What does MOT status mean?

A vehicle's MOT status tells you whether it currently holds a valid MOT certificate — the annual test that checks a car meets minimum road safety and environmental standards in the UK.

You'll usually see one of these statuses:

• Valid — the car has passed its most recent MOT and the certificate hasn't expired
• Not valid / expired — the last MOT has run out and the car is due a new test
• No MOT history — the vehicle is either too new to need a test (under 3 years old) or has never been tested

MOT status isn't the same as roadworthiness on any given day — a car can have a valid MOT certificate but still develop a fault the next day that would make it illegal to drive. It's a snapshot of the vehicle's condition at the time of the test, not an ongoing guarantee.

You can check any UK vehicle's MOT status for free using its registration number on the official government MOT history checker.