MOT rules & problems
Pre-MOT Checklist: What to Check Before Test Day
Half an hour on the driveway the weekend before your test catches most of the cheap, avoidable failures - and none of it requires tools.
Published by the Serviced247 editorial teamLast reviewed 29 August 2026Reviewed on inspection-manual change
Nothing you do at home guarantees a pass - brake performance, emissions and suspension wear all need a ramp and equipment. But a meaningful share of failures are bulbs, blades, tread, washer fluid and number plates, and those are entirely within your control.
Work through this the weekend before your test, and fix anything cheap before it becomes a retest.
Key takeaways
- Lights, tyres, wipers, washers, mirrors and plates are all owner-checkable and all common failure items.
- A dashboard warning light that stays on can itself be a failure - get the cause diagnosed first.
- Clear the boot and remove clutter so the tester can access what is needed.
- Book early in your one-month renewal window so a failure does not leave you off the road.
- This checklist reduces avoidable failures; it cannot predict brakes, emissions or suspension, which need equipment.
Lights and signalling
- Dipped beam, main beam and sidelights, front and rear
- Indicators and hazards on all four corners, plus any side repeaters
- Brake lights including the high-level light - use a reflective window or ask someone to watch
- Rear fog light, reversing light and number plate lights
- Lenses free from cracks and misting; units secure and correctly coloured
Tyres and wheels
- Tread at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters, all the way round - a 20p coin is a rough guide, a gauge is better
- No bulges, cuts, or exposed cord, including on the inner sidewalls
- Correct pressures for the load, from the door pillar or handbook
- No tyre pressure monitoring warning illuminated
- Matching tyre types across each axle and the correct specification for the vehicle
Visibility and glass
- Washer bottle full and both jets hitting the glass
- Wiper blades not split, torn or smearing
- No chips or cracks in the driver's swept area - get small chips repaired before the test
- All required mirrors present, secure and undamaged
- Remove dash-mounted clutter and anything hanging that obstructs the driver's view
Inside the car
- Seat belts: check every belt extends, retracts and latches, with no fraying or cuts
- Driver's seat adjusts and locks in position
- Horn works and is a continuous, uniform note
- Airbag and ABS warning lights extinguish after start-up
- Doors open and close from inside and outside, and latch properly
- Clear the boot so the tester can reach the spare and any equipment
Outside the car
- Number plates clean, secure, legible and correctly spaced with a standard font
- No obvious body damage with sharp edges
- Fuel filler cap present and sealing
- Bonnet catch secure
Under the bonnet
- Engine oil at the correct level
- Coolant between the marks when cold
- Brake fluid at the correct level - a dropping level needs investigating, not topping up
- Battery secure with clean terminals
Warning lights
An illuminated engine-management, ABS, airbag, brake or tyre-pressure warning can be a failure item in its own right. Do not present the car hoping it will be overlooked; get the cause diagnosed. Clearing a code without fixing the fault normally just brings the light back, sometimes before the test finishes.
On the day
- Drive the car for a good run beforehand so the engine and catalyst are fully warm, especially with a diesel
- Take your V5C reference and the previous certificate if you have them
- Book early in the one-month window so you keep your renewal date and have time for repairs
Serviced247 lists DVSA-authorised MOT test centres in England, Scotland and Wales. We hold authorisation records only - confirm price, availability and any pre-test inspection directly with the centre.