MOT due date calculator
Enter the date of first registration, your current MOT expiry date, or both. You’ll get the first MOT due date and the earliest day you can test without losing any days off your certificate.
- Rules for Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Figures checked 25 October 2026
- You’ll need the V5C logbook (date of first registration) or your last MOT certificate
Your result
Enter a date.
When the first MOT is due
| Vehicle | First test | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Car, van, motorbike (England, Scotland, Wales) | 3 years after first registration | Every year |
| Car or motorbike (Northern Ireland) | 4 years old | Every year |
| HGV or bus | 12 months after first registration | Every year |
| Trailer that needs testing | 1 year after first sold or supplied | Every year |
Some vehicles, including taxis, ambulances and passenger vehicles with 9 to 12 seats, need their first MOT at one year old. Check the GOV.UK MOT fees table if yours might be one of them.
Testing early without losing days
For cars, vans and motorbikes in Great Britain you can take the MOT up to a month minus a day before the current certificate expires, and the new one runs from the old expiry date. Test any earlier and the new certificate runs from the test date, so you lose the overlap. Booking in that window also leaves time for repairs if the car fails.
Worked examples
A car first registered on 20 November 2023 in England needs its first MOT by 20 November 2026.
A certificate that expires on 15 May 2027 can be renewed from 16 April 2027 and the next one will still run to the same date in 2028.
Which trailers need an annual test
- Horseboxes with a gross weight over 3,500kg.
- Trailers with an unladen weight over 1,020kg that have powered braking.
- Semi-trailers.
- A-frame trailers and converter dollies made on or after 1 January 1979.
Most small car trailers and caravans don’t need a test, but they must still be roadworthy. For towing weights, see the caravan towing weight calculator.
Questions people ask
When is a car’s first MOT due?
In England, Scotland and Wales, by the third anniversary of its first registration. In Northern Ireland, cars are first tested at four years old.
How early can I get an MOT?
Up to a month minus a day before the current certificate runs out, and you keep the same renewal date. If your MOT expires on 15 May, the earliest you can test and keep that date is 16 April.
What is the fine for driving without an MOT?
Up to £1,000. Your insurance may also be invalid. You can drive to a booked MOT test or to a garage for repairs needed to pass.
When does an HGV or trailer need its first annual test?
HGVs and buses usually need their first test 12 months after they were first registered. Trailers that need testing are due one year after they were first sold or supplied.
Do classic cars need an MOT?
Cars built or first registered more than 40 years ago may not need one, as long as they haven’t been substantially changed. You have to declare this when you tax the car. You can still choose to test it, and the owner must keep it roadworthy.