Instantly find your MOT due date and history with our free checker
How Our MOT Checker Works
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Enter your reg number and click 'Check Now'
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You will instantly see your MOT due date, along with confirmation that we’ve got the right car, with no sign-up or registration required. You can also check the entire MOT history. See whether it passed or failed and any advisories that were outlined.
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You then have the option to book an MOT or sign up for our MOT email reminder service.
If you don’t know when your MOT is due, you can use our free MOT checker to find out instantly. All you need is your number plate and there’s no sign-up or registration required.
Our MOT checker takes information straight from the DVLA database and allows you 6to check the current MOT due date and status of any vehicle registered in the UK.
We also show you any advisories from last year’s test and allow you to book your MOT in just 2 steps. Plus, you can sign up for our MOT email reminders so that you never forget your expiry date again.
If you’re worried about your MOT status, enter your reg number into our checker now.
How Do I Find Out When My MOT is Due?
You can find your MOT due date on last year’s test certificate, if you have a paper copy. Similarly, if you have recently bought a car, the paperwork should include your MOT due date.
The DVSA (Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency) also knows your MOT status. They have all expiry dates on file and our free check accesses these records to instantly provide you with your vehicle’s MOT expiry date.
Just enter your car reg into our MOT checker tool above to instantly check when your MOT is due.
When Does My MOT Expire?
Your MOT expires at midnight on the due date. For example, if your expiry date was the 14th of August, then your MOT would expire at midnight on that day.
When Is My MOT Due?
Your MOT is always due exactly a year after your previous expiry date. It is not always 12-months from the date of your last test because you can book up to a month, minus a day, in advance.
FAQs
What Do I Do if My MOT is Overdue?
If your MOT is overdue you must book a test immediately. It is illegal to drive on public roads in the UK without a valid MOT certificate.
You can book an MOT online today by entering your vehicle registration and postcode into our comparison site.
When is it Legal to Drive Without an MOT Certificate?
It is only legal to drive without a valid MOT certificate if you are on your way to a pre-booked MOT test or to have the failed defects fixed. On top of this, cars which are less than 3-years-old don’t need to book an MOT every year.
If you need an MOT and are stopped by the police, you must be able to prove that you have a booked appointment and confirm it with the test centre or garage.
If you are caught on a public road without a valid MOT certificate, and you can’t meet the above criteria, you can be fined £1,000. There is a further £2,500 fine if your vehicle is found to be unroadworthy. You will also receive 3 points on your driving licence per fault
Driving without an MOT certificate also invalidates your car insurance. This brings an unlimited fine, potential disqualification from driving and 6-8 points on your licence.
Can I Drive After a Failed MOT?
You can only drive your car after a failed MOT if:
The MOT certificate from the previous year is still valid
No ‘dangerous’ faults were recorded during the failure
You must not drive your car after a failed MOT if it doesn’t meet the above requirements.
How Long Does an MOT Take?
An MOT usually takes between 45 and 60 minutes. Many garages offer an ‘MOT-while-you-wait’ service with waiting rooms and refreshments onsite
If your car fails and needs extra repairs, it will take a lot longer. The test centre will be able to give you a time estimate based on the severity of your repairs.
Do I Need an MOT?
You will need an MOT, by law, if you drive a vehicle registered three or more years ago. This means that all drivers of vehicles registered in or before 2019 must book an MOT in 2022.
If your car is less than three years old, you do not need an MOT but you can choose to book one if you wish.
An MOT can cost as much as £54.85, but many test centres set their prices lower to encourage more customers to choose them. While you can pay less than the £54.85 for a class 4 test, you will never pay more as it is a fixed upper limit as set by the UK Government.
Class 4 covers all cars and light commercial vehicles registered in the UK.
How Early Can You Do an MOT?
You can book your MOT as early as you want, but most people choose to book it up to a month, minus a day, before the expiry date. This allows you to complete the same expiry date for the following year. For example, if your car was registered on the 1st of September, you could book your MOT between 2nd August and 1st September to keep the same expiry date.
If you book your MOT early, you get more time to fix any faults and ensure your car is still legal to drive on UK roads. However, if you book your MOT earlier than a month in advance, the expiry date will become the date of your most recent test.
Why Do MOT Tests Include an Exhaust Emissions Test?
The MOT test includes an exhaust emissions test to ensure that your vehicle’s engine is operating efficiently and producing minimal air pollution. It is part of an international effort to reduce the effects of harmful carbon emissions on the planet.
If your vehicle fails the exhaust emissions test or doesn’t have enough fuel to sit this test, the tester must record an automatic MOT failure.
How Long is MOT Valid?
An MOT is valid for 12 months. This is calculated from the date of your test to the exact same date the following year.
If you book your MOT early, it becomes valid for up to 13 months (the 12 months from your expiry date this year to the following year, plus up to an additional 30 days. This depends on how early you booked your MOT).
What is an MOT Test?
An MOT test, or Ministry of Transport Test, is an essential annual vehicle check to assess roadworthiness and safety standards. It ensures all vehicles on UK roads are maintained to a certain standard, improving road safety standards in the process.
Do I Have to Pay For an MOT Retest?
An MOT retest is free if your car fails on one or more of the areas outlined in the table below and the repair(s) is completed within 1 working day.
Access Panels
Battery
Bonnet
Bootlid
Brake Pedal Antislip
Break Glass Hammer*
Doors (including hinges, catches and pillars)
Door Open Warning Device*
Dropsides
Electrical Wiring
Emergency Exist & Signs*
Entrance Door Remote Control*
Entrance/Exit Steps*
Fuel Filler Cap
Headlamp Cleaning or Levelling Devices (that don't need a headlight aim check)
Horn
Lamps (excluding headlight aim)
Loading Door
Main Beal 'Tell-Tale'
Mirrors
Rear Reflectors
Registration Plates
Seatbelts (not anchorages)
Seatbelt Load Limiter
Seatbelt Pre-Tensioner
Seats
Sharp Edges or Projections
Stairs*
Steering Wheel
Tailboard
Tailgate
Trailer Electrical Sockets
Towbars (excluding body around anchorage points)
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Windscreen Glass
Windscreen Wipers
Windscreen Washers
Wheels and Tyres**
*Class 5 Only **Excluding Motorcycles & motorcycles with sidecar
If the repair is completed within 10 working days, either by the original garage or elsewhere and then you return to the original garage for a retest, you only need to pay for a partial MOT retest. This costs less than the full fee.
If you complete the repairs yourself and choose to take your car into a different test centre, you will need to pay for the full test again.
What Do I Need to Take To An MOT Test?
You do not need to take anything except your car to an MOT test. The tester will use the DVSA database to find your existing MOT details and any other information they may need about your car.
You may wish to provide a locking wheel nut in case any repairs are needed to the wheels or tyres.
What MOT Changes Were Made in 2018?
The main MOT changes introduced in 2018 concerned new failure categories: minor, major and dangerous defects, alongside advisories. Another key MOT change made the emissions standards test more strict for diesel vehicles.