Tax & MOT check
Check tax and MOT on any UK vehicle
One registration, both answers. Our free MOT and tax checker shows whether a vehicle is taxed, when the tax runs out, whether it has a valid MOT and when that expires, plus the full MOT history behind it.
Check MOT and tax together in one search
Most people run a tax and mot check separately, on two different services, and end up with half the picture. Enter the registration once here and the tax mot check returns both records side by side.
Tax status: taxed, untaxed or SORN, with the expiry date
MOT status: valid or expired, with the expiry date
Days remaining on each, shown as a countdown
Full MOT history with advisories, failures and mileage at every test
Is my car taxed and MOT valid right now?
Enter your registration and you have the answer in seconds. If you are asking is my car mot taxed before a journey, this is the fastest way to be certain rather than hopeful.
Both records come from official sources. Vehicle tax status comes from DVLA. MOT history and expiry come from DVSA. Records can lag by up to 48 hours after a renewal or a test, so if you taxed the car this morning, give it a day before you worry.
Why checking both at once matters
They expire on different dates
Tax and MOT almost never run out together. People renew one, assume they are covered, and discover the other lapsed weeks ago.
You cannot tax a car without a valid MOT
DVLA will not let you renew vehicle tax if the MOT has expired. If your tax renewal is refused, an expired MOT is usually why. Run a car tax and mot check before the renewal date rather than on it.
The penalties are separate and both are expensive
Driving without a valid MOT and driving an untaxed vehicle are two different offences. You can be caught for both on the same journey, and enforcement is automated through number plate cameras.
Buyers check it before you do
Anyone viewing your car will run a check on the registration before they arrive. An expired MOT you did not know about weakens your position before the conversation starts.
What a free MOT and tax check shows you
Everything below costs nothing and needs no account.
Vehicle tax status and expiry
Whether the vehicle is currently taxed, untaxed or declared SORN, and the exact date the current tax period ends. Useful whether you want to check tax car records before buying or simply confirm your own.
MOT expiry date
The date the current MOT certificate runs out, so you know how long you have before it needs retesting.
Full MOT history
Every test on record, with pass and fail results, advisory notes and failure reasons. Repeat advisories are the clearest signal of what the car will cost you next. See the dedicated MOT check page for more detail on reading them.
Recorded mileage
The mileage logged at each MOT test, in sequence. A reading that drops or jumps is the first sign of clocking, which you can pursue with a mileage check.
Vehicle details
Make, model, colour, engine size, fuel type, CO2 output and year of first registration.
When is my tax and MOT due?
Both dates come back with your result, along with a countdown so you can see at a glance which one needs attention first.
A few things worth knowing about the dates themselves:
A new car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old.
You can have a car tested up to one month minus a day before the current certificate expires and keep the same renewal date.
Vehicle tax does not transfer with the car when it is sold. The seller gets a refund for full months remaining and the buyer must tax it before driving away.
A SORN vehicle needs no tax and no MOT, but it cannot be used on a public road at all.
Can you check insurance at the same time?
No, and it is worth being straight about why. Insurance status sits on the Motor Insurance Database rather than in DVLA or DVSA records, so a tax and MOT check cannot see it. Any service claiming to bundle all three from one lookup is either using a separate paid data source or overstating what it does.
To check whether a vehicle is insured, use askMID. To check whether it is taxed and tested, use this page.
How to check tax and MOT by registration
1. Enter the registration
Type the UK reg into the box. Spaces are optional and there is no account to create.
2. Read both records
Tax status, MOT status and both expiry dates appear together, with the full MOT history underneath.
3. Go further if you are buying
Tax and MOT tell you the car is legal today. They tell you nothing about money owed on it or damage in its past. Before you pay a deposit, add an outstanding finance check and a write-off check, or take the full vehicle history report.
Where our data comes from
Vehicle tax status is sourced from DVLA records. MOT test history and expiry come from DVSA. REGUP is an independent vehicle checking service and does not claim to be DVLA, DVSA or GOV.UK. More about how we work is on our about REGUP page.
A check reports what is held on record at the time you run it. It does not replace the physical documents, and it is not a roadworthiness assessment.
Tax & MOT check FAQs
How do I check the tax and MOT on a car?
Enter the registration at the top of this page. The free mot and tax checker returns tax status, MOT status, both expiry dates and the full MOT history in seconds.
Is my car taxed and MOT valid?
Enter your registration and both answers appear together. If you have just renewed either one, allow up to 48 hours for records to update.
Can I check tax and MOT on someone else's car?
Yes. Vehicle record data is not personal data, so you can run a check mot and tax search on any UK registration. What you cannot see is who owns it.
Can I drive to an MOT test if my MOT has expired?
You may drive to a pre-booked MOT appointment with an expired certificate. You still need valid tax and insurance, and the vehicle still needs to be roadworthy.
Why has my tax renewal been refused?
The most common reason is an expired MOT. DVLA will not issue vehicle tax without a valid MOT on record. Run a check road tax and mot search to confirm before you try again.
Does vehicle tax transfer when I buy a car?
No. Tax is cancelled when the vehicle changes keeper. The seller receives a refund for complete months remaining, and you must tax it before you drive it away.
What does SORN mean on a tax check?
Statutory Off Road Notification. The keeper has declared the vehicle off the road, so no tax is due, but it cannot legally be driven or parked on a public road.
Is the MOT and tax check free?
Yes. Tax status, MOT status, expiry dates, MOT history and mileage cost nothing and need no account. Finance, write-off, stolen and keeper checks sit inside a paid report.
Check tax and MOT now
Enter any UK registration and see both records together in seconds. For anything you are buying, follow it with a free car check and a full report.