MOT history is fast, free, and full of signals. Use it before you buy your first car.
Start with pass and fail patterns
Repeat fails or serious advisories are red flags.
Watch for mileage jumps
Mileage should rise steadily. Large gaps or drops can signal clocking.
Compare dates to the seller story
If the car was "off the road," the test gaps should match that story.
Use it as a risk filter, not the full picture
MOT history does not show finance, stolen, or write-off records.
The smart first-car flow
Start with MOT history, then run the full checklist before you buy.
- First car checklist:
/first-car-checklist - MOT check:
/mot-check - Full report:
/checkout