CarCostCheck

Free MOT History Check: Full Test Results & Advisories

See every MOT test, advisory, and failure for any UK vehicle back to 2005. Every advisory is interpreted in plain English with estimated repair costs.

GB

Free instant check using official DVSA and DVLA data

What our MOT history check includes

Every MOT test result since 2005
Advisories interpreted in plain English
Estimated repair cost per advisory
Severity rating (minor, moderate, serious)
Recurring issue detection
Mileage readings from every test
Mileage clocking detection
MOT pass rate for the specific car
Comparison against model average
Red flag alerts for neglect or safety issues
Reliability score (0-100) based on full history
Predicted annual repair costs

59,115,744

MOT tests analysed

82%

Average UK pass rate

Since 2005

Full history available

Why MOT history matters when buying a car

A single MOT test tells you whether a car passed or failed on one particular day. The full MOT history tells you a completely different story. It reveals patterns of maintenance, wear, and potential neglect that a test-day snapshot cannot show.

For example, a car might pass its latest MOT cleanly, but the history could show brake advisories appearing every year for four years, getting progressively worse. That pattern tells you the owner has been ignoring a deteriorating problem. Our analysis flags exactly this kind of issue automatically.

Mileage verification is another critical element. Every MOT records the odometer reading. By comparing readings across tests, we can detect sudden drops (clocking), suspicious gaps, or unusually low readings that suggest the car may have been tampered with.

Sample MOT advisory interpretation

Raw MOT text

Offside front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1g)

CarCostCheck interpretation

The front brake disc on the right side is showing wear. It passed for now, but will likely need replacing before the next MOT.

Severity: ModerateEstimated cost: £150 - £250Category: Brakes

How it works

1

Enter the reg plate

Type any UK vehicle registration into the search bar. No account or signup needed.

2

We fetch MOT records

We pull the complete MOT history from DVSA and analyse every test, advisory, and failure.

3

Review your MOT analysis

View interpreted results with plain English explanations, repair cost estimates, and pattern detection.

Frequently asked questions

How far back does the MOT history go?

MOT history is available back to 2005 for most vehicles. The DVSA MOT History API contains every test since the system was digitised. We analyse every single test, advisory, and failure in the vehicle's record.

What is an MOT advisory?

An advisory is an issue noted by the tester that is not serious enough to cause a failure today, but could become a problem in the future. Common examples include worn brake discs, slight corrosion, or tyres approaching the legal limit. We interpret every advisory in plain English and estimate what it would cost to fix.

Can I check MOT history on the GOV.UK website?

Yes, GOV.UK shows raw MOT test data. However, it does not interpret advisories, estimate repair costs, detect mileage clocking, or provide a reliability score. CarCostCheck analyses the same data and gives you actionable insights rather than raw technical codes.

What does the MOT history tell me about a car's condition?

MOT history reveals patterns that a single test cannot. Recurring brake issues suggest neglect. A string of advisories that never get fixed indicates a cost-cutting owner. Mileage readings that drop between tests suggest clocking. We flag all of these automatically in every report.

Is the MOT history check free?

Yes, completely free. The MOT history analysis, including interpreted advisories, repair cost estimates, mileage verification, and reliability scoring, is all included at no cost. No signup or email required. Enter a reg plate and get results instantly.

How do you interpret MOT advisories?

We use pattern matching against thousands of known defect codes to translate technical MOT language into plain English. For example, instead of showing a code like '3.5.1g', we explain that the brake disc is worn and estimate it costs £150-250 to replace. We also rate each advisory by severity: minor, moderate, or serious.

Check any car's MOT history free

Enter any UK reg plate for instant results. Every test, advisory, and failure analysed.

GB

Free instant check using official DVSA and DVLA data