How do MOT checks work?

ScanAuctions pulls full DVSA MOT history for every car with a visible registration. You see the headline status in scan results, and the full history on click — no need to leave the app or run a separate check.

What you see in results

• MOT Status — Valid, Expires soon, or Expired.
• MOT Expiry — the date the current certificate runs out.
• Advisories count — how many advisories were flagged at the most recent test.

Status meanings

• Valid — at least 30 days remaining on the certificate.
• Expires soon — under 30 days left, will need a fresh MOT before retail.
• Expired — failed or lapsed; adds cost and delay before resale.

The MOT window

Click any car’s reg in scan results to open the MOT window. You get the full DVSA history: every test, Pass/Fail/Advisory result, advisory comments verbatim, and mileage at each test. That last column is gold — mileage going backwards between tests is the clearest red flag for a clocked car.

When the reg is missing

Some Motorway and CarWow listings hide the plate until purchase. The MOT window shows “No plate” in that case. You can manually enter a reg if you’ve sourced it elsewhere, or backfill MOT history after purchase by adding the plate to the car record.

Caching

The DVSA limits how often we can check MOT records, so we keep each result for 24 hours — if you re-scan the same reg within a day, we reuse the saved MOT data rather than checking again. The expiry date and status are still accurate to the day.