MOT

When is my first MOT due?

A new car has no MOT history, so the GOV.UK checker cannot help yet. Enter the first registration date to see the first MOT and the earliest test date.

MOT dates for Great Britain

First test at three years, then every year.

First MOT due

Choose a date

Earliest test

Choose a date

Open the GOV.UK MOT checker

The rules in one place

In Great Britain a car’s first MOT is due by the third anniversary of its first registration. After that it is due on the anniversary of the last MOT. Some vehicles, such as taxis and larger passenger vehicles, are tested earlier; the GOV.UK fees table lists them.

You can get an MOT up to a month minus a day before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. The calculator uses the same rule: take one month off the due date, then add one day. Testing earlier than that changes the next expiry to one year minus a day from the test date. GOV.UK gives this rule for renewals and doesn’t say whether it applies to a first MOT, so check with the test centre before testing a new car early.

GOV.UK also says the rule doesn’t apply if the last MOT was done in Northern Ireland.

Imports and Northern Ireland

The first MOT is dated from first registration in the UK, not from the date the car was built. A car imported and registered later starts its three years from that UK registration.

Northern Ireland is different. Private cars are first tested at four years old, and the tests are run by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). This calculator does not cover Northern Ireland; use nidirect’s MOT guidance and the DVA booking service.

What this calculator does not do

It does not look up a real car. GOV.UK’s MOT history checker does that from the number plate and gives the recorded expiry date. Use this page when there is no MOT history yet, or when you want the earliest date you can test without moving the renewal date.

MOT questions

When is a new car’s first MOT due?

In Great Britain, by the third anniversary of first registration. The date is on the V5C logbook. Northern Ireland is different: private cars are first tested at four years old, by the DVA.

How early can I get an MOT and keep the renewal date?

Up to a month minus a day before the current expiry. If the MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest test that keeps the renewal date is 16 April.

What happens if I test earlier than that?

You can still take the test, but the next expiry becomes one year minus a day from the date it passed. You lose the rest of the current MOT period.

Does this replace the GOV.UK checker?

No. GOV.UK’s MOT history checker gives a real car’s MOT date from its number plate. This calculator is for a new car with no MOT history and for the earliest test date.

Does it work for imports?

The first MOT is dated from first registration in the UK, not from manufacture. If a car was imported and registered later, use the UK registration date.

What about Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland’s tests are run by the DVA and private cars are first tested at four years old. This calculator is for Great Britain; use nidirect for Northern Ireland.

Sources

The MOT rule and the Northern Ireland exception are checked against these sources.

Getting an MOT: when to get an MOT. GOV.UK.First MOT at three years, annual MOTs, and the earliest test that keeps the renewal date. Checked 6 November 2026.
Check the MOT history of a vehicle. GOV.UK.The official checker the page links to instead of replacing. Checked 6 November 2026.
Motor vehicle documentation, learner and newly qualified driver requirements. nidirect (Northern Ireland Executive).Northern Ireland’s first test at four years, run by the DVA. Checked 6 November 2026.