Check your MOT due date
Nobody remembers the date on their MOT certificate. Put your registration in and we'll pull the expiry date straight from the DVSA record, along with what your car failed or was advised on at its last test — then set up a reminder before it creeps up on you.
No account, no card, no V5C reference. Your registration is used once to make the lookup and isn't stored by us.
We can't see anything about you from your reg: it returns the vehicle, not the keeper. Only DVLA holds the registered keeper's details.
Enter your dates by hand
Last test
- MOT due date
- Earliest you can test
without losing your renewal date - Best date to book
- Renewal date after your next test
Advised at your last test
These passed, so they're not urgent — but they're the cheapest warning you'll get before they become a failure.
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Outstanding safety recall on this vehicle
DVSA has a recall recorded against this car. Recalls are fixed free of charge by a franchised dealer, whatever the age of the vehicle.
Want us to remind you?
We'll message you six weeks before — early enough to pick the week that suits you instead of ringing round for a same-week slot.
No marketing blast — one reminder, plus the option to opt out of anything else in a single click. You can also get a reminder straight from DVSA.
Reminder set
We'll be in touch six weeks before . Need it sooner, or want a garage to look at anything on your last advisory list? Message us.
What DVSA holds on your car
- Make
- Model
- Colour
- Fuel
- First used
- Tests on record
- Mileage at last test
Before you book
- £54.85 is the legal maximum for a car MOT — no VAT on the test. Plenty of Glasgow stations charge less.
- 1 month minus a day is the earliest you can test and still keep your renewal date.
- Free retest at the same station within 10 working days if the car stays there.
- £1,000 is the fine for driving with no valid MOT — only a pre-booked test is permitted.
How your MOT renewal date actually works
The registration lookup returns the expiry date on your current certificate straight from DVSA. An MOT certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of the test, which is why your due date drifts slightly earlier each year if you always book on the same weekday instead of the same date.
There's one exception worth knowing, and it's why the tool shows two dates. You can put your car in for its test up to one calendar month minus a day before it expires and keep your renewal date. Test inside that window and the new certificate is dated 12 months from your old expiry date (less a day) instead of 12 months from the test day — up to about 13 months of cover for the same money. Book outside the window and you simply reset the clock from the test day and lose those weeks.
Your tax due date is a different record held by a different agency. The MOT expiry comes from DVSA; the tax period comes from DVLA, and the two rarely fall on the same day. You can check tax on the GOV.UK vehicle tax checker with your registration and the make shown on your V5C.
MOT due date questions
Can I check my MOT due date with just my registration number?
Yes. The registration number is all you need. This tool looks the vehicle up in the DVSA MOT history service and shows the expiry date on the current certificate, how many days are left, the make, model and colour it holds on record, and any advisories recorded at the last test. There's no DVSA login, no V5C reference and no account.
What's the difference between the MOT expiry date and my tax due date?
They're two separate records held by two different agencies. The MOT expiry date comes from DVSA and marks the end of the roadworthiness test on your certificate. The tax due date comes from DVLA and marks the end of the current vehicle tax period. They rarely fall on the same day. This tool covers the MOT; your tax due date is on the GOV.UK vehicle tax checker, which asks for the registration number and the make shown on your V5C.
How early can I put my car in for its MOT and keep the same renewal date?
You can test your car up to one calendar month minus a day before your current MOT expires and keep your renewal date. If you test inside that window, the new certificate is dated 12 months from your old expiry date (less a day) rather than 12 months from the day of the test, so you don't lose a few weeks of cover. Test any earlier than the window and the new certificate simply runs 12 months from the test date.
What are MOT advisories and should I worry about them?
An advisory is something the tester noticed that wasn't bad enough to fail the test — a tyre getting close to the legal limit, a brake disc starting to pit, slight corrosion. Your car passed, so it isn't urgent, but advisories are the cheapest early warning you will ever get. The smart move is to price the work and book it before the next test, because the same item becomes a failure once it crosses the line. A worn tyre is around £70-£120 fitted; the same tyre plus a suspension check is considerably more.
How do I get an MOT reminder by text or email?
Enter your reg in the tool above, then use the reminder box to have us message you six weeks before the MOT is due — that's early enough to book a slot in a month that suits you rather than asking who can squeeze you in this week. DVSA also runs its own free reminder service by email or text if you would rather go straight to the source, and the calendar button downloads a reminder you can hold on your own phone.