MOT History Check · Free
Free MOT History Check by Registration
See the full MOT record for any UK vehicle. Pass and fail results, advisories, mileage at every test and the next MOT due date, sourced live from DVSA.
- Every MOT test on file, with pass, fail and advisory notes
- Next MOT due date and live current MOT status
- Mileage logged at each test, in chronological order
- Reasons for failure and recurring advisory patterns
- Data drawn live from the official DVSA MOT history API
MOT history is pulled live from the official DVSA MOT history API. Results reflect the data held at the time of the lookup. See our terms for full details.
Free Car Check for your vehicle
- Instant results
- No signup
- DVLA & DVSA data
Want finance, write-off and stolen checks too?
MOT history tells you how a car has been maintained. Add Experian's Vehicle History Check for just £14.99 to cover outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers as well.
What you get with your free MOT history check
A free ServiceStamp MOT check pulls every recorded test from the DVSA database so you can see exactly how the vehicle has performed against the UK roadworthiness standard over its lifetime.
| Data point | What you'll see |
|---|---|
| Current MOT status | Whether the MOT is currently valid, and the exact date the next test is due. |
| Full test history | Every MOT test on record: date, result, test number and the test station's anonymised reference. |
| Pass and fail results | Clear pass or fail for each test, including failed items and the date the vehicle later passed. |
| Advisory notes | Items the tester flagged as needing future attention, grouped per test so you can spot recurring issues. |
| Defect category | For tests since May 2018: Dangerous, Major, Minor, Advisory or Pass, in line with current DVSA rules. |
| Mileage at each test | The odometer reading recorded by the test station, plotted across the vehicle's lifetime. |
| Reasons for failure | Plain-English summary of why a test was failed, so you can judge whether the issue was minor or serious. |
| First MOT due date | For newer cars that have not yet needed an MOT, the date the first test becomes due. |
| MOT exemption indicator | Whether the vehicle qualifies for the 40-year rolling historic-vehicle exemption. |
| Vehicle identity | Make, model, fuel type, first-registration date and colour, alongside the MOT record. |
The free MOT check covers everything DVSA holds on the test record. For finance, write-off, stolen markers and multi-source mileage verification, the Vehicle History Check (£14.99) adds the deeper risk data.
How It Works
A free MOT history check in seconds. Test results, advisories, mileage and expiry dates, pulled live from the official DVSA MOT history API.
1. Enter Your Reg
Type the UK number plate of the car you want to check. No signup, no email required.
2. We Query DVSA
ServiceStamp pulls every MOT test on file straight from the official DVSA MOT history database.
3. Get Your Instant Results
See the full MOT timeline on-page in seconds. Upgrade to the Vehicle History Check for finance, write-off and stolen markers.
What the MOT history shows you
The MOT history is the single most useful free record you can pull on a used car. Every roadworthiness test the vehicle has ever taken sits on the DVSA database: pass or fail, the date it was tested, the mileage logged at the time, and the items the tester recorded. Read together, those entries tell a far more honest story about a car than any advert or service receipt.
For buyers, the MOT history is the cheapest due-diligence tool available. You can confirm whether a seller's claims about condition, mileage and use line up with the official record before you spend a penny on travel, deposits or an inspection. For owners, it is the simplest way to know exactly when your next MOT is due, whether your last test left advisories outstanding, and how close to a fail your car has been in recent years.
The free ServiceStamp report also includes the basic DVLA identity for the same registration, so you can cross-check the MOT against make, model, colour and first-registration date in one place. That matters because cloned vehicles can show a perfectly normal MOT history that actually belongs to the genuine car whose plates were copied. If the MOT record describes a different car to the one in front of you, walk away. For a full PNC stolen check alongside identity data, the Vehicle History Check (£14.99) is the next step.
Defect categories explained: Pass, Advisory, Minor, Major and Dangerous
On 20 May 2018, the DVSA changed the way MOT results are recorded. Instead of a simple pass or fail, every defect found during a test is now graded against a category that reflects how serious it is. Reading those categories is the key to judging an MOT history accurately.
- Pass: the vehicle meets the minimum legal standard. No defects of any category were recorded.
- Pass with advisories: the vehicle passed, but the tester noted items that will need attention in the future. These are not faults yet, only signals.
- Minor: a pass is still issued. The defect does not affect safety or the environment significantly, but it should be repaired as soon as possible.
- Major: a fail. The defect could affect vehicle safety, put other road users at risk or have a negative impact on the environment.
- Dangerous: a fail of the most serious type. The vehicle must not be driven on the road until the defect has been repaired.
The pattern of categories matters as much as any single test result. A vehicle with several Major or Dangerous failures clustered in recent years tells you the car has been pushed to the edge of its roadworthiness more than once. Recurring advisories on the same item, year after year, often mean the issue was patched to pass the test rather than properly repaired.
On the flip side, a sudden clean history on an older car with no advisories at all can also be a red flag. It can point to test-centre shopping, rushed prep before a sale, or even a cloned identity. Honest cars show honest records, and a well-maintained vehicle usually has at least the occasional wear-related advisory.
Mileage at each MOT test, and what it tells you
Every MOT test records the odometer reading on the day, and that string of readings is the most reliable free source of mileage history in the UK. The MOT mileage timeline lets you see whether usage has been steady, whether the seller's claim of low mileage is supported by the record, and whether the figure on the dashboard is plausible at all.
Honest mileage rises steadily. Look for a smooth upward line with no sudden drops, no implausibly low annual figures and no suspiciously round numbers. A mileage drop between two consecutive MOTs is the clearest single warning sign of odometer tampering, and most clocked cars show one. Use our dedicated mileage check to view the timeline in chart form and see how the readings compare to the UK annual average.
MOT mileage has limits worth knowing about. Cars under three years old have no MOT history yet, so there is nothing to cross-reference. Vehicles taken off the road, stored, leased through a fleet provider or sold between tests can also have long gaps that mask tampering. The Vehicle History Check (£14.99) cross-references DVLA records with BVRLA and RMI data to fill those gaps and catch tampering the MOT record alone misses.
First MOT, exemptions and the 40-year rule
In Great Britain, most cars need their first MOT three years from the date of first registration shown on the V5C. Northern Ireland follows a four-year rule for cars and vans, with the same anniversary system once tests begin. Vehicles in higher- risk classes, such as taxis and ambulances, can need an MOT from one year old.
At the other end of a vehicle's life is the historic vehicle exemption. Once a car is more than 40 years old, it can be declared MOT exempt by the registered keeper, provided it has not been substantially changed in the last 30 years. The rule is rolling, so a car built in 1986 becomes eligible in 2026. To declare exemption, the keeper signs the V112 form when taxing the vehicle. Exemption from the MOT does not remove the legal obligation to keep the car roadworthy at all times.
The free ServiceStamp MOT check shows the first MOT due date for newer cars that have not yet been tested, and flags exempt status for vehicles that qualify under the 40-year rule. Both indicators help you confirm at a glance whether a missing test history is normal or worth questioning.
Driving without an MOT, renewal rules and fees
Driving a car with an expired MOT is illegal in almost every circumstance. The only permitted journeys are to a pre-booked MOT test, or to a garage for repairs related to a pre-booked test. Anywhere else and you face a fine of up to £1,000, possible insurance invalidation and the very real risk that a roadside ANPR camera picks you up before you reach the test centre.
You can take your MOT up to one month minus a day before the current certificate expires and keep the same anniversary date. That gives you a useful buffer to deal with any advisories or repairs without losing the renewal date you already have. Leave it any later and the new MOT runs from the date of the test, shortening your year.
The maximum fee a garage can charge for a class 4 MOT (most cars) is currently £54.85, set by the DVSA. Many garages charge less, and a number offer a free retest if your car fails first time and is repaired at the same garage within ten working days. If your vehicle fails, you can drive it away only if the previous MOT is still valid and no Dangerous defect was recorded.
MOT, service and tax: what the MOT does and does not cover
The MOT is a minimum-standard roadworthiness test, not a service. It checks safety-critical items such as brakes, tyres, lights, suspension, steering, structural integrity and emissions, but it does not include engine internals, transmission components or routine wear items like the cambelt and clutch. A car can pass an MOT and still need thousands of pounds of mechanical work, which is why a clean MOT history reads best alongside a full service record.
For a complete picture before buying, pair the MOT with a service history check and run the car tax calculator so you know what the vehicle will cost to keep on the road from day one. The MOT history also indirectly indicates ULEZ and Clean Air Zone status via the recorded fuel type and first-registration date, which together determine whether the car meets the Euro 4 (petrol) or Euro 6 (diesel) threshold.
For the full risk picture, including finance, write-off and stolen markers, the Vehicle History Check (£14.99) brings the data the free MOT check cannot reach. The full used-car buying checklist walks through how all of these pieces fit together at the kerbside.
Free check vs Full History Check
The free check covers the basics. For peace of mind on finance, write-off and stolen markers, upgrade to the Full History Check.
| What's included | Free CheckFree | Full History Check£19.99 · save £5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tax & SORN status | ||
| Full MOT history | ||
| DVLA mileage timeline | ||
| Technical spec & CO2 | ||
| Outstanding finance check | ||
| Write-off & salvage history | ||
| Stolen vehicle marker | ||
| Mileage anomaly analysis | ||
| Plate & colour change history | ||
| Manufacturer service records |
Pair the report with a physical inspection
A digital MOT history is essential, but it isn't a substitute for looking at the car. Worn tyres, corrosion under the sills, poor crash repairs, hesitation under acceleration and electrical faults all show up only in person, and a structured walk-around catches things even an honest seller may not have noticed. Our used-car buying checklist takes you through bodywork, tyres, suspension, brakes, fluid levels, electrical functions and the test drive itself.
Together, the MOT record and the physical inspection give you the two perspectives you need to buy with confidence: what the records say, and what the car actually shows.
Why ServiceStamp
ServiceStamp uses the same trusted data sources relied on across the UK motor trade, so the picture you get of a vehicle is the same picture a dealer would get. Every check pulls live data from DVLA vehicle records, MOT test history, the Police National Computer for stolen markers, and the MIAFTR insurance write-off register. Paid reports add Experian finance data for outstanding HP and PCP agreements, plus multi-source mileage verification through BVRLA, RMI and the National Mileage Register.
Behind the data sits the team's automotive experience: technical knowledge, accurate interpretation of records, and the operational know-how to handle the edge cases that catch generic reg-lookup tools out.
Choosing ServiceStamp means choosing a check designed around accuracy, transparency and the safety of UK drivers, whether you're buying privately, through a dealer, or selling a car of your own. More on why drivers choose ServiceStamp →
- DVSA-sourced MOT history on every check
- Police National Computer stolen markers on every paid report
- MIAFTR write-off register
- Multi-source mileage verification
Other useful MOT guides
When is my MOT due?
The early-renewal window, first-MOT rules and penalties for driving without one.
MOT advisories explained
The post-2018 defect categories, common types and what they tell a buyer.
MOT exemption: the 40-year rule
The V112 declaration, "substantially changed" guidance and what exemption doesn't free you from.
All vehicle history guides
Tax, write-off, mileage and identity guides in one place.
MOT history check FAQ
How do I check a car's MOT history for free?+
When is my MOT due, and how do I check the expiry date?+
What is the difference between an advisory, minor, major and dangerous defect?+
When does a new car need its first MOT in the UK?+
Are classic cars over 40 years old MOT exempt?+
Can I drive my car if the MOT has expired?+
How early can I get my MOT done before it expires?+
What is the maximum MOT fee in the UK?+
How long does an MOT certificate last after a fail?+
Does the MOT history show mileage at each test?+
What is the difference between an MOT and a service?+
Can I check MOT history for a car in Northern Ireland?+
Where does the MOT history data come from?+
How fresh is the data?+
Does ServiceStamp store my registration number?+
Ready to run your free MOT history check?
Enter a UK registration number to see every MOT test on the DVSA record. Free, no signup, no payment.
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