UK Vehicle Guides

Straight answers on MOT rules and costs, car tax and SORN, and the checks worth doing before you buy a used car. Written by the RegPeek Editorial Team and based on official DVLA and DVSA guidance.

• How to Spot Mileage Clocking Using MOT Records

  How to use recorded MOT mileage readings to spot a clocked car, which discrepancies are innocent typos and what physical wear to check against.

• How to Check if a Car Is Stolen Before Buying

  How to check a registration for a stolen marker, the paperwork and VIN checks that catch cloned cars, and what to do if something does not add up.

• Car Write-Off Categories A, B, S and N Explained

  What insurance write-off categories A, B, S and N mean, which cars can legally return to the road and what a write-off marker does to value.

• How to Check if a Car Has Outstanding Finance Before Buying

  Why outstanding finance can cost you the car and your money, how to check the registration for a finance marker and what to do if one appears.

• What Does a Full Car History Check Show?

  What a paid vehicle history check covers — finance, stolen markers, write-off records, keepers, plate changes, import status and specifications.

• Can You Tax a Car Without an MOT?

  In almost all cases you need a valid MOT to tax a vehicle. The exceptions, the order to do things in and what to do if the MOT has already lapsed.

• Car Tax Check: How to Check if a Vehicle Is Taxed or SORN

  How to check whether a UK vehicle is taxed, untaxed or declared SORN using the registration, and what each status means for a buyer or owner.

• How to Read MOT History Before Buying a Used Car

  A practical guide to reading a used car's MOT history: mileage patterns, repeat advisories, test gaps and the red flags worth walking away from.

• 15 Most Common MOT Failures and a Pre-MOT Checklist

  The faults that fail most cars at MOT and a practical checklist you can work through at home in 20 minutes before the test.

• What Happens If My Car Fails Its MOT? Driving Rules, Repairs and Retests

  What a dangerous, major or minor MOT defect means, whether you can drive away, how retests work and what your repair options are.

• Can I Drive Without an MOT to a Pre-Booked Test?

  Yes, but only in specific circumstances. The exact rules for driving to a booked MOT test or arranged repairs, and what you must still have in place.

• How Early Can I Get an MOT Without Losing Days?

  You can test up to a month minus a day before expiry and keep your renewal date. Here is how the rule works and how to prove your current expiry date.

• Is There an MOT Grace Period in the UK?

  There is no MOT grace period in the UK. Here is what the law actually allows, the fines for driving without an MOT and the only legal exceptions.

• How Much Does an MOT Cost in the UK? 2026 Prices and Retest Fees

  The maximum MOT fees set by DVSA, what garages actually charge, when a retest is free and which extra costs are not part of the test.

• When Is My MOT Due? Check Your Expiry Date by Registration

  Find out exactly when your MOT expires using only the registration number, what the expiry date means and how to avoid missing it.