What's in a free MOT check
Every MOT test conducted on a UK vehicle since 2005 is recorded by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) and exposed through a free public API. A free MOT check on DealerPricing returns the full record, instantly, for any UK registration.
- Every MOT test from 2005 onwards - usually 5 to 20 individual tests
- Pass or fail status for each test
- Recorded mileage at each test (useful for spotting odometer clocking)
- Test expiry date and current MOT validity
- Every recorded defect - by category (Dangerous, Major, Minor)
- Every recorded advisory (items "close to legal limit")
- Test location and test centre identifier
- Original test certificate number (for cross-reference)
Why MOT history matters when buying a used car
Current MOT validity tells you the vehicle is legal to drive today. The full MOT history tells you the story behind it - and that story is often more important than the price tag.
Repeated failures on the same item flag a recurring fault. Brake-pad-wear advisories two MOTs in a row mean an imminent £200+ repair. Suspension faults flagged across multiple tests are an expensive structural problem. A vehicle with no advisories at all is either young, exceptionally well maintained or - rarely - has had its history adjusted.
Spotting a clocked vehicle from the MOT history
Every MOT records the vehicle's mileage at the time of test. If the mileage decreases between consecutive tests - say 88,000 in 2023 then 62,000 in 2024 - the odometer has been illegally wound back. This practice is called "clocking" and is one of the most common forms of used-car fraud in the UK.
DealerPricing's free MOT check highlights any decrease in recorded mileage automatically. A clean check is one of the cheapest forms of protection you can run before buying.
Understanding MOT advisories - yellow flags, not failures
Advisories are items the tester noticed but which don't fail the test today. They're forecasts: "this part is going to need replacing soon". Reading the advisories on the last 2-3 MOTs tells you what repair bills you're inheriting if you buy the vehicle.
A vehicle with five new advisories on its last MOT will likely need brakes, tyres or suspension work within the next 6-12 months. A vehicle with zero advisories is either freshly serviced or has been driven very lightly.
Free MOT check vs full vehicle history check
A free MOT check covers the publicly available DVSA and DVLA data - MOT history, tax status and basic vehicle details. It does NOT tell you whether the vehicle is stolen, on finance, written off or has had keepers changed without paperwork.
For those checks you need a full vehicle history (provenance) check (£3.99, or £2.50 for subscribers), which queries the PNC (stolen), MIAFTR (write-offs) and finance company registers in addition to the data the free check returns.