When Is My MOT Due?

How to find your MOT due date

The quickest way is to enter your registration above. We read the expiry date from your most recent pass and show how many days you have left. There are other ways to find it too:

• Your last MOT certificate (the VT20) shows the expiry date. Most people no longer keep the paper copy, but the garage can reprint it.
• A reminder letter or text, if you've signed up to DVSA's free MOT reminder service or your garage sends them.
• Your own records: a test passed on 10 May normally expires on 9 May the following year, unless you tested early (more on that below).

Note that the V5C logbook doesn't show MOT dates. It records the keeper and vehicle details, not test results.

MOT due date rules explained

Two simple rules decide when an MOT is due in Great Britain. A brand-new car must have its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration. After that, it needs a new MOT before the current certificate expires, which in practice means every year.

If you'd rather not do the arithmetic, the MOT due date calculator works it out from either the first registration date or your last test date.

How early can you MOT a car?

You can take the test up to one month minus a day before your current MOT expires and keep the same renewal date. Your new certificate simply adds a year to the old expiry, so you don't lose any of the time you've paid for.

For example, if your MOT expires on 15 May, the earliest you can test without losing days is 16 April. Pass on any day between 16 April and 15 May and your next expiry will be 15 May the following year.

Can I test even earlier?

Yes, there's no rule against it, but the new certificate will run from the date of the test instead. Test two months early and your renewal date moves two months earlier for good. That can make sense if you want to move your MOT away from a busy time of year, such as Christmas.

MOT expiry check: what happens when it runs out

There's no grace period. From the day after the expiry date, the car isn't legal to drive on public roads unless you're taking it to a pre-booked MOT or to a garage for repairs needed to pass. Even then, the car must be roadworthy.

Driving without a valid MOT can lead to:

• a fine of up to £1,000
• problems with an insurance claim, because many policies require the car to be roadworthy and legally tested
• being unable to renew your vehicle tax, as the DVLA checks for a valid MOT when you tax

If your vehicle has a dangerous defect, you can't drive it until it's repaired, even if your old certificate is still in date.

Check MOT expiry date before you buy

When buying a used car, the MOT expiry date affects what the car is worth to you. A car with eleven months left has had a recent independent inspection. A car whose MOT runs out next week could need hundreds of pounds of work you haven't budgeted for.

It's reasonable to ask a seller to put a car through a fresh MOT before you buy, or to negotiate on price if they won't. Check the vehicle's full MOT history at the same time to see how previous tests went.

MOT due date and car tax

Tax and MOT are separate, but linked. You can't tax a vehicle that needs an MOT and doesn't have a valid one, so a missed MOT can quickly lead to an untaxed car. Each carries its own penalties. Our car tax check shows the tax status and due date alongside the MOT in the same report.

Getting ready before your MOT due date

A surprising number of failures come from things you can check on your driveway in ten minutes. In the week before your test:

• walk round the car with the lights on, including brake lights, indicators, hazards and the number plate lamp
• check the tyres for tread depth, cuts and bulges, and top up the pressures
• make sure the windscreen has no chips in the driver's line of sight and the wipers clear it properly
• fill the screen wash and check the horn works
• clear any dashboard warning lights, such as the engine management or airbag light, which can cause a fail
• remove clutter from the boot and cabin so the tester can reach seatbelts and mounting points

It's also worth looking back at what was noted last year. Our MOT advisories check lists every advisory from your previous test, so you can deal with anything that was close to failing before it becomes a problem.

What if you can't get a test before it expires?

If every local garage is booked up, don't drive on in the hope of finding a slot. Book the first available appointment, even if it's after your expiry date. You'll then be allowed to drive the car to that pre-booked test, provided it's roadworthy. Keep the booking confirmation with you in case you're stopped. Until the test, keep journeys to the minimum the law allows.

If you've just bought a car and aren't sure when its MOT runs out, look it up straight away. Sellers don't always mention a certificate with only weeks to go. The full MOT history shows the expiry date from the last pass, and the month the car is usually tested.

Never miss your MOT due date again

A few simple habits help:

1. Sign up for DVSA's free MOT reminders by text or email on GOV.UK.
2. Use the calendar download in our due date calculator to add a reminder for the earliest date you can test.
3. Book your test as soon as the one-month window opens. Popular garages get busy.
4. Budget for the fee. The MOT cost calculator shows the most a test centre can charge.

Special cases

Vehicles over 40 years old

Most vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago don't need an MOT, provided they haven't been substantially changed. You declare the exemption when you tax the vehicle, and it must still be kept roadworthy.

Imported vehicles

A vehicle imported to Great Britain that's over three years old will normally need an MOT before it can be registered here. After that, the usual annual schedule applies.

Northern Ireland

Cars in Northern Ireland are first tested at four years old and then annually, at test centres run by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA).