MOT Due Date Calculator: When Is My MOT Due?
Find your MOT due date in seconds. Enter your registration and we'll look up the official DVSA record, or type in the expiry date from your certificate. You'll also see the earliest day you can book a test and still keep your renewal date.
Updated · By Hamza Akram · Rules checked against GOV.UK
When is my MOT due? The short answer
Quick answer
Your MOT is due on the expiry date shown on your current MOT certificate. You can get a new MOT up to a month (minus a day) before that date and keep the same renewal date. A new car, van or motorcycle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration.
There's no grace period. From the day after your MOT due date, the vehicle can't legally be driven or parked on a public road, except to a booked test or for repairs.
How to use the MOT due date calculator
The calculator works three ways, so pick whichever suits the information you have to hand:
- By registration Type your number plate. We fetch the expiry date from DVSA's records, or the first MOT due date if the vehicle hasn't been tested yet.
- By expiry date Choose the date your current MOT runs out. It's on your certificate and in your MOT history.
- New vehicle Enter the date of first registration from your V5C logbook, and choose the type of vehicle.
Each result shows your due date, a countdown, the earliest test date that keeps your renewal date and the expiry you'd get after a pass. Then, with one tap, you can add both dates to your phone's calendar.
Other ways to find your MOT due date
If you'd rather check the record yourself, there are three other reliable places to look:
- Your MOT certificate. The expiry date is printed on the test certificate (VT20) you got at your last pass.
- Your MOT history. Every pass shows its expiry date. Look it up free with our MOT history check or on GOV.UK.
- Your test centre. Many garages keep your details and send a reminder, although that's a courtesy, not a legal duty.
Bear in mind that a brand-new MOT can take a short while to show online. GOV.UK says MOT information can take up to two days to update.
How early can you MOT a car?
You can get an MOT up to a month, minus a day, before your current one runs out, and still keep the same renewal date. In other words, the new certificate starts from your old expiry date, so you lose nothing by testing early within that window.
| Current MOT runs out | Earliest test date that keeps it | Expiry after a pass in the window |
|---|---|---|
| 15 May 2027 | 16 April 2027 | 15 May 2028 |
| 1 August 2027 | 2 July 2027 | 1 August 2028 |
| 31 March 2027 | 1 March 2027 | 31 March 2028 |
| 30 November 2026 | 31 October 2026 | 30 November 2027 |
What happens if you test earlier than that?
You’re free to test earlier, but your renewal date moves. A pass outside the window gives a new MOT that runs for one year from the test date, minus a day. For example, passing on 14 April with a 15 May expiry gives a new expiry of 13 April the following year.
What if the car fails a test before the due date?
A fail doesn't cancel your current certificate. If the old MOT is still valid and the tester found no dangerous problems, you can drive the car away to get it fixed. However, it must still be roadworthy, and a dangerous defect means it can't be driven at all until it's repaired.
Tested in Northern Ireland last time?
The keep-your-date rule doesn't apply if your last MOT was in Northern Ireland and the next one is in Great Britain. In that case, the new date runs from the day you pass in Great Britain.
When is a new car's first MOT due?
Most vehicles need their first MOT by the third anniversary of their registration, and then every year. For example, a car first registered on 14 May 2024 needs a pass on or before 13 May 2027, so that it's covered from its third anniversary. Some vehicles need testing sooner, as this table shows.
| Vehicle | First MOT due | Maximum fee |
|---|---|---|
| Car (up to 8 passenger seats) | 3 years | £54.85 |
| Motorcycle over 200cc | 3 years | £29.65 |
| Goods vehicle 3,000kg to 3,500kg (class 7) | 3 years | £58.60 |
| Taxi or ambulance | 1 year | £54.85 |
| Passenger vehicle with 9 to 12 seats | 1 year | £57.30 |
| Passenger vehicle with 13 to 16 seats | 1 year | £59.55 |
| Car or motorcycle in Northern Ireland | 4 years | Set by the DVA |
The date of first registration is on your V5C logbook. If you're not sure, the calculator's registration search returns DVSA's own first-MOT date wherever it holds one.
Vehicles that don't need an MOT
A few vehicles are exempt, although most still need to be roadworthy and declared as exempt when you tax them:
- Historic vehicles. Most vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago don't need an MOT, as long as they haven't been substantially changed. You confirm the exemption each time you tax the vehicle.
- Electric goods vehicles registered before 1 March 2015.
- Tractors, and a few other vehicle types listed on GOV.UK's exemption page.
Lorries, buses and large trailers aren't exempt. Instead, they have an annual test run by DVSA, which works differently from the MOT.
Missed your MOT due date? What to do now
Act quickly, because driving without a valid MOT can lead to a fine of up to £1,000, and your insurance may not pay out. Here's how to put it right:
- Stop driving it, except to a booked test. You can drive to a pre-arranged MOT, or to and from a garage for repairs, as long as the vehicle is roadworthy.
- Book the earliest test you can. Many garages can test the same week, and some offer collection.
- Expect your new date to change. Because the old certificate has run out, your new MOT runs for a year from the day you pass.
- Check your tax, too. You need a valid MOT to tax the vehicle, so an expired MOT can also stop you renewing the tax on time.
Police cameras can spot vehicles with no valid MOT, so don't assume nobody will notice. Our DVLA MOT check explains the penalties in more detail.
Never miss your MOT due date again
Reminders take the stress out of it. For a start, GOV.UK runs a free MOT reminder service that sends a text or email one month before a car, van or motorcycle MOT is due. For lorries, buses and large trailers, it writes two months before.
Better still, use the "Add to calendar" button in the calculator above. It saves two events to your phone: the day your booking window opens, and the day your MOT runs out, each with an alert the day before.
MOT due date: frequently asked questions
Is there a grace period after my MOT due date?
No. Your MOT runs out at the end of the expiry date. After that, you can only drive the vehicle to a pre-booked test or to a garage for repairs.
How early can I get an MOT?
Up to a month, minus a day, before the current one runs out, and you'll keep the same renewal date. You can test even earlier, but then the new MOT runs from the test date.
Can I MOT my car two months early?
Yes, but you'd lose the extra time. Your new MOT would run for one year from the test date, so your renewal date would move forward by about two months.
Does my MOT due date change if I fail?
Not if you pass the retest before the old certificate runs out within the one-month window. In that case, the renewal date stays the same.
How do I find my MOT due date without the certificate?
Use the registration search in the calculator above, or a free MOT history check. Both show the official expiry date from DVSA's records.
When is a motorbike's first MOT due?
Like a car, a motorcycle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, cars and motorcycles are first tested at four years old.
Does the DVLA send MOT reminders?
The DVLA sends vehicle tax reminders, not MOT reminders. For MOT reminders, sign up to GOV.UK's free service, which DVSA runs.
Know your MOT due date? Check the full history too
Once you know your MOT due date, a full MOT check shows every past test, advisory and mileage reading, plus the tax status. It's free and takes a few seconds.