When is my MOT due? How to check your expiry date
5 September 2026·4 min read
The three-year rule
A brand-new car needs its first MOT before its third birthday, then one every year after. The date that matters is the expiry on your current record, not the day you bought the car or the day it was last tested.
That window stays with the car. A two-year-old used car still has a year left whoever owns it, and it does not need a test until its third birthday.
Testing early without losing days
You can take the test up to a month early and keep the original expiry date, so there is no penalty for being organised. Test in that window and the new certificate runs from the old expiry, giving you up to 13 months of cover.
Test earlier than that and the clock resets to the test date instead. Early by a week is free peace of mind. Early by two months costs you a month of certificate.
How to check your due date free
Put your registration into a free MOT history check and the expiry date comes back with the full pass, fail and advisory record. It takes seconds and it is the same official data the garage sees.
If you own the car, save it in a garage tracker with reminders switched on. The tracker watches the expiry and nudges you before it lapses, which is exactly the job human memory keeps failing at.
What if the date has already passed
A car with no valid MOT can only be driven to a pre-booked test or to pre-booked repairs after a failure. Any other trip, including parking it on a public road while untaxed, risks a fine and an insurer that will not pay out.
Check the date now rather than guessing. If it has lapsed, book the test first, then drive straight there.