How to Read a Car's MOT History Like a Pro

A car's MOT history is a public record of its mechanical health over time. Reading it correctly can reveal if a car has been meticulously maintained or run on a shoestring budget.

The Basics

You can check any UK car's MOT history online using its registration number. An MOT test is required annually once a car is three years old. A dedicated MOT check will show you pass/fail results, mileage at each test, and specific reasons for failures or advisories.

Red Flag #1: Mileage Discrepancies

The first thing to check is the mileage timeline. It should increase steadily year on year. If the mileage drops suddenly between tests, the car has likely been "clocked" (the odometer has been illegally wound back to increase the car's value).

Red Flag #2: Repeated Advisories

An advisory is a defect that isn't severe enough to fail the MOT, but needs monitoring. A good owner will fix advisories before the next test.

If you see the exact same advisory (e.g., "Front brake pads wearing thin" or "Tyre worn close to legal limit") repeated year after year, it means the owner only spends money when absolutely forced to. This suggests the car may have been neglected in other areas, like regular oil changes.

Red Flag #3: Major Structural Failures

While worn tyres and blown bulbs are cheap and easy to fix, repeated failures for excessive corrosion, subframe rust, or major suspension component failures on an older car can indicate terminal decline.

What does a "Good" MOT history look like?

A perfect MOT history is rare on older cars. A good history usually consists of a mix of passes and occasional failures for consumable items like tyres, wipers, or suspension bushes, followed by clean passes the next year showing the work was completed promptly.