Are you curious to learn about the MOT history of your vehicle? If yes, this blog is worth going through, where we will explain what shows on an MOT history check, how to access it, and why checking this can be advantageous.

What an MOT history check shows

When you go through the history of an MOT for a vehicle, you can gain much information about that vehicle. Access the Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency (DVSA) to access information related to a specific registration plate. In case the vehicle for which you are checking the MOT has had its plates changed for whatever reason, do individual checks for each different registration number and figure out the information you are seeking.

An MOT history check helps you access information on:

  • The current MOT status of your vehicle
  • The due date of your next MOT
  • The type of fuel the vehicle, let's say the car, uses – diesel, petrol, hybrid, or electric
  • A summary of the car's details, including car colour, make and model, and the date of registration
  • Manufacturer recalls
  • The details of all MOTs since 2005

In the MOT history check section, you find the final result – pass or fail. You also come to know the date of the test, the MOT test number, the car's mileage during the test, and the new expiry date (if applicable). Based on the previous MOT test, say MOT in Bristol, you can find out how many miles your car has covered in a year. Check the location of the MOT by entering the latest V5C number. It is an eleven-digit number in the logbook of your car. In case the car has failed the MOT, you can see a breakdown of all faults divided into major, minor, and dangerous flaws or announcements.

Ways to check the MOT history of your vehicle

It isn't rocket science to check the MOT history of the vehicle you wish to buy. You can gain maximum information through the registration number of the prospective vehicle. To find out the locations of the MOT tests, you just need the V5C number from the vehicle logbook. You may even download copies of old MOT certificates this way.

Try any MOT checker online and learn about the expiry date of the existing MOT certificate of your future vehicle. Select a reputable source. You will be asked to enter the registration number of your vehicle and contact details to get reminders about the due date of the next MOT test. For more data on specific flaws and mileages in the past, use the MOT checker of the Government of the UK.

What do you mean by a Class 4 MOT?

There are varied MOT classes that range from 1 to 7. There isn't a Class 6 MOT. Typically, Class 4 MOT is the most common for vehicles. A Class 4 MOT, like Class 4 MOT Bristol, is the standard MOT test for the majority of the vehicles or cars having up to 8 passenger seats. This is inclusive of private hire cars, taxis, motorhomes, ambulances, campervans, most other vans, and tinier commercial vehicles weighing up to 3000 kg.

A Class 4 MOT takes about an hour to finish while covering brakes, horns, tyres and wheels, mirrors, exhaust system and emissions, doors, seats, fuel system, steering and suspension, lights, seat belts and SRS, wipers, windscreen, etc.

Why do you need to check MOT history?

Besides the service history part, the MOT history of your vehicle, say car, helps to easily and promptly view a snapshot of its past in terms of repairs and maintenance. This is useful information when buying a car. You learn how reliable the car is and how former owners took care of it. In the case that it has failed the MOT multiple times and for the same cause every time, it might show a fundamental problem, either too difficult or expensive to repair. Moreover, service histories and MOTs indicate the mileage of the car recorded then. You may detect illegal “clocking” by comparing the above. “Clocking” refers to the practice of switching back the odometer to make the car seem like it was used less than the actual to increase the selling price.

An MOT history check is also significant if you are selling the car. Supplying the requisite information to your prospective buyers assures them that you have looked after the car well and no advisories are dropped at MOTs. This information is even valuable with a partial service history available. You may not have the paperwork and invoices to prove to your car's potential buyers that the car is well taken care of.

Note that cars less than three years old may not have an MOT, and this is a rule in the UK. Whether you are a future buyer or the owner of the vehicle, there won't be any accessible MOT records for a three-year-old car. Trust the service history of the vehicle in such a case. It informs you about repairs and maintenance of the vehicle here, car, in the past.