We Analysed 12 Months of MOT Bookings. Here's What We Found

If you've left it later than you meant to this year to book your MOT, you're not alone.

We analysed 12 months of MOT bookings made through our platform and found that 16.6% of drivers made their booking after their MOT had already expired – up from 10.3% 12 months ago. Alongside that, the percentage of drivers booking their test more than four weeks ahead fell by over a third.

One way to avoid this situation from happening again is our MOT reminder system, as our data showed that customers who’ve booked with us before are much less likely to let their MOT lapse than first-time customers.

More Drivers Are Booking Their MOT After It's Already Expired

Across the year, the proportion of MOT bookings made after the vehicle's MOT had already expired rose steadily:

In the most recent three months, roughly one in six drivers booked after their MOT had already lapsed, up from around one in ten a year earlier. The percentage of drivers leaving it late to book grew steadily throughout the year rather than spiking in any single period, which points to a genuine shift in booking habits rather than a one-off blip.

Looking at the bigger picture, 17.7% of all bookings last year involved a car that was either already overdue when booked or became overdue before the appointment date arrived.

Fewer Drivers Are Booking Weeks in Advance

At the same time, fewer drivers are planning ahead in the first place when it comes to booking their test:

A year ago, almost six in ten drivers booked at least four weeks before their MOT was due. In the latest three months, that had dropped to under four in ten, a decline of around 36% in the space of a year.

What Happens Once You've Missed the Deadline

Once a driver realises their MOT has lapsed, they move fast to sort it. Across all bookings, drivers took an average of 10.9 days between booking and their actual appointment date, but for those whose MOT had already expired, that dropped to just 3.4 days.

This speed suggests forgotten deadlines and busy schedules are usually behind a missed MOT, more than any deliberate delay.

Jessica Ruddick, Chief Marketing Officer at BookMyGarage, agrees, saying “A common assumption is that drivers who miss their MOT are deliberately putting it off, but our data suggests that's often not the case.”

“What stands out to us is just how quickly drivers act once they realise their MOT has expired, and how much lower overdue booking rates are among customers who have previously used our platform.”

Returning BookMyGarage Customers Are Far Less Likely to Miss Their MOT

As Jessica points out, customers who’d booked with us before were half as likely to miss their MOT due date than first time users, citing reminder emails as the most likely reason.

Jessica added, “All this data suggests that awareness and timely reminders play a much bigger role than many people think. Life gets busy, deadlines are easy to forget and vehicle maintenance isn't always top of people's priority list.”

“The good news is that drivers can have their MOT conducted up to a month before expiry and preserve their renewal date, giving them more flexibility and reducing the risk of accidentally becoming overdue. Having reminders and easy online booking available when you need it can make a real difference.”

How to Make Sure You Never Miss Your MOT Again

If you’re not already taking advantage of a free MyGarage account, you’re missing out. Our account system takes care of managing all your vehicles, including checking due dates.

While there’s no downside to having your MOT conducted up to a month before it expires (as you don’t lose any of your current certificate’s validity), our data demonstrates that timely reminders are a great way to ensure you stay ahead of your MOT expiry date.

Open your free MyGarage account in seconds before comparing MOT prices near you and let us handle the reminders, so your MOT is one less thing to think about in future.

Methodology

We analysed 12 months of MOT booking data from our platform, examining booking dates, appointment dates and MOT expiry dates. Percentages are based on all MOT bookings during the period analysed and are rounded to one decimal place. The analysis compares booking behaviour over four consecutive three-month periods and includes comparisons between first-time and returning customers. No individual customer data was used in this analysis.