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Check when your MOT is due and its history, free by reg

See your MOT due date and every pass, failure, advisory and mileage reading for any UK car or van, from official DVSA records.

FREE MOT CHECK
Enter your reg to see when your MOT is due, plus its full history.
GB
Failed or due an MOT? Scrap it or sell it. Free collection, paid the same day.

Free, no sign-upMOT due dateFull history since 2005
Only from Scrap a Vehicle and PartPro

The parts your MOT asks for, from cars like yours

We are one group. Cars scrapped with us go to our own dismantlers, and their good parts are graded and listed on PartPro. If you have ever scrapped a car with us, there is a good chance its parts are there now.

  1. 1Check your MOT and see every advisory
  2. 2Find the parts from our dismantlers on PartPro
  3. 3Not worth fixing? We pay for the parts, not just the weight
Browse parts on PartPro →
Real parts from cars scrapped with us

This is why we pay more than scrap

Our yards are dismantlers. The good parts from the cars we collect are graded and resold on PartPro, our parts marketplace. Because those parts have value, so does your car, and we pay you for it.

1You scrap your car with us
2Our dismantlers grade the parts
3They are sold on PartPro, so you get paid more

No other scrap car site can show you this. These are live listings from our dismantlers, updated every few hours. Your car could be next, and you get paid for it.

Need a part yourself? Browse all used parts on PartPro ↗

What you get

What our free MOT check shows

Every result comes straight from the official DVSA MOT database, the same records garages and GOV.UK use. For any car or van tested in England, Scotland or Wales you get:

  • MOT status and expiry date, with a countdown to your next test
  • Every test since 2005, passed or failed, with the test date
  • Failures and advisories for each test, in plain English
  • Mileage at every MOT, charted so you can spot clocking
  • Used parts for each advisory, matched to your car on PartPro
  • A scrap or salvage price if the car is not worth fixing

No other MOT checker takes you from the MOT report to the parts that fix it, and those parts come from the same dismantlers that buy the cars we collect.

Reading your results

MOT failures and advisories explained

Since 2018, every MOT defect is graded by how serious it is. Here is what each grade means for you and your car:

Fail

Dangerous

A risk to you or other road users. The car fails and should not be driven away.

Do not drive it until it is repaired.
Fail

Major

A fault that affects safety or the environment. The car fails the test.

Repair it straight away, then retest.
Pass

Minor

A small fault with no big safety risk. The car passes, but it is recorded.

Repair it as soon as you can.
Pass

Advisory

Something that is wearing and could become a problem. The car passes.

Keep an eye on it. It may fail next time.

Advisories are the early warnings. Fixing them before the next test, with graded used parts where it makes sense, is usually the cheapest way to keep a car on the road.

Why used parts make sense

Cheaper repairs, and better for the planet

Fixing an advisory with a graded used part keeps your bill down and stops a perfectly good part going to waste.

Up to 70%
cheaper than new manufacturer parts
16,000 tonnes
of CO2 avoided in one year by UK drivers buying used car parts
£99m
saved in one year by UK shoppers choosing used parts over new
3,000 tonnes
of waste kept out of landfill in the same year
💡Real example: a cracked dashboard screen cost about £2,400 + VAT new, or £250 used. And 79% of bodyshops and 78% of insurers already use or encourage recycled parts.

Figures from the eBay UK Certified Recycled report on used car parts.

Big MOT bill?

Your car could be worth more than its scrap value

If the repairs cost more than the car is worth, you do not have to pay them. Our yards are dismantlers, so a car with good parts, low miles or a fixable fault is often worth more as salvage than as scrap metal.

  • Free collection from your door, any condition
  • Paid the same day by bank transfer
  • Failed MOT, no MOT, non-runner or damaged, all fine
Failed MOT

Your car failed its MOT: what next?

1. Get a repair quote

Ask the garage what the failures will cost to fix. Many failures, such as brake pads, bulbs, tyres and suspension parts, can be fixed with used parts at a fraction of the price of new.

2. Fix it and retest

If the car stays at the test centre and is repaired and retested within 10 working days, you usually only need a partial retest. Driving without a valid MOT can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

3. Or sell it as it is

If the repairs cost more than the car is worth, there is no need to spend money on it. We buy cars that have failed their MOT, running or not, with free collection and payment the same day. Read more about your options after a failed MOT and failing on emissions.

Buying a used car

Use MOT history to check a car before you buy

A car's MOT history tells you how it has been looked after. Before you buy, check:

  • Mileage: it should go up at every test. A drop can be a sign of clocking.
  • Repeated advisories: the same advisory year after year, such as corrosion, may mean an expensive repair is close.
  • Gaps in the history: a missing year can mean the car was off the road or kept on a SORN.
  • Recent failures: check the failed items were fixed on the retest.
MOT rules

When is an MOT due and who needs one?

In England, Scotland and Wales a car needs its first MOT when it is 3 years old, then every year. In Northern Ireland the first test is at 4 years old. You can have the MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

Most vehicles over 40 years old that have not been substantially changed do not need an MOT. Every other car still needs a valid MOT to be driven on the road, unless you are driving it to a pre-booked test or to be repaired.

Questions

MOT history check questions

How do I check the MOT history of a car?

Enter the registration at the top of this page. You will see every MOT test since 2005 for cars and vans in Great Britain, including passes, failures, advisories and the mileage at each test. It is free and you do not need an account or the logbook.

What is the difference between an MOT failure and an advisory?

Dangerous and major defects mean the car fails its MOT and must be repaired before it passes. Minor defects and advisories still allow a pass, but they are warnings that a part is wearing and will probably need replacing before the next test.

How can I fix MOT advisories cheaply?

Every advisory in your results has a Find used parts button. It opens PartPro with your car already selected, where you can buy graded used parts from trusted dismantlers, which usually costs far less than new.

My car failed its MOT. What can I do?

You can repair it and have it retested. If the car stays at the test centre for repair and is retested within 10 working days, you usually only need a partial retest. If the repairs cost more than the car is worth, you can scrap it or sell it for salvage instead.

Can I drive my car if it failed its MOT?

Only if the old MOT certificate is still valid and the car has no dangerous defects, or you are driving it to a pre-booked MOT or to be repaired. Driving without a valid MOT can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

When is my MOT due?

A car needs its first MOT when it is 3 years old in England, Scotland and Wales, then every year. Your results show the exact expiry date and how many days are left. You can have the MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

How can I tell if a car has been clocked?

Look at the mileage recorded at each MOT in the chart. The mileage should go up between every test. If it goes down, it may be a recording error or a changed odometer, so ask the seller before you buy.

Is my car worth fixing or scrapping?

Compare the repair bill with what the car is worth. If the repairs cost more than the car, or it keeps failing on rust or major faults, scrapping or selling for salvage usually makes more sense. Get a price for your car in about 30 seconds to compare.

Where do the used parts on PartPro come from?

Scrap a Vehicle and PartPro are part of the same group. The cars we collect go to our dismantlers, who take out the parts that still have life in them, grade them and list them on PartPro. Selling those parts is also how we can pay more for your car than its weight alone.

Not worth fixing?

Get a scrap or salvage price in about 30 seconds. Free collection and paid the same day.

Get my price
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