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MOT Due Date Calculator

Enter your last MOT date or your car's first registration date to see when the next MOT is due, and the earliest day you can book it.

I know the…

Use the date you passed, not the old expiry. If you tested early, your expiry may be later. Check your certificate.

Enter a date to see your MOT due date.

How MOT due dates are calculated

An MOT certificate runs for one year less a day from the date of the test. A car that passes on 3 April is covered until 2 April the following year. New cars in Great Britain need their first test by the third anniversary of registration, and in Northern Ireland by the fourth.

The calculator also shows the earliest date you can test without losing days. The rule allows you to test up to one month minus a day before your expiry, and the new certificate is simply added to the end of the old one.

Examples of the earliest test date that keeps your renewal date
MOT expiresEarliest test dateNext expiry if you pass
15 May 202616 April 202615 May 2027
31 March 20261 March 202631 March 2027
30 September 202631 August 202630 September 2027

When the calculator can't be exact

If you tested early within the allowed window, your expiry date is later than one year from the test. If you don't know your last test date at all, look up the vehicle with our free MOT due date check, which reads the exact expiry from DVSA records.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the questions drivers ask us most.

How does the MOT due date calculator work?

From a last test date it adds one year and takes off a day. From a first registration date it adds three years (four in Northern Ireland). It then works out the earliest test date that keeps the same renewal date.

Why might my real expiry date be later?

If you tested early within the allowed window, your new certificate was added to the end of the old one. Your certificate, or a free MOT check by reg, shows the exact date.

What is the earliest I can get an MOT?

One month minus a day before the current MOT expires, if you want to keep the same renewal date.

Does the calendar reminder share my data?

No. The reminder file is created in your browser and downloaded straight to your device. Nothing is sent to us.

Does this work for Northern Ireland?

Yes, for first MOTs. Choose Northern Ireland and the calculator uses the four-year rule for cars.

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