Getting Your Car Ready for Its MOT: A Home Check Guide

Written by the MOT Check Now editorial team and checked against GOV.UK and DVSA guidance. Last updated 3 November 2026. Read our editorial policy and how we get our data.

Knowing how to prepare for an MOT can save you a retest, a delay and sometimes a repair bill you did not need. Many failures come from small, visible faults that a driver could have spotted in the driveway: a blown bulb, worn wiper blades, a dirty number plate or a warning light that has been ignored for weeks. This guide gives you a practical order of checks you can do in about half an hour with no tools beyond a tyre gauge, a torch and perhaps a helper. It follows the areas testers inspect, so you are looking at what they will look at, and it explains how a fault you find is likely to be graded if you leave it.

Key facts at a glance

Why a home check is worth doing

The MOT fee is capped, for a car at £54.85, and the cap does not include repairs. A fail therefore costs you time and the price of the fix, and it may cost you a second test fee, depending on the retest rules in MOT test costs. A home check cannot make a worn part new, but it lets you replace cheap items yourself, get quotes for bigger ones and decide whether to book the test at all. If your car is old or high mileage, this matters more.

There is a second benefit. Every defect the tester records is graded dangerous, major, minor or advisory, and the grade decides whether the car passes. A bulb that has blown is a defect you can clear in minutes at home. The same bulb found at the test will be recorded and may fail the car. You can read how the grades work in our guide to MOT defect categories.

Start with the date. Use the free MOT check to see when your certificate expires, then read how early you can get an MOT so that you book inside the window that protects your renewal date.

A simple preparation timeline

You do not need to do everything in one go. Spreading the checks out leaves time to order parts and arrange repairs before the test.

Step 1: Read your history first

Your past results tell you where the car is weak. Open the MOT history for your registration and look at last year’s advisories, because an item listed then can become a failure now. Then check what failed in earlier years and whether it came back. Our guide to reading an MOT history explains how to interpret the entries. Write a short list of the items you need to look at specifically.

The advisory tracker goes a step further by following each advisory through the recorded tests and showing whether it disappeared, remained or turned into a failure. If an advisory from last year is still unrepaired, it should be the first thing you check. Our guide to MOT advisories explains how to decide which ones need action.

Step 2: Lights

Lights are among the easiest things to check and the cheapest to fix. With the ignition on, go round the car and test each one.

• Dipped beam and main beam, with the main beam warning light showing on the dashboard.
• Sidelights front and rear, and the number plate light.
• Brake lights, including the high-level one if fitted. Ask a helper to press the pedal, or reverse towards a wall or shop window and look at the reflection.
• Indicators and hazard lights, front, rear and side repeaters if fitted. A fast flashing rate usually means a bulb has failed.
• Fog lights and reversing lights where fitted.

Look at the lenses too. A cracked or badly misted lens, or a headlamp that is loose in its mounting, can be a problem. Headlamp aim is checked by the tester, and a car that has been loaded or fitted with replacement bulbs may need adjusting by a garage.

Since May 2018, reversing lights and headlight washers (where fitted) are part of the test for vehicles first used from 1 September 2009, and daytime running lights are checked on vehicles first used from 1 March 2018. If your car is in one of those groups, check them as well. Replace bulbs in pairs if one has gone, since the other is likely to be the same age.

Step 3: Tyres and wheels

The tester checks tyre condition, security, size and type, and tread depth. The primary grooves must be at least 1.6mm deep across the central three-quarters of the tread width and around the whole tyre. A tread depth gauge is cheap and more reliable than a coin. Check every tyre at several points, not only the part that is easy to see.

• Look for cuts, bulges, exposed cord and cracking in the sidewalls.
• Check for uneven wear, which can point to alignment or suspension problems.
• Make sure tyres on the same axle are the same size and type.
• Check pressures against the figures in the handbook or on the door pillar.
• Check that all wheel nuts or bolts are present and tight.

The grade a tyre fault receives can be severe. In the DVSA inspection manual, tread depth below the legal minimum, and a bulge or tear showing cords, are graded dangerous. A tyre cut that reaches the cords, or a malfunctioning tyre pressure monitoring system, is major. An obviously underinflated tyre is a minor defect. One loose or missing wheel nut is major, and more than one is dangerous. The spare wheel is not inspected.

If the car was first used on or after 1 January 2012, the tyre pressure warning lamp must work. It normally lights when you switch the ignition on and goes out. If it stays lit, the system may be reporting low pressure, so check the tyres. A lamp that flashes and then stays on points to a fault in the system. For more depth, read the tyre guide.

Step 4: Wipers, washers and windscreen

The wipers and washers must work well enough for the driver to see the road clearly. Replace blades that smear, judder or leave unwiped patches. Top up the washer fluid and check that the jets reach the screen. Wipers need to operate automatically when switched on, so run them through a full cycle.

Look at the windscreen from the driver’s seat for chips and cracks. According to the DVSA inspection manual, damage is a failure only if it significantly affects the driver’s view, and the thresholds depend on position. In the area directly in front of the driver, about 290mm wide and centred on the steering wheel, damage larger than 10mm in diameter fails. In the rest of the swept area the figure is 40mm. A small chip that you have repaired early is far cheaper than a crack that spreads. Clear anything stuck to the screen that blocks your view, such as a badly mounted satnav or dashcam.

Step 5: Horn, mirrors and seats

Press the horn and listen for a clear, steady note. Check that the mirrors are present, secure and not badly damaged, and that the driver’s seat adjusts and locks. Seatbacks must lock upright, and every seat must be firmly fixed. In the DVSA manual a missing mirror is a major defect, and a mirror that is only slightly damaged or loose is a minor one, so a small crack is not the same problem as a missing glass.

Step 6: Seatbelts

Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, checking for fraying, cuts and slow retraction. Check that every buckle latches and releases cleanly. Look for airbag and seatbelt warning lights on the dashboard when you switch on, because the related lamps are part of the inspection and should go out after a few seconds. Do not forget the rear seats and the middle rear belt if your car has one.

Step 7: Number plates

Plates must be in good condition, securely attached, the right colour, and with correctly formed and spaced characters. Wipe them clean, check the fixings and replace plates that are cracked, faded or peeling. If you have altered your plates or are unsure about a style, our number plate guide sets out the rules.

Step 8: Dashboard warning lights

With the engine running, a warning light that stays on is worth looking into before the test. Pay attention to anything for airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, power steering, the electronic parking brake and brake fluid, as these are checked. An engine management light can also bring a problem with emissions, which are tested. Have it diagnosed before the day, not after a fail.

Diesel cars with a particulate filter deserve a special mention. Since May 2018, a tester records a major defect if smoke of any colour comes from the exhaust, or if there is evidence the filter has been tampered with. A diesel that has done mostly short journeys, or that has a filter warning showing, is worth taking to a garage before the test.

Step 9: Fluids, fuel and the engine bay

The MOT does not test the condition of the engine, but it does look for fuel leaks and checks the exhaust and emissions. Check the oil and coolant level, because a car in poor condition under the bonnet can produce poor emissions or smoke. Make sure the bonnet latches properly. Look under the car for fresh oil or fuel drips, since fluid leaks that pose an environmental risk are now an MOT matter. The fuel cap must fasten and seal, and you may be asked to open it, so have the key.

Also look at the brake fluid. Contaminated brake fluid is among the items added to the test in 2018. If your fluid is very dark, or you cannot remember when it was last changed, ask a garage about it.

Step 10: Brakes, steering and suspension

You cannot test these fully at home, but you can notice symptoms. A pulling sensation under braking, a spongy pedal, a handbrake that rises very high, grinding noises, clunks over bumps and a steering wheel that feels loose or vibrates are all worth a garage look before the test. The tester checks steering and suspension condition, the steering lock and the brakes’ performance. If your history shows brake or suspension advisories, get them looked at first.

Check the brake pad warning light on the dashboard if your car has one, and look through the wheels at the discs for heavy scoring or rust lips where you can see them. Do not take off wheels unless you know how to refit them safely.

Step 11: Boot, doors and the battery

Check that all doors latch, that front doors open from inside and outside and rear doors from outside, and that the boot or tailgate closes properly. The battery and visible wiring are checked, so make sure the battery is secure and wiring is not hanging loose or chafed. Clear the boot and cabin of loose items so that the tester has access, and see our car battery guide if yours has been struggling. If the car has a towbar, check that it is secure and that the 13-pin socket works where one is fitted.

Step 12: Practicalities on the day

• Bring your key for the locking wheel nuts and fuel cap, if you have them.
• Remove anything obstructing the number plates or lights.
• Keep your registration number and any previous certificate handy.
• Allow time. A test on a car usually takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes.
• Ask the test centre how it handles retests before the test starts.

If you can, book the test when you can leave the car with the garage. A partial retest is free if the car is left at the test centre for repair and retested within 10 working days.

What to do with what you find

Not every fault needs the same response. A sensible rule is to match the action to the risk.

Never drive a car you believe to be dangerous, with or without an MOT. A vehicle with a dangerous defect is illegal to drive on the road, and the penalty can be a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points. If you suspect a serious fault in brakes, steering or tyres, arrange for it to be inspected before further use.

A worked example

The example below is invented to show how a home check might go. It is not a record of a real vehicle.

Illustrative example: a seven-year-old petrol hatchback

The MOT history shows that last year’s test passed with advisories for a front tyre close to the limit and a slight oil weep. The owner walks round the car two weeks before the expiry date and finds the following.

None of these is expensive, and all except the tyre can be cleared in an afternoon. By fixing them first, the owner removes the likeliest sources of a fail and goes to the test knowing the car is as ready as a home check can make it.

Your printable home check list

Use this table as a quick tick-list. It follows the order of the twelve steps, and the right-hand column shows who normally deals with the fault.

What happens on the day and afterwards

When you arrive, the tester will normally ask for your registration number and may ask you to open the fuel cap or unlock wheel nuts. You can usually wait, or leave the car and collect it later, depending on the test centre. The test takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes for a car. Afterwards, the result is recorded on the DVSA system, and you receive either a pass certificate or a failure document, depending on the outcome.

If the car passes with minor defects or advisories, treat them as your to-do list for the next twelve months. If it fails, the failure document lists the defects and their grades. Whether you can drive away depends on whether your old certificate is still valid and whether any dangerous defect was listed. Our guide to the MOT certificate explains what the paperwork shows, and what to do after a failed MOT sets out the retest options. Within a day or so you can check that the new result has been recorded, using the MOT history page.

If you disagree with a fail, you can complain to DVSA, and for a failed vehicle the complaint form must be sent within 14 working days. Keep the failure document and any photographs.

What a home check cannot do

A home check will catch the obvious, but it will not replace the tester’s equipment. It cannot measure brake efficiency, headlamp aim or exhaust emissions. If you want certainty on a car you rely on, a garage inspection before the test is a sensible spend. And if your car fails anyway, MOT failure reasons and what to do after a failed MOT explain the next steps. For the full list of what is examined, use the MOT test checklist.

The same applies to the things the MOT does not cover at all. According to GOV.UK, the test does not check the general mechanical condition of the car, and the engine, clutch and gearbox are not tested. A pass says nothing about whether the clutch is nearly worn out, so a service is a separate decision.

Preparing different vehicles

Older and high-mileage cars

Corrosion near suspension mountings, brake pipes and sills is a common reason for a more serious defect on older cars. Look underneath with a torch for flaking metal, damp patches and anything hanging low. Listen for exhaust blows when the engine is cold.

Diesel cars

Besides the particulate filter point in step 8, remember that exhaust emissions are tested against limits that depend on the age and fuel type of the car. A warning light for the filter or the engine should be diagnosed before the test, because a drive will not cure a genuine fault.

Electric and hybrid cars

The same safety checks apply, because the tester inspects brakes, steering, suspension, tyres and lights. An electric car has no exhaust, so the exhaust and emissions items do not apply. Check the tyre tread as carefully as you would on any other car.

Modified cars

Unsuitable repairs or modifications can be a reason for rejection in several areas, including steering, suspension and towbars. Keep receipts for any work, and make sure replacement parts are suitable for your vehicle.

Vans and motorcycles

The checks are similar but the details differ. Vans follow the same approach as cars for most items, and motorcycles have their own inspection manual. See MOT test classes for the differences, and look up records with the van MOT check or motorcycle MOT check.

What our free tools show, and what they cannot

The data comes from the DVSA MOT history service and the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service, as described in how we get our data. Use the car MOT check for a quick status and expiry date. If you want a PDF summary of the test timeline, mileage chart and recurring advisories, the Full Vehicle Report costs £3.99. It does not include finance, stolen or write-off data.

Common mistakes

• Booking the test too early and losing renewal time. Read the early-booking rule first.
• Ignoring last year’s advisories, which are the likeliest failures this year.
• Checking only one brake light or one indicator.
• Judging tyre tread by eye, or by checking only the middle of the tyre.
• Switching off or covering a warning light instead of finding the cause.
• Leaving the car dirty inside and out, with plates obscured or the boot full of loose items.
• Assuming a service has the same purpose as an MOT.
• Letting the old certificate expire before arranging repairs, then driving for other reasons than a repair or a pre-booked test.

The law in short

If your MOT has run out, you cannot legally drive or park the car on the road, apart from driving to or from a repair or to a pre-arranged MOT test. Driving without a valid MOT can bring a fine of up to £1,000. GOV.UK also says you cannot renew vehicle tax without a valid MOT, and if tax is due you can declare the vehicle off the road with a SORN. You can see where you stand using the car tax check and SORN check. For the full position, read driving without an MOT.

Next steps

1. Check your expiry date with the MOT check.
2. Read the history and note any advisories.
3. Work through the twelve steps above and fix what you can.
4. Book inside the early window with a test centre you trust. The MOT near me guide explains how to compare centres.
5. If plans change, the cancel or rebook guide explains your options.

Set a reminder for next year

Once the car is through, make next year easier. The free MOT reminder emails you before your certificate runs out, so you are never scrambling for a slot. If you want an email when a new result is recorded on a car, the car watchlist does that too.

Glossary

• Advisory. A note on a component that could become more serious in the future. The vehicle still passes.
• Defect. A fault the tester records, graded dangerous, major, minor or advisory.
• DPF. Diesel particulate filter, which traps soot from a diesel exhaust.
• ESC. Electronic stability control, a system whose warning lamp is checked.
• PRS. Pass after rectification, where a defect is fixed and rechecked during the test.
• Primary grooves. The main deep grooves in the tread, used to judge tread depth.
• TPMS. Tyre pressure monitoring system, whose lamp is checked on cars first used on or after 1 January 2012.
• Partial retest. A retest limited to the items that failed.
• Swept area. The part of the windscreen cleared by the wipers.

Sources and further reading

• GOV.UK, Getting an MOT
• GOV.UK, Car parts checked at an MOT
• GOV.UK, MOT inspection manual for private passenger and light commercial vehicles (DVSA), sections on visibility and on axles, wheels, tyres and suspension
• GOV.UK, MOT changes from 20 May 2018
• GOV.UK, MOT test fees

MOT Check Now is independent and is not affiliated with DVLA, DVSA, GOV.UK or any government body. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.