MOT guides
When does a car need its first MOT?
New cars are MOT-exempt for their first three years. Here is exactly when the first test is due.
The three-year rule
In Great Britain, most cars, vans and motorcycles need their first MOT three years after the date of first registration shown on the V5C. After that, an MOT is required every year.
Cars at this age are the most likely to pass: across 42,216,721 UK MOT tests (calendar year 2023), the 0–3 year band failed just 8.4% of the time, against an all-ages average of 18.7%. Failure risk then climbs steadily with age — see MOT pass rates by car age.
Exceptions
Some vehicle types (for example certain taxis, ambulances and larger passenger vehicles) need an MOT from their first year. If you are unsure, the official DVSA service and your V5C confirm the exact requirement.
Buying a three-year-old car?
A car approaching its first MOT has no MOT track record yet — so a model-level reliability view is especially useful. See how the model tends to fare on our reliability reports.
Check any UK reg free for its full MOT history plus a statistical next-MOT failure-risk estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Not for the first three years. Most cars need their first MOT on the third anniversary of first registration.
It is three years after the registration date on your V5C. You can also confirm it with our free vehicle check.