Free MOT check
Check the MOT status and history of your car with our FREE MOT check.
What does our MOT check include?
Our MOT test report will provide you with the following information based on the registration plate provided:
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Current MOT status
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Yearly refusal notes
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Yearly advisory notes
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Road tax status
Why check the MOT status of a vehicle?
Having knowledge of the MOT history of a car before purchasing allows you to be more informed about the history of a car, any recurring mechanical faults and whether the car has been well maintained by the previous owner(s).
An MOT test ensures that the car is in a roadworthy condition and meets the UK standards. Unless MOT exempt, car should have an MOT every year after it is three years old — before this, an MOT isn’t required.
Driving a car without a valid MOT is against the law and can result in a fine of up to £2,500, three points on your licence and potentially a ban from driving. As such, it is essential that a car you’re buying has a valid MOT and has a clean history.
Frequently asked questions
Every car driving on the roads in the UK is required to be kept in a roadworthy condition with a valid MOT. Therefore, if your car doesn’t have an MOT, it shouldn’t be driven as it could be putting yourself and other road users at risk.
You are only allowed to drive a car without a valid MOT if you are getting the vehicle repaired or you’re going to a pre-arranged MOT test.
When your car passes its MOT, the test certificate is valid for 12 months. You can check how long is remaining on your MOT by checking the date on your certificate.
A car doesn’t need to have an MOT until it is three years old. Therefore, if your car is less than three years old, there will be no information available in our MOT history check tool.
To see all MOT tests that a vehicle has had in its lifetime, simply enter your reg and use our free MOT check service. The mileage readings and all advisory/failure notices recorded by the tester are included in the MOT history.
If your car happens to fail its MOT, you will not be able to drive it on public roads. In most circumstances, motorists will choose to get the issues that caused the failure resolved to ensure it meets the minimum safety and environmental criteria set by the DVSA.
Yes, technically, but only if your current MOT certificate is still valid. If you had the car tested in the month running up to the expiration date, would you find yourself in this situation. Please note that this all depends on the severity of the issues found during the test, your car may be deemed unfit to drive and must rectify the faults before the MOT expires, otherwise you will not be issued a new MOT certificate. ‘Minor’ advisories indicate the vehicle component will likely become defective in the near future, so for your own safety it’s still strongly recommended to fix all issues with your vehicle regardless of severity.
If your car fails because of a serious issue – like brakes that don’t work – you won’t be able to drive it at all until it’s been fixed. However, if your car because of something like a broken light, you may be able to drive it as long as you replace the light as soon as possible.
Remember it is never a good idea to drive a car that has failed its MOT. If you’re caught driving a car that is not considered roadworthy, you may be stopped and prosecuted.
Cars that are over 40 years old don’t require an annual MOT test, but the owners are still obligated to keep them in a safe and roadworthy condition. Other vehicles that don’t require an MOT include electric-powered goods vehicles, which are designed to transport cargo, registered before 1 March 2015 and tractors.
You are eligible to drive your car on the roads until midnight on the date your MOT expires.
You are required to get an MOT every 12 months once your car reaches 3 years old. If your car is less than 3 years old, your car won’t require an MOT test. You can find out when your MOT certificate expires by entering your registration plate here.
Buying a car with a valid MOT ensures that it was in a safe, roadworthy condition at the time the test was carried out. Therefore, there is less risk involved as a buyer if a car has recently had an MOT test. You can check the MOT history of a vehicle you’re looking to buy by entering the registration plate at the top of the page.
An MOT test is an annual inspection that guarantees your vehicle meets with all necessary road safety and environmental standards. Every vehicle undergoes a series of tests and checks as part of its MOT. This test on average lasts between 45 minutes to an hour, if repairs are needed the testing process will take longer. During the inspection of your vehicle, they will look at the following:
- Electrical equipment
- Steering
- Tyres
- Suspension
- Brakes
- Seat belts and seats
- Exhausts and emissions
- Mirrors, wipers and windscreen
- Vehicle Identification Number (VPN)
You can view the full MOT checklist here.
Many cars fail an MOT because of minor flaws that might have been easily avoided before the test. You'd be amazed what can cause a MOT to fail - some issues are small.
It's a good idea to create an MOT checklist a few weeks before the inspection date to ensure that your car is in the best possible condition and that you have all the documents you need to take to an MOT.
Typically, testing will take around under an hour, however this can be longer if significant repairs need to be made prior to the test taking place.
Find out more about the specifics of how long an MOT might take.
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Data presented in webuyanycar car, tax and MOT check contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 of which we assume is correct at the time of presentation to the consumer.