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MOT & Roadworthiness
When Is My MOT Due? Check Any UK Car in Seconds
Your MOT expiry date sits on the DVSA database, free to look up by registration. Here is how to check it instantly, when the first MOT is due on a new car, the early-renewal window, and what happens if you drive without one.
7 min read·Updated May 2026
In one line
Check the MOT due date for any UK reg via our free MOT history check. You can renew up to one month minus a day early without losing your anniversary date. First MOT is due at 3 years (GB) or 4 years (NI) from first registration.
How to check when your MOT is due
Every UK MOT test is logged by the DVSA on a public database, which means the expiry date for any registered vehicle is a free reg-lookup away. The fastest route:
The result panel shows the MOT due date, the days remaining, and the result of the last test (including any advisories or fail reasons).
You can also check via gov.uk, which uses the same DVSA data. ServiceStamp adds the full history view alongside, so you can see how the car has performed test by test, not just the next due date.
First MOT for new cars
New cars do not need an MOT for the first few years. The age threshold depends on where the car was first registered:
Great Britain: first MOT due 3 years from the date of first registration shown on the V5C.
Northern Ireland: first MOT due 4 years from the date of first registration.
Some higher-risk vehicle classes (taxis, ambulances): first MOT due at 1 year.
After the first MOT, all vehicles move to an annual test on the anniversary of the most recent pass. The due date moves forward each year by exactly twelve months from the date of the last pass, not from when the previous test would have expired.
The 1-month-minus-a-day early window
You can take your MOT up to one month minus a day before the current certificate expires and keep the same anniversary date. For example, if your MOT is due on 15 June, the earliest you can test without losing the anniversary is 16 May.
Test any earlier than the 16 May threshold and the new MOT runs from the date of that earlier test, shortening your year. The rule exists to stop owners stacking back-to-back tests and gaining a few weeks of free coverage.
In practice: aim to test in the first half of the early window, so you have time to repair any advisories or fails before your anniversary passes.
Driving with no MOT: the penalties
Driving a vehicle without a valid MOT is illegal in almost every circumstance. The exceptions are narrow: driving to a pre-booked MOT test, or driving to a garage for repairs related to a pre-booked test. Anywhere else and you face:
Fine of up to £1,000 (Section 47 RTA 1988)
Three penalty points in serious cases
Invalidated insurance, with all that entails
Possible vehicle seizure under ANPR enforcement
ANPR enforcement is automated and effectively continuous on most main roads. Driving without an MOT is detected, not assumed.
What happens after a fail
If your car fails the MOT but the previous certificate is still valid, and no Dangerous defect was recorded, you can drive away under the remaining cover until the previous certificate expires. If the failure includes a Dangerous defect, the car must not be driven at all until repaired.
Many garages offer a free retest if the car is repaired at the same garage within 10 working days. Always confirm before booking the original test.
Set up gov.uk MOT reminders
DVSA runs a free reminder service that emails or texts you one month before your MOT expires, and again two weeks before. Sign up at gov.uk/mot-reminder with your registration and contact details.
A single registration can be set up for both email and SMS reminders for redundancy. There is no charge.
Common questions
How do I check my MOT online for free?
Use our free MOT history check or gov.uk's check-mot-history tool. Both use the same DVSA data, return the current expiry date, the last test result and the full historical record. No signup required.
Can I drive to an MOT test if mine has expired?
Yes, but only to a pre-booked test or to a garage for repairs related to a pre-booked test. Document the booking in case you are stopped.
What is the maximum MOT fee in the UK?
£54.85 for a class 4 vehicle (most cars), set by the DVSA. Many garages charge less and some bundle a free retest if you repair at the same garage within ten working days.
How early can I get my MOT?
Up to one month minus a day before the current certificate expires, while keeping the same anniversary date.
What if I just bought a car with an expired MOT?
You can drive it to a pre-booked MOT test. Book the test before you collect the car if possible. If the previous owner declared SORN, you also need to tax the car before driving anywhere else.
Does the MOT expiry date show on my V5C?
No. The V5C records registration and keeper information, not MOT status. Use the DVSA history check (free) for the current expiry date.
Can I check MOT due date by VIN?
No. The DVSA MOT history database is keyed on registration number, not VIN. If you only have the VIN, the registration can usually be found via the V5C document or by contacting DVLA.
What happens if I miss my MOT date?
The vehicle becomes immediately untested. Driving it is illegal except to a pre-booked test. Tax Direct Debits also fail if the MOT expires, so expect to retax once the new MOT is in place.
Check your MOT due date now
Enter a UK registration to see your MOT expiry date, the days remaining, and the full DVSA history in seconds. Free, no signup.
Checking when your MOT is due is a 5-second free lookup. Renew within the one-month-minus-a-day window to keep your anniversary date, sign up for gov.uk reminders so you never miss one, and never drive without a valid MOT unless you are heading to a pre-booked test.
