What Gets Checked at an MOT: The Full Car Inspection List

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.

If you want an MOT test checklist, the most reliable version is the government’s own list of what testers examine on a car. It runs to 21 areas, from body and structure to the battery and visible wiring. This guide takes you through them in plain English, explains what each check is looking for, and points out what is not tested, because that is where many drivers are caught out. The detail is drawn from the official GOV.UK list of car parts checked at an MOT and the MOT inspection manual for cars and passenger vehicles that testers work from.

Key facts at a glance

How to use this checklist

The tester decides pass or fail using the official manual, not personal preference, so the same car should get the same result at any garage. This list covers cars and light passenger vehicles in class 4. Motorcycles and larger vehicles have their own inspection manuals; see MOT test classes. Use the list to look over your own car before the test, and pair it with how to prepare for an MOT if you want to fix things first. A test on a car usually takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes.

It helps to keep two ideas in mind while you read. First, the MOT is an inspection of condition and operation on the day, carried out without taking the car apart. Second, the tester is checking that parts meet a minimum standard, not that they are new or perfect. A tyre with legal tread and no damage passes, even if it is not far from the limit. Our what is an MOT guide explains the purpose of the test in more detail.

The 21 areas a car MOT covers

How the 21 areas map to the inspection manual

Testers do not work down the GOV.UK list. They follow the numbered sections of the inspection manual, which has an introduction, eleven numbered sections from 0 to 10 and three appendices. Knowing the structure helps you read the wording of a defect on a report. The table maps the manual to the areas above.

The mapping is approximate, because the GOV.UK summary groups items differently from the manual’s numbering, so treat the right-hand column as a guide to where to look and not as a rule. The three appendices cover structural integrity and corrosion, tyre load index tables and seat belt fitment tables.

Lights, plates and visibility

Lights account for a large share of avoidable failures because a bulb costs very little and takes minutes to fit. The tester checks that each lamp works, is in good condition and is secure, including newer HID and LED units. Headlamps are also checked for aim, for cleaning and self-levelling where fitted, and for the main beam warning light. Registration plates must be clean enough to read, firmly attached, the right colour, and with correctly formed and spaced characters. The number plate guide covers the rules in detail.

For visibility, the windscreen is checked for its condition and for how it affects the driver’s view, and the wipers and washers must clear it properly. Mirrors must be present in the required number, secure and in good condition.

Lights in practice

The simplest self-check is to stand a helper at the back of the car and run through every lamp in turn: dipped beam, main beam, front and rear fog lamps if fitted, sidelights, brake lights, indicators, hazard warning lights, reversing lamp and number plate lamps. Lamps that are cracked, loose, full of water or showing a discoloured lens can be recorded even when they light up. The red rear lamps and the white or yellow front lamps must be the right colour, and a lamp must not show a light of the wrong colour to the front or rear. A warning light on the dash that stays lit after the engine starts, such as the airbag or ABS lamp, is treated as evidence of a fault in that system.

Headlamp aim is the one lamp item you cannot easily judge by eye. If you have fitted a different bulb type or the car has had a front-end repair, ask the garage whether the aim should be checked before the test.

Windscreen, wipers and mirrors in practice

Look for chips and cracks in the part of the screen directly in front of the driver, since the manual treats damage in that area more strictly than damage elsewhere. Check that the wiper blades are not split, that they wipe cleanly without smearing, and that the washers actually deliver fluid to the screen. Top up the washer bottle. Mirrors must be fixed, undamaged and give a proper view to the rear, so a loose interior mirror or a cracked door mirror glass deserves a fix beforehand. Dash-mounted gadgets, stickers or a sat-nav suction mount can intrude on the driver’s view and are worth moving away from the swept area of the screen.

Registration plates in practice

Plates fail for reasons that have nothing to do with the mechanical condition of the car: cracked or peeling plates, faded characters, a dirty plate, a plate fixed with a single failing screw, or characters spaced or styled in a way that makes them hard to read. Wipe both plates clean, check them for damage and make sure they are firmly attached. If you have fitted a novelty or stylised plate, see the number plate guide before the test, since characters must be correctly formed and spaced.

Brakes, steering and suspension

Brakes are tested for condition and operation, with performance measured in an efficiency test that does not require wheels or trims to be removed. The tester also looks at ABS and ESC where fitted, and at the related warning lights, including the electronic parking brake and brake fluid lamps. Steering and suspension are checked for condition, correct operation and unsuitable repairs, including corrosion of power steering pipes and hoses. The steering lock must work, and the electronic power steering and steering lock warning lamps are checked too.

These areas rely heavily on wear that builds slowly, so advisories in this area often matter. Read MOT advisories explained for how to treat them.

What you can feel for yourself

You do not need tools to notice warning signs on the road. A brake pedal that sinks slowly, a car that pulls to one side under braking, a handbrake that needs to be pulled a long way, grinding or squealing, or a steering wheel that vibrates under braking all point towards work that may be needed before the test. Steering that wanders, a clunk over bumps, or a bounce that continues after a speed hump suggests wear in the steering or suspension. The tester looks at components such as the condition of linkages and mountings and whether any repair is unsuitable, so a previous patch repair or an unusual modification is worth mentioning to the garage.

The brake fluid and parking brake warning lamps, the ABS lamp and the electronic stability control lamp should each light briefly when you switch on and then go out. A lamp that stays lit, or one that never lights at all, is a talking point at the test.

Tyres and wheels

Tyres are checked for condition, security, size and type, and tread depth. The manual requires the primary grooves of the tread pattern to be at least 1.6mm deep across the central three-quarters of the tread width and around the whole circumference. The outer quarter on each side can be worn. Vehicles first used on or after 1 January 2012 must have a working tyre pressure monitoring system warning lamp. The spare wheel is not inspected. For more on tyres, see the tyre guide.

A five-minute tyre check

1. Walk round each tyre and look at the sidewalls for cuts, bulges, cracking and exposed cords.
2. Check that each tyre is the right size and type for the vehicle and that there is no mismatch of construction on the same axle that makes the car unsafe.
3. Measure the tread with a gauge across the central three-quarters of the width, in more than one place.
4. Look for uneven wear on the inner or outer edge, which can indicate a tracking or suspension problem to raise with the garage.
5. Check that every wheel nut or bolt is present and that wheels are not visibly damaged.
6. Start the car and confirm the tyre pressure warning lamp goes out, if your car has one.

Seatbelts, seats and doors

The tester checks that the mandatory seatbelts are present, suitable, working and securely attached, and that the airbag, pretensioner and load limiter warning lamps behave as they should. Seats must be securely fitted, the driver’s seat must adjust, and seatbacks must lock upright. Front doors must open from both inside and outside, rear doors from outside, and all latches must hold.

At home, pull each belt out fully and let it retract, then clip and unclip it. A belt that frays, will not retract or will not latch is a fail waiting to happen. Check that child locks have not been left on in a way that stops a rear door opening from outside, which would not be a problem, but a door that does not open from outside at all would be. Slide the driver’s seat through its range and check that the seatbacks lock when pushed.

Exhaust, emissions and fuel

Exhaust emissions are checked against limits that depend on age and fuel type. For diesels, a tester may refuse to carry out the smoke test if it could damage the engine. The exhaust system must be complete and secure, with no serious leaks and acceptable noise. The fuel system is checked for leaks, sound pipes and hoses, and a fuel cap that closes and seals, so keep your key handy because the cap has to be opened.

Two points catch people out. The malfunction indicator lamp, often called the engine management light, sits in the manual’s nuisance section, so a lit engine warning light is a good reason to have the car diagnosed before the test. And a car that has just been started cold, or one that has been used only for very short journeys, may behave differently on an emissions test than one that has been warmed up, so a short, steady drive before you arrive is sensible. Electric cars have no exhaust, so the exhaust and emissions items do not apply to them, but the remainder of the list does.

Body, structure, bonnet, load security and towbars

The body check is about safety, not cosmetics. The tester looks for excessive corrosion or damage in specific structural areas and for sharp edges that could injure someone. A dent or scratch is not a problem; rust that weakens a load-bearing area is. The bonnet must close and latch securely, and the boot or tailgate must close properly so the load cannot fall out. Where a towbar is fitted, it must be secure and in good condition, free from unsuitable repairs or modifications, and the 13-pin electrical socket must work where fitted. If you tow regularly, test the socket with a trailer or a tester before the MOT.

Corrosion near the sills, subframes, suspension mounts and seatbelt anchorages is most important, and is covered by an appendix on structural integrity and corrosion in the manual. A tester can judge only what is visible and accessible, which is another reason a clean underside helps.

Horn, VIN and electrical

The horn must work and be suitable for the vehicle, so a novelty multi-tone horn may not be. The VIN, the vehicle identification number, must be displayed as a single number on vehicles first used on or after 1 August 1980, except multistage build vehicles. The electrical check is of visible wiring and the battery, looking for insecure, damaged or badly repaired wiring and a battery that is not secure or is leaking. A flat battery on the day of the test is its own problem, since the tester needs to run the engine and lamps; see the car battery guide for how to keep one healthy.

A ten-minute pre-test walk-round

This table puts the most common avoidable failures into a quick routine. It is not exhaustive, and it does not replace the official list, but it covers items you can check without tools.

What is not tested

The official list is clear that engine, clutch and gearbox condition are not tested. The MOT also does not look at the spare wheel, and it does not service or repair the vehicle. A car can therefore pass with a worn clutch or an overdue service. If you are worried about a car you are buying, an independent inspection covers what the MOT does not. The used car checklist explains what else to look at.

It also helps to understand what an MOT pass cannot tell you about a car’s past. It cannot show finance owing, whether the car has been stolen or written off, or whether the odometer is accurate, because the tester records the reading but does not verify it. Our free tools show the recorded history, the MOT readings and tax status, and the mileage check flags falls, big jumps and long stalls in the recorded readings. That is an indicator, not proof, and our tools do not include finance, stolen or write-off data. The vehicle check brings together what the free official sources hold.

How the results are graded

Each problem found is graded as dangerous, major, minor or advisory, and a defect corrected during the test can be recorded as a pass after rectification. A major or dangerous defect means the vehicle fails. The grades are explained in MOT defect categories, and MOT failure reasons looks at the faults that fail cars most often. If your car does fail, what to do after a failed MOT sets out your options.

Worked examples

The following are illustrative examples, invented to show how the checklist plays out in practice.

Illustrative example 1: the cheap fail. A driver books a test and arrives with a blown number plate bulb and a washer bottle that is empty. Both are quick fixes. The tester records the lamp as a defect, and because lights are among the items that may qualify for a free retest if returned by the end of the next working day, the cost is limited. Checking the lamps at home would have avoided the trip.

Illustrative example 2: the advisory that came back. A car’s history shows an advisory last year for a slightly worn front tyre on the inside edge. This year the tyre is below the legal tread depth. The advisory was a warning, and a look at the MOT history before booking would have flagged it. The driver replaces the tyres first and passes.

Illustrative example 3: the warning light. A driver assumes an illuminated airbag lamp is only an annoyance. The seatbelt and airbag warning lamps are part of the inspection, so the lamp is recorded and the car cannot be passed until the fault is diagnosed and cleared. A garage scan before the test would have saved a second visit.

Illustrative example 4: the clean pass that says little. A used car passes with no advisories, but the buyer later finds the clutch is slipping. The MOT does not test the clutch, gearbox or engine condition, so the pass was accurate and still not enough. An independent inspection and the used car checklist would have covered what the MOT does not.

Check the history before you test

Your car’s previous results are a free guide to where it is likely to be weak. Enter your registration in the MOT history tool and read last year’s advisories before you book. An advisory that was noted last year may be a failure this year. If the test date is not yet booked, the MOT check will show your expiry date and how long you have left. The advisory tracker helps you see the advisories that keep coming back, and the guide to reading an MOT history explains the layout. If you are choosing between two cars, the compare cars tool puts their histories side by side.

When you are ready to book, remember the early-test window: you can test up to one month minus one day before expiry and keep the same renewal date, as explained in how early you can get an MOT. Testing inside that window leaves time to repair and retest while the existing MOT remains valid. The MOT reminder will email you before the date.

Costs, retests and time

The maximum fee a garage can charge for a car (up to 8 passenger seats) is £54.85, with no VAT, and garages may charge less. Repairs are not covered by the cap. If the car fails, the retest rules are: a free partial retest if the vehicle is left at the test centre for repair and retested within 10 working days; a free retest if it is returned to the same centre by the end of the next working day for a limited list of items such as lights, mirrors, doors, seatbelts and wipers; a reduced partial-retest fee if it is taken away for repair and returned within 10 working days; and the full fee otherwise. More detail is in MOT test costs.

A car that fails can be driven away only if the current MOT is still valid and no dangerous defect was listed. Driving a vehicle with a dangerous defect can bring a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points. Driving without a valid MOT at all can lead to a fine of up to £1,000, apart from driving to a pre-arranged test or to or from a repair. See driving without an MOT.

Where to read the full standard

The full inspection manual for cars and passenger vehicles is on GOV.UK at the MOT inspection manual page. It is written for testers and can be technical, but its sections follow the same pattern as the checklist above. MOT Check Now is independent and is not affiliated with DVSA or GOV.UK.

Common mistakes on the day

• Arriving with a dirty or damaged number plate. It can fail even though the car is mechanically sound.
• Leaving a warning light on. Several warning lamps are part of the inspection.
• Forgetting the locking wheel nut key or the fuel cap key. The tester needs access.
• Assuming the engine is checked. It is not, apart from the items listed, so a pass is not an engine health report.
• Ignoring last year’s advisories. They are the best free forecast of what could fail this year.
• Bringing a car so dirty or cluttered that it cannot be inspected. The manual allows a tester to refuse to test a vehicle in some circumstances, so clear the boot and the footwells and give the car a quick wash.
• Booking on the last day. A fail then leaves no margin to repair and retest.

Next steps

1. Run your registration through the MOT check to see your expiry date.
2. Read last year’s advisories in the MOT history.
3. Work through the ten-minute walk-round above and fix what you can.
4. Choose a test station using MOT near me and book inside the early window.
5. If you are buying a used car, add a full vehicle report at £3.99 to your checks, bearing in mind it does not include finance, stolen or write-off data.

The wider set of explainers is on the guides page.

Glossary

• ABS: anti-lock braking system, which stops the wheels locking under heavy braking.
• ESC: electronic stability control, which helps keep the car on its intended path.
• Advisory: a note that a part is not yet defective but will become so soon.
• Catalyst: the emissions control device in the exhaust system. Checked where fitted as standard.
• Design gross weight: the maximum weight a vehicle is designed to carry, used to decide its class.
• Dangerous defect: a fault that makes the vehicle unsafe to drive on the road.
• HID and LED: types of headlamp unit that are also inspected, along with conventional bulbs.
• Load limiter and pretensioner: seatbelt components whose warning lamps are checked.
• MIL: malfunction indicator lamp, often called the engine management light.
• PRS: pass after rectification, where a defect is fixed during the test.
• TPMS: tyre pressure monitoring system, with a warning lamp required on vehicles first used on or after 1 January 2012.
• VIN: vehicle identification number.

Sources and further reading

• GOV.UK: Getting an MOT, and the page on what an MOT test covers
• GOV.UK: MOT inspection manual for private passenger and light commercial vehicles
• GOV.UK: MOT test fees
• DVSA: MOT testing guide and the guidance on defect categories
• GOV.UK: Check the MOT history of a vehicle

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See how we get our data, or contact us if you spot an error.