MOT rules explained: when it's due and what's tested
When a car needs its first MOT, how often after that, what the test checks and leaves out, how defects are graded and what a test centre can charge.
Updated
In Great Britain a car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, then once a year after that. The test checks that the car meets road safety and environmental standards on the day. It does not tell you the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. A car fails if the tester records a major or dangerous defect, and the maximum fee for a car is £54.85 at the time of writing.
That is the short version. The rest of this page covers each rule in a little more detail, and points to our other guides where a topic needs more room.
When a car needs an MOT
You must get an MOT by whichever of these applies:
- the third anniversary of the car's registration, for a car under 3 years old
- the anniversary of its last MOT, for a car over 3 years old
An MOT lasts for a year. So a car first registered on 1 March 2023 needs its first test by 1 March 2026, and then every year after that.
Northern Ireland has its own scheme, run by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). There, cars are first tested at four years old and then once a year. The rest of this guide describes the rules in Great Britain.
To find a car's expiry date, look at the date on its current MOT certificate, or use the GOV.UK MOT status or MOT history services with the registration. You can also sign up on GOV.UK for a free reminder by text or email, sent one month before the MOT is due.
Testing before the due date
You do not have to wait until the last day. You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. Test earlier than that and your renewal date moves. Our guide to getting an MOT early works through the dates with an example.
What the MOT checks
The tester follows the DVSA MOT inspection manual. For cars it covers these main sections:
- Identification of the vehicle, such as the registration plates and VIN
- Brakes
- Steering
- Visibility, including the windscreen, wipers and mirrors
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
- Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension
- Body, structure and attachments, including corrosion near key mounting points
- Other equipment, such as seatbelts, airbags and the speedometer
- Nuisance, which covers exhaust emissions, fluid leaks and noise
The manual says the inspection is done without dismantling the car, although the tester may open the bonnet, doors and access panels that are designed to be opened easily. That means some parts cannot be seen, and the tester only records what was visible on the day.
You can watch the test from a viewing area, but you are not allowed to interrupt the tester.
How results are graded
Since 20 May 2018 every defect the tester records falls into a category, and the category decides the result.
| Category | Result | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Fail | A direct and immediate risk to road safety, or a serious impact on the environment |
| Major | Fail | Could affect safety, put other road users at risk or harm the environment |
| Minor | Pass | No significant effect on safety or the environment |
| Advisory | Pass | Something near the point of failure, to monitor and fix if needed |
A car with only minor defects and advisories gets a pass certificate. A car with any major or dangerous defect fails, and the test centre can give you a refusal of an MOT test certificate. Our guide to MOT advisories and failures explains what each one means for a buyer, and the MOT advisory checker decodes the wording testers use.
What an MOT costs
Test centres can charge up to a maximum fee set by the government. At the time of writing that is £54.85 for a car with up to 8 passenger seats, and you do not pay VAT on it. Many centres charge less, so it is worth asking. The current fees are on the GOV.UK MOT costs page linked below.
You must use an approved test centre. You can spot one by the blue sign with 3 white triangles.
If the car fails
A fail is recorded in the MOT database, and anyone can see it in the car's online MOT history. What happens next depends on two things: whether the old MOT certificate is still valid, and whether any defect was dangerous.
- If the old MOT is still valid and nothing dangerous was listed, you can take the car away, as long as it still meets the minimum standards of roadworthiness.
- If a dangerous defect was listed, it needs repairing before it is driven.
- If the old MOT has already run out, GOV.UK says you can only take the car to have the failed defects fixed or to a pre-arranged MOT test.
A repaired car can often have a partial retest for free or for a reduced fee if you act within set time limits. Our guide to MOT retest rules covers those. If you think the result is wrong, read how to appeal an MOT result before anyone starts repairs.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a car without a valid MOT, and the only exceptions are driving to a pre-arranged MOT test or to or from a repair. Our guide to driving without an MOT covers them.
Cars that do not need an MOT
A new car does not need an MOT until the third anniversary of its registration. Cars built or first registered more than 40 years ago do not need one either, as long as they have not been substantially changed in the last 30 years. Our guide to the MOT exemption for cars over 40 years old explains the conditions. Every car must still be kept roadworthy, whether it needs an MOT or not.
What the MOT means when you buy a used car
Each MOT is a snapshot. It tells you the car met the standard on one day. The pattern across years tells you much more: how the mileage grew, which advisories kept coming back and how the car was looked after. Our guide on how to read MOT history walks through it.
It also helps to know what is normal for the model. Our MOT fail rates by model show how often cars of each make, model and age fail, compared with all cars of the same age, from DVSA's anonymised MOT data. We only publish a figure where enough tests sit behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a car need an MOT?
In Great Britain, a car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration and then one every year. In Northern Ireland the first test is at four years old.
How much does an MOT cost?
At the time of writing the maximum a test centre can charge for a car is £54.85, with no VAT. Centres may charge less. Check the GOV.UK MOT costs page for the current figure.
What is not checked in an MOT?
The test does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox, and the tester does not dismantle the car. A pass is not a full mechanical inspection.
How long is an MOT certificate valid for?
An MOT lasts for a year. If you test up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out, the new certificate keeps the same renewal date.
Can a car pass with defects?
Yes. Minor defects and advisories are listed on the certificate, but the car still passes. Only major and dangerous defects cause a fail.