Millions of drivers warned over £1,000 fine after one in five MOTs carried out after expiry date

Over one in five MOT tests between 2023 and 2025 involved a vehicle with an expired MOT certificate, according to new Freedom of Information data obtained by cinch.

Data provided by the DVSA shows 25,805,342 MOTs were overdue when tested across the three-year period, equivalent to 20.3% of all MOT tests carried out during that time.

A further 2,138,761 vehicles were tested with overdue MOTs during the first three months of 2026 alone, showing millions of vehicles are continuing to be taken for MOT after the legal expiry date has already passed.

While the total number of vehicles taken late for a MOT each year has fallen since 2023, the most serious delays remain a concern. 814,309 vehicles were more than six months overdue in 2025, higher than both 2023 and 2024.

Drivers who continue using a vehicle after its MOT has expired could face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. Government guidance says drivers cannot drive or park a vehicle on the road if its MOT has run out, unless they are driving it to or from somewhere to be repaired or to a pre-arranged MOT test.

More than 25 million overdue MOT tests over three years

In 2023, 8,917,311 vehicles were taken for MOT after their certificate had expired. This was followed by 8,525,549 in 2024 and 8,362,482 in 2025.

Although the annual total has fallen slightly, more than 8.3 million vehicles were still taken for MOT after expiry in each full calendar year analysed. In 2025 alone, this is almost 23,000 overdue MOT tests every day on average.

The data also shows that 2,138,761 vehicles were taken for MOT after their certificate had expired between 1 January and 31 March 2026, equivalent to almost 23,800 every day on average.

Millions of vehicles more than a month overdue

The data also reveals that many vehicles were not just taken for MOT a few days late.

Between 2023 and 2025, 9,708,953 overdue MOT tests were between one and seven days late, while 7,117,254 were between eight and 30 days overdue.

However, more than a third of overdue MOTs were more than a month overdue.

Between 2023 and 2025, 8,979,135 overdue MOT records were more than 30 days overdue, including:

• 4,504,285 between 31 and 90 days late

• 2,079,388 between 91 and 180 days late

• 2,395,462 more than 180 days late

This means one in 10 vehicles with an expired MOT were more than six months overdue across the three-year period.

The data also shows that the average delay for overdue MOTs increased to 85 days in 2025, up from 79 days in 2023 and 80 days in 2024.

The risks of driving without an MOT

Ben Welham, motoring expert at cinch, said: “An expired MOT should never be treated as a minor admin issue. Driving without a valid MOT can lead to a fine of up to £1,000, and the safety risks are just as important.

“Delaying the test could mean issues with tyres, brakes, lights, suspension or emissions go unchecked. Even if a car feels fine to drive, faults can develop gradually and may not always be obvious until the vehicle is properly inspected.

“An expired MOT can also create issues with vehicle tax. If a vehicle’s tax is due to expire, drivers cannot renew it while the MOT has expired. This means the vehicle would need to pass its MOT and be taxed again before it can be legally used on the road.”

What drivers should do if their MOT has expired

Ben added: “If you realise your MOT has expired, the first step is to book a test as soon as possible and avoid using the vehicle or parking it on the road until it passes its MOT.

“You can drive the vehicle to a pre-arranged MOT appointment or to and from repairs, but the booking should be in place before you travel. If repairs are needed, drivers should also check when and where they are legally allowed to drive the vehicle.

“To avoid being caught out in future, drivers should check their MOT expiry date online and sign up for reminders. In most cases, you can get an MOT up to a month minus a day before it runs out and keep the same renewal date, so there is no need to leave it until the final few days.”

“To make this easier, drivers can also use handy tools like the cinch app to keep key vehicle dates in one place and get reminders before they are due to expire. Once they've entered their registration number, MOT and tax dates are automatically added, while servicing and insurance reminders can be added manually.”