How do I check a car's MOT advisories?

Enter the registration on GOV.UK's MOT history service. Each test lists any advisories and minor defects alongside the result and mileage. CarKept's free vehicle pages show the same DVSA data as a timeline, so advisories repeated from one test to the next are easy to spot.

What is the difference between an advisory and a minor defect?

Neither causes a fail. A minor defect is a problem the tester has found that doesn't yet meet the threshold for a major one. An advisory is something to monitor — an item that's wearing and may need attention before the next test. Dangerous and major defects are the ones that fail an MOT.

Do I have to fix MOT advisories?

Not to pass the MOT — the car passed. But advisories are the tester telling you what's likely to need work, and the car must stay roadworthy between tests. An advisory for tyres or brakes can become a fail, or a safety problem, well before the next MOT.

MOT advisory check: how to see a car’s advisories

A pass certificate tells you a car met the standard on the day. The advisories tell you what the tester thought was on its way out. For a buyer they’re a free preview of upcoming bills; for an owner they’re a to-do list. Here’s how to find them and how to read them.

How to check MOT advisories

Every MOT result is recorded by the DVSA, including advisories. Enter the registration on GOV.UK’s MOT history service and each test lists its result, mileage, any reasons for failure, and any advisories or minor defects. It’s free and covers tests since 2005. CarKept’s free MOT history check uses the same data and lay every test out on one timeline, which makes it easier to see the same advisory coming back year after year.

What the categories mean

GOV.UK sorts MOT problems into four kinds. The first two fail the test; the last two don’t:

Dangerous— a fail, and the car shouldn’t be driven until it’s fixed.
Major — a fail.
Minor— a problem that doesn’t fail the car, to monitor or fix.
Advisory — something to keep an eye on, usually wear that may need attention before the next test.

GOV.UK’s MOT test result page explains what happens after a pass or fail.

How to read advisories across a car’s history

One test on its own says little. The pattern across several says a lot.

Advisories that disappear. An advisory for worn brake pads one year and none the next usually means the work was done. If there’s an invoice for it, even better.

Advisories that repeat. The same corrosion or oil leak noted for three years running tells you it hasn’t been dealt with. Not necessarily a reason to walk away, but a reason to price it in.

Advisories that became fails. A tyre advisory followed by a tyre fail suggests an owner who fixes things only when forced to.

Serious structural wording. Corrosion on subframes, sills or suspension mounts is worth a close look in person, or an inspection, whatever the result was.

What advisories don’t show

The MOT checks roadworthiness, not maintenance. An engine can go years without an oil change and still pass with no advisories, and a cambelt overdue for replacement won’t appear at all. That’s the job of the service history. The most useful picture of a car puts both side by side: MOT advisories, and the invoices that show whether they were dealt with.

If it’s your car

Buyers will read your car’s advisories. When you fix one, keep the invoice: it turns a repeated advisory into “noted, then fixed”. Adding it to your car on CarKept puts the repair on the same timeline as the MOT that flagged it. You can also get a free reminder before the next MOT.

Check a car's MOT advisories

Enter a registration for every MOT result, advisory and mileage reading on one timeline — free.

Have service invoices? Upload and keep them with your car’s history →

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a car's MOT advisories?: Enter the registration on GOV.UK's MOT history service. Each test lists any advisories and minor defects alongside the result and mileage. CarKept's free vehicle pages show the same DVSA data as a timeline, so advisories repeated from one test to the next are easy to spot.
What is the difference between an advisory and a minor defect?: Neither causes a fail. A minor defect is a problem the tester has found that doesn't yet meet the threshold for a major one. An advisory is something to monitor — an item that's wearing and may need attention before the next test. Dangerous and major defects are the ones that fail an MOT.
Do I have to fix MOT advisories?: Not to pass the MOT — the car passed. But advisories are the tester telling you what's likely to need work, and the car must stay roadworthy between tests. An advisory for tyres or brakes can become a fail, or a safety problem, well before the next MOT.