What the history shows and how far back it goes
For each test, GOV.UK's MOT history check shows “if it passed or failed”, “the mileage recorded when it was tested” and “when the next MOT is due”. In England, Scotland and Wales you can also see what parts failed at each test and if any parts had minor problems. It may also say whether the vehicle has been recalled for a safety reason, “depending on the manufacturer”. (GOV.UK)
| Vehicle | Results available |
|---|---|
| Cars, motorcycles and vans | Tests done since 2005 |
| HGVs, trailers, buses and coaches | Tests done since 2018 |
| Northern Ireland | Tests done since 2017 |
Source: GOV.UK, Check the MOT history of a vehicle
DVSA's data for the same history says “only Passed or Failed tests are included”. (DVSA MOT History API specification)
Dangerous, major, minor and advisory
GOV.UK says a vehicle fails if the test result lists “dangerous” or “major” problems, and that “minor” or “advisory” problems are notes to monitor or fix in the future. (GOV.UK) The DVSA inspection manual gives each one a meaning:
| Category | DVSA manual wording | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Defects that are a direct and immediate risk to road safety | Fail, refusal notice issued |
| Major | Defects that may prejudice the safety of the vehicle | Fail, refusal notice issued |
| Minor | Defects that have no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle | Pass, certificate issued |
| Advisory | An option for items that have not deteriorated enough to justify rejection | Pass; using it is optional for the tester |
Source: DVSA MOT inspection manual, Introduction (cars, passenger and light commercial vehicles; England, Scotland and Wales)
After a fail
- A failed car can be driven away only if its current MOT is still valid and the result lists no dangerous problems. Otherwise it has to be repaired before it is driven.
- Driving a vehicle that failed on a dangerous problem: “You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points”.
- The test centre can give a refusal certificate (form VT30), and the result goes on the MOT database.
Source: GOV.UK, MOT test result
Retests, from GOV.UK:
- Car left at the test centre for repair and retested within 10 working days: no fee.
- Car taken away and brought back within 10 working days: a partial retest fee may be charged. Back at the same centre before the end of the next working day: a partial retest on certain listed items without paying again.
- In all other cases: a full retest and the full fee.
Source: GOV.UK, Retest after a repair
Mileage on an MOT record
GOV.UK shows “the mileage recorded when it was tested” and doesn't say whether that is miles or kilometres. (GOV.UK) DVSA's data has more detail for each test:
- odometerValue: “Odometer reading, if read”.
- odometerUnit: “Whether the odometer was read in miles or kilometres” (MI or KM, or empty).
- odometerResultType: whether the odometer was read at the test: READ, UNREADABLE or NO_ODOMETER (“a value is not available”).
Source: DVSA MOT History API specification
Our own finding, not a published source: on 5 October 2026 we read 154 MOT histories. Two showed a kilometre clock at some point. One car's records had kilometre readings typed under “miles” on three tests, so its history looked like the mileage went down until the unit was worked out for each test. One kilometre is 0.621371 miles.
The 2020 six-month extension
Cars, motorcycles and light vans “due an MOT between 30 March and 31 July 2020” were given a 6-month extension. Vehicles “due an MOT from 1 August 2020” did not get one and were tested as normal. The DVSA news story that says this was withdrawn on 22 March 2022 “because the guidance it includes is out of date”, and is the source used here. (DVSA, 31 July 2020)
We found no entry for the extension in DVSA's list of tests, which holds passed and failed tests only. For a vehicle due in that window, the gap between two tests on the record can therefore be longer than a year.
MOT history on Motorwatchr
Motorwatchr reads the DVSA record for each plate and shows it as DVSA gives it:
- the MOT pass rate: tests DVSA marks as passed out of passed plus failed, with the count beside it (“passed 9 of 11 tests”);
- one row per test, with its result, mileage in miles and defects, worst first;
- the expiry date, and a note when the last test failed or listed a dangerous defect;
- the advert's mileage beside the MOT's, in words and nothing more, for example “Advert says 92,000 miles; the MOT on 3 March 2025 read 104,311”.
More on the other guides: Where dealers get their stock and Write-off categories explained.