About and data

Car MOT History is a free way to read a vehicle's MOT record by number plate, with the parts that matter to a buyer pulled to the top. It's independent and isn't run by DVSA or any government body.

Where the records come from

Each lookup asks DVSA's MOT History API for that registration and shows what it returns. Records cover tests on cars, motorcycles and vans since 2005, and tests done in Northern Ireland since 2017. If DVSA has a record wrong, only DVSA can correct it, usually through the testing station.

How the page works things out

• MOT expiry is the expiry date of the latest pass.
• Earliest test that keeps your renewal date is a month minus a day before expiry, following GOV.UK's guidance.
• First MOT for a newer car is the date DVSA gives, or three years from first registration if it doesn't give one.
• Mileage drops are flagged when a reading in miles is lower than the one at the test before.
• Repeat items are advisories or minor defects with the same wording at more than one test.

These are prompts to ask questions, not proof of anything. A mileage drop can come from a replaced dashboard or a typing error.

Last reviewed 25 October 2026.