres, suspension, lights and the rest in the usual way.
How much does an MOT cost?
Test centres can charge up to £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle. Those are maximums, though, so many garages charge less, especially when you book early or combine the test with a service.
How do I get reminded when my MOT is due?
GOV.UK runs a free reminder service that sends a text or email one month before the MOT is due for cars, vans and motorcycles. In Northern Ireland, the DVA posts a reminder about seven weeks beforehand instead.
Run your free MOT check now
Whether you're buying, selling or just making sure your own car is legal, the answer is one MOT check away. Type the number plate below and you'll have the full MOT history, tax status and mileage in seconds.