MOT expiry check.
When does it run out?
Find the exact date any vehicle’s MOT expires — plus how long is left and what to do before the deadline arrives.
Enter the registration above and this MOT expiry check shows the exact calendar date the vehicle’s current MOT runs out, along with its present status and full test history. The check is free and instant — and knowing the date matters, because driving after it can cost you a fine of up to £1,000.
How the MOT expiry date works
An MOT lasts 12 months from the test date (or from the previous expiry date, if you test early — see below). For a vehicle’s first MOT, the expiry is tied to its registration anniversary: cars, vans and motorcycles in Great Britain are first tested at 3 years old, so the first certificate runs to that anniversary pattern thereafter. The expiry check shows the precise date from the official record — never rely on a seller’s “about 10 months left”.
The early-test rule that protects your date
You may have the MOT done up to a month (minus a day) before the expiry date and still keep the same renewal date next year. Test on 1 March with an expiry of 28 March, pass, and your new certificate runs to 28 March next year — you lose nothing. Test earlier than that window and the new expiry resets to 12 months from the test date. The smart habit: book inside the window, keep your date, and never drive on the last day hoping for a slot.
What happens the day after expiry?
From midnight on the expiry date the vehicle has no MOT. It may not be driven on public roads except to a pre-booked MOT test or to a place of repair after a fail. Police ANPR reads plates against the record in real time, so an expired MOT is visible immediately. Consequences stack up: the fine itself, possible penalty points if the vehicle is dangerous, and an insurer who can refuse or reduce a claim made while the car had no MOT.
Checking expiry before you buy
Expiry length is part of a used car’s value. Two identical cars, one with 12 months of MOT and one with 6 weeks, are not worth the same money — the short-dated car hands you a test (and whatever it finds) almost immediately. Run the expiry check on every car you view, and treat “MOT till next year” claims as marketing until the date on the record confirms them.
Never miss it again
The expiry date stays the same each year, so note it where you keep the car’s other dates (tax falls on its own cycle — the check pages here show both side by side in the sample result). A yearly routine works best: check expiry, book the test inside the early window, file the new certificate’s advisories to budget the year ahead.
Sample result — this is what your data looks like
The expiry date is shown exactly, with the current status — no counting months from a test date yourself. (Sample data shown for illustration.)
Frequently asked questions
How do I check when an MOT expires?
Enter the registration above. The DVSA record shows the exact expiry date instantly, free.
Can I get my MOT done a month early and keep the date?
Yes — test up to a month (minus a day) before expiry and the new certificate keeps the same renewal date next year.
What if my MOT expired yesterday?
Do not drive the car except to a pre-booked MOT appointment. Book one now — that single journey is the only legal exception.
Does the expiry date change if the car fails?
A failed test does not extend anything: if the old certificate has already expired, the car has no MOT until it passes a retest. If it fails early within the window, the existing certificate remains valid until its expiry date for most defects, but dangerous defects make the car illegal to drive at all.
Where else is the expiry date written?
On the MOT certificate (VT20) and in the vehicle’s online record — the same record this check reads.
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