Blog / MOT checklist

MOT · 4 min read

What Is Checked in an MOT Test? A Plain-English List

An MOT is a roadworthiness and emissions inspection, not a mechanical health check. The tester works through a fixed list set by DVSA, and has to do it without taking anything apart. Here's what's on that list for a standard car, in the order DVSA's inspection manual covers it.

Identification

The registration plates and the vehicle identification number (VIN) have to be present and readable. A car with no registration mark or an illegible VIN can be refused a test.

Brakes

The tester checks the pedal and handbrake, the pads and discs, the brake pipes and hoses, the master cylinder and the brake fluid, plus the ABS system. Performance is measured as well as inspected: the main brake, the secondary brake and the parking brake are each tested for efficiency.

Steering

This covers the steering wheel and column, the steering gear and linkage, and how much free play the wheel has. Power steering is checked for leaks and faults, including the warning light on electric power steering.

Visibility

The driver's view of the road, the condition of the windscreen and front side windows, the mirrors, and the wipers and washers. Windscreen damage can fail the test if it's larger than 10mm in the 290mm-wide zone centred on the steering wheel, or larger than 40mm elsewhere in the area the wipers sweep, where it significantly affects the driver's view.

Lights and electrical equipment

Headlamps (including their aim), side lights and daytime running lights, brake lights, indicators and hazard lights, fog lights, reversing lights, number plate lights and rear reflectors. The matching dashboard indicators are checked too, along with the wiring, the battery and a trailer socket if one is fitted.

Wheels, tyres and suspension

Wheel bearings, the condition of the wheels, and the tyres: size, load and speed rating, condition, fitment and tread depth. A car needs at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its whole circumference (here's how to check at home). The suspension springs, shock absorbers, arms, joints and bushes are inspected as well.

Body and structure

The tester looks at the structure and corrosion, the exhaust and fuel systems, bumpers, towbar, engine mountings, doors and catches, the floor, the seats and the driving controls. Corrosion generally only fails the test where it weakens the structure or a key mounting, not for surface rust on its own.

Seat belts and safety equipment

Seat belt anchorages, webbing, buckles and pre-tensioners, the airbags and the airbag warning light, the steering lock, the horn, the speedometer, and electronic stability control with its warning light.

Noise and emissions

Exhaust noise, and the emissions equipment such as the catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter, which must be present and unmodified. Petrol cars have their exhaust gases measured and diesels get a smoke test, and a lit engine management light is checked as part of it. The tester also looks for fluid leaks, though only serious or continuous ones fail. Minor coolant or screenwash leaks don't.

What an MOT doesn't check

GOV.UK is explicit that the test doesn't cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. And because testers can't dismantle anything, some parts simply can't be inspected. A pass means the car met the minimum legal standard on the day, which is why it isn't a substitute for a service. We explain the difference in MOT vs full service.