MOT check: when is it due, and what did it flag?
Enter a registration to see the MOT expiry date and the full test history straight from DVSA records — including the advisories, which are where tyre problems show up first.
Data supplied by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ubar does not store the registrations entered here.
A pass with advisories is a warning, not a clean bill of health
Most people look at one thing on an MOT certificate: pass or fail. The advisories underneath are where the useful information sits, and they are the part almost everyone ignores.
An advisory means the tester found something that is not yet a failure but is heading that way. “Tyre worn close to the legal limit” on last year’s certificate usually means this year’s test is a failure, and more importantly it means you have been driving on a tyre with reduced wet grip for months.
- Advisory — passed, but something needs watching.
- Minor — passed, with a defect that should be repaired soon.
- Major — failed. It must be repaired and retested.
- Dangerous — failed, and the vehicle should not be driven at all.
Tyres are consistently among the most common advisories. If yours has one, our guide to tread depth and the law covers the 20p test, and the tyre age checker tells you whether age alone means replacement.
When your MOT is actually due
- A new vehicle needs its first MOT at three years old, then every year after.
- You can test up to a month minus a day early and keep the same renewal date, which is the sensible way to do it — if it fails you have time to put it right.
- Driving without a valid MOT is an offence, with limited exceptions such as driving to a pre-booked test.
- It can affect your insurance. Insurers may treat a vehicle without a valid MOT as not roadworthy.
- An MOT is not a service. It is a minimum safety standard on the day of the test and says nothing about how the car will be next week.
Worth remembering the last point. A car can pass its MOT in the morning and have a flat battery the next day — the test does not check the battery or the charging system at all. Our battery health check covers what the MOT does not.
We come to you, before it becomes a failure
If the check has turned up a tyre advisory, that is the cheapest possible moment to deal with it. Our mobile tyre fitting service supplies and fits at your home, work or the roadside across North Wales — no garage appointment, no waiting room.
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Questions, answered
How do I check when my MOT is due?
Enter your registration into the checker above. It returns the MOT expiry date from DVSA records, along with the full test history. You can also check on the GOV.UK MOT service, which uses the same underlying data.
What is the difference between an advisory and a minor defect?
An advisory means the vehicle passed but the tester noticed something that will need attention. A minor is also a pass but records an actual defect that should be repaired soon. A major or dangerous defect is a failure, and a dangerous one means the vehicle should not be driven.
Can I drive without a valid MOT?
Generally no. Driving without a valid MOT is an offence, with limited exceptions such as driving to a pre-booked test. It can also affect an insurance claim, because insurers may treat a vehicle without a valid MOT as not roadworthy.
How early can I get my MOT done?
Up to a month minus a day before it expires, while keeping the same renewal date. That is the sensible approach, because if it fails you have time to get repairs done before the current certificate runs out.
Does an MOT check the battery?
No. The MOT is a minimum safety and emissions standard and does not test the battery or charging system. A car can pass its MOT and leave you with a flat battery days later, which is why a separate battery check is worth doing.
Where does this MOT data come from?
Directly from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's MOT history service, published under the Open Government Licence. It covers cars, motorcycles and vans in Great Britain since 2005 and Northern Ireland since 2017.
Do you store the registrations people enter?
No. The lookup is passed straight through to DVSA and the result is returned to your browser. We do not log or keep the registration.