The MOT Explained: When It’s Due, What’s Checked and Why Cars Fail

The MOT is a yearly check that your car meets the legal minimum for safety and emissions. It isn’t a service, and passing doesn’t mean the car’s in good health. It means that on the day, it met the standard.

Here’s how it works, and how to stop your car failing on something silly.

When it’s due

In England, Scotland and Wales a car needs its first MOT when it’s three years old, then every year after that. You can find your due date for free on gov.uk with the registration.

You can have it done up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. So if it runs out on 15 May, an MOT from 16 April onwards keeps 15 May as your date.

You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT, and it can affect your insurance too. The exception is driving to an MOT you’ve already booked. The full rules are on gov.uk.

What’s checked

The tester looks at the parts that keep the car safe and legal, including:

• Lights, indicators and the number plate light
• Brakes, steering and suspension
• Tyres and wheels
• Seatbelts and seats
• Windscreen, wipers and washers
• Exhaust, emissions and the fuel system
• Bodywork and structure, for corrosion and sharp edges
• Horn, mirrors and number plates

It doesn’t check the engine, clutch or gearbox, apart from emissions. That’s what a service is for.

Why cars fail

Lights, suspension, brakes and tyres are among the most common reasons for a fail, and plenty of those are things you could spot yourself in five minutes.

Faults are graded as minor, major or dangerous. A minor fault is recorded but the car passes. A major or dangerous fault is a fail, and with a dangerous one the car mustn’t be driven until it’s fixed.

Advisories aren’t a fail, but they’re a warning of what’s coming. Don’t ignore them.

Five-minute checks before your MOT

• Walk round with the lights on, including the brake lights and number plate light
• Check the tyre tread and look for cuts or bulges
• Top up the screenwash and make sure the wipers clear the screen
• Check no warning lights stay on once the engine’s running
• Make sure the horn works and every seatbelt latches and pulls back properly
• Clean the number plates so they’re easy to read

How we do it at GT

We book MOTs for £49.95. If anything fails, the repairs are done in our own workshop, priced before we touch the car. And when your car’s in with us for a service, we’ll tell you how far off its MOT is so you can book both together.

See our MOT booking →