Driver guides
The 10-minute pre-MOT checklist
The MOT inspection works through fixed sections. This list follows DVSA’s own section headings, cut down to what you can check on the driveway, because bulbs, tyres, wipers and washer fluid fail tests that a walk-round would have caught.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical
Every bulb works
Headlights on dip and main beam, sidelights, brake lights, indicators, fog lamp, number plate lamp, hazards. Walk round with a helper, or back up to a window and watch the reflection.
Lenses intact
A cracked or heavily misted lens that scatters the beam can fail; a blown bulb definitely does.
Tyres and road wheels
Tread at least 1.6mm
Across the central three-quarters, all the way round. A 20p coin in the groove: if the outer band shows, the tyre is at or near the limit.
No cuts, lumps or cords
Check both sidewalls, and that each tyre matches the size on its axle. Our tyre size guide shows where the right size is printed.
Driver's view of the road
Windscreen damage
Chips over 10mm in front of the driver, or 40mm anywhere the wipers sweep, are failures.
Wipers and washers
Blades must clear the screen without smearing, and the washers must actually squirt. Top up the bottle; an empty one can fail.
Mirrors
The two required mirrors secure and intact.
Brakes
Feel and travel
The pedal shouldn't sink to the floor or need pumping. The handbrake should hold on a slope within normal travel.
Warning light
An illuminated brake warning light is a failure in itself.
Seat belts and airbags
Belts latch and retract
Pull each belt sharply; it should lock. Check webbing for cuts and fraying, and that the airbag warning light goes out.
Steering and suspension
No knocks or wander
Clunks over bumps, a car that pulls, or a corner that bounces more than once after pressing down all point at bushes, dampers or joints the tester will find.
Exhaust, fuel and emissions
No blows or smoke
A rasping exhaust note means a leak. Blue or black smoke on a warm rev risks the emissions test. The fuel cap must seal.
Engine management light
If it's on, the car fails. Get it read before the test, since the fix is sometimes trivial.
Body, structure and general
Horn works
One firm press.
Doors, bonnet and boot latch
Doors must open from inside and out; the bonnet must latch securely.
No sharp edges or dangerous corrosion
Surface rust is fine; corrosion within 30cm of seatbelt mounts or suspension points is structural.
Registration plates and VIN
Plates legible and legal
Clean, unobscured, correct spacing and font. A cracked or home-made plate fails.
What the test doesn’t cover
GOV.UK is explicit: the MOT does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. A car can pass with a failing clutch, and fail on a 50p bulb.
Before you book
Check when the MOT is actually due: test in the last month, minus a day, and you keep the renewal date. Read the advisories from the last test, since they are the tester’s list of what was already wearing out. Then pick a station. The car maximum fee is £54.85; many garages charge less.
Section headings follow DVSA’s class 4 inspection item groups, published in the MOT open data (OGL v3), retrieved 12 September 2026.