MOT mileage check
See the odometer reading from every MOT on one chart, with any drop highlighted.
Free. No sign-up. Data from the DVSA MOT history database.
How to read a mileage history
Each MOT records the odometer reading. Over the years these readings should only go up. We plot them on a chart and work out the average miles per year between the first and last reading.
If the mileage goes down
A lower reading than at the previous test has several possible causes:
- a typing error by the test centre (for example, a digit missed out),
- a replaced speedometer or instrument cluster,
- a reading recorded in kilometres instead of miles, or
- the mileage has been deliberately reduced (“clocking”).
A drop is a reason to ask questions, not proof of wrongdoing. Ask the seller to explain it and show service records or invoices that support the current mileage.
What is a normal annual mileage?
It depends on how the car was used. A much lower figure than the car's age suggests may mean light use, long storage, or readings that need checking against service history.