The UK MOT pass checklist: 12 things to check before your test

Around 1.5 million cars fail their MOT every year in the UK, and a large share of those failures are things you can spot in ten minutes on your driveway. Here is a practical pre-test checklist, followed by a couple of booking tips most people don't know.

1. Lights — walk around and check every one

Have a helper press the brake pedal while you check both brake lights (including the high-level one if fitted), then put on headlights, side lights, indicators and hazards. Check the number-plate light too — it's a common fail for pennies' worth of bulb. Any light that doesn't work or has the wrong colour lens is a defect.

2. Tyres — the 1.6mm rule and sidewall damage

The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way round. A quick guide: slot a 20p coin into the tread — if you can see the coin's outer band, the tyre is likely below the limit. While you're down there, look for cuts, bulges or exposed cord on the sidewalls, and check the pressures (including the spare, which isn't tested but is still worth having).

3. Windscreen, wipers and washers

Chips smaller than 10mm in the driver's swept area, or 40mm elsewhere, are usually acceptable — bigger ones can fail. Replace worn wiper blades that smear or squeak, top up the washer fluid, and make sure the jets actually hit the screen.

4. Number plates

Plates must be legible, in good condition and the correct format. Cracked, discoloured or home-made-font plates fail. A quick clean often solves a borderline one.

5. Horn, mirrors and seatbelts

A short blast of the horn tells you it works. Check mirrors are intact, secure and give a clear view. Pull every seatbelt sharply — it should lock — and check for fraying.

6. Fuel, oil and warning lights

The tester needs enough fuel and oil to run emissions checks. A persistent engine-management or airbag warning light on the dash is a fail in its own right, so don't ignore the symbols.

7. Brakes — how they feel

The tester measures efficiency on a roller, but you can catch obvious problems: grinding noises, a soft pedal, or the car pulling to one side. Also check the handbrake holds on a slope.

8. Under the bonnet: fluid leaks

Look at the ground where you park. Power steering, brake fluid or coolant leaks can all be defects. Brake fluid is the one to take seriously.

Booking tips

• Test up to a month (minus a day) early and, if you pass, your new certificate keeps the original expiry date — you lose nothing by testing early.
• A fail isn't the end of the world, but it is a deadline. You can drive to a pre-booked repair appointment or retest, but not otherwise.
• Keep your MOT history. Gaps in the record come up at resale, and advisories from previous tests tell you what's likely to need attention this time.

Keep on top of it automatically

The whole reason people miss MOT dates is that the certificate comes round once a year and nothing else reminds you. VehicleHub pulls your MOT status and history straight from DVSA by registration, then emails you before the deadline — along with tax, insurance and service dates. Set the reminder timing once and stop thinking about it.