High Performance CentreCheck any vehicle’s MOT history.
Every MOT test on record, the mileage at each one, what failed and what was advised, and exactly when the current MOT runs out. For your own car, or one you are thinking of buying.
What the history shows you.
- The date and result of every MOT test, including failed tests and retests
- The mileage recorded at each test, drawn to scale so gaps and jumps stand out
- Dangerous, major and minor defects and advisories, in the tester’s own words
- When the current MOT runs out, and how many days that leaves
- Road tax status, where the DVLA record is available
Reading the mileage.
The tester records the odometer at every MOT, which makes the history the easiest way to check a seller’s mileage claim. A steady climb is what you want to see. A big gap between tests can simply mean the car was off the road. A reading lower than an earlier one is flagged on the chart: that needs a paper trail, such as a garage invoice for a replaced clock, before you hand over any money.
Dangerous, major, minor or advisory?
Since May 2018 every MOT item is put in one of these categories:
- Dangerous: an immediate risk to road safety. The car fails and must not be driven until it is repaired.
- Major: could affect safety or the environment. The car fails and needs repairing straight away.
- Minor: no significant effect on safety. The car passes; repair it as soon as you can.
- Advisory: something to keep an eye on, such as a tyre near the limit. The car passes.
- Fixed during the test: a small fault, like a bulb, put right at the test station before the result.
The same advisory coming back year after year tells you a job has been put off. Corrosion and brake items that appear as advisories and then as majors are worth a close look.
MOT history questions.
Is the MOT history check free?
Yes. There is no charge and no sign-up. The record is public DVSA data, and we show it in full.
Where does the information come from?
The DVSA’s MOT history service, the same record every test station writes to at the end of a test. Road tax status comes from the DVLA when it is available.
Why can I not see who owns the car?
The DVSA record does not include the keeper’s name or address, and nor does this check. It is about the vehicle, not the person.
How far back does the history go?
Tests in Great Britain are on the online record from 2005. A car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old, so a newer car may have no tests yet.
The mileage went down between two tests. What does that mean?
It can be a replaced instrument cluster, a typing slip at the test, or a clocked car. Ask the seller for the paperwork that explains it before you buy.
How up to date is it?
A test appears on the DVSA record as soon as it is logged. We keep our copy for up to a day, so a test done this morning may take until tomorrow to show here.