How to check the MOT history of a vehicle

Checking a vehicle's MOT history takes about a minute and needs only the registration (number plate). You don't need the owner's permission and you don't need any personal details.

Step by step

Find the vehicle's registration number.
Open the official service and enter the plate.
Confirm the make, model and colour shown match the car in front of you — a mismatch can mean cloned plates.
Work through each test from oldest to newest.

Reading the results

Mileage. The reading recorded at each test should only ever go up, and by a believable amount each year (roughly 6,000–12,000 miles for an average car). A reading that falls, or barely moves for years then jumps, is the classic sign of odometer tampering.

Advisories. These are early warnings. One or two is normal. A long list, or the same advisory repeated over several years without being fixed, suggests deferred maintenance.

Failures. Look at why it failed and whether it was retested and passed shortly after. Repeated failures for the same structural or corrosion item are more serious than a blown bulb.

Cross-check the mileage story against the seller's description and the service book. Records are much harder to fake than a dashboard.

You can run the free official check any time at gov.uk/check-mot-history.