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MOTAdvisor Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency

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Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions govern your use of the MOTAdvisor website and all associated DVSA vehicle information services. Please read them carefully before using this service.

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Terms governing use of MOTAdvisor

These terms and conditions were last updated on 1 May 2025. By using MOTAdvisor you agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use this service.

MOTAdvisor is operated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), an executive agency of the Department for Transport. References to "we", "us" and "our" in these terms refer to DVSA.

1.Using this service

MOTAdvisor provides free access to official DVSA vehicle and MOT history records. The service is available to anyone in the UK and is intended for the following lawful purposes:

  • checking the MOT status and history of a vehicle you own or are considering purchasing
  • verifying vehicle tax status, SORN or recall information for a vehicle
  • professional use by garage owners, fleet managers, motoring journalists and similar roles
  • educational or research purposes where no commercial gain is derived from the data

You must be at least 18 years of age to use this service. By using MOTAdvisor you confirm that you meet this requirement and that you will use the service only for lawful purposes.

info This service is provided free of charge. We will never ask you for payment to access MOT history or other vehicle data available through MOTAdvisor.
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2.Acceptable use

You agree not to use MOTAdvisor in any way that is unlawful, harmful, or which we consider to be inappropriate. Specifically, you must not:

  • use the service to conduct bulk or automated queries without prior written permission from DVSA
  • attempt to scrape, harvest or systematically download data from this website
  • use the data obtained from this service to harass, stalk or monitor any individual
  • misrepresent data from this service or present it in a misleading context
  • attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of this service or its underlying systems
  • introduce malware, viruses or any other malicious code into the service
  • resell or commercially redistribute data obtained from this service without a valid DVSA API licence
  • use the service in a way that places an unreasonable load on our infrastructure

We reserve the right to restrict or block access to this service if we believe you are in breach of these acceptable use conditions, without notice and without liability.

warning_amber Bulk querying or automated scraping of vehicle data without a DVSA API licence may constitute a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Fraud Act 2006.
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3.Disclaimer of warranties

MOTAdvisor is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. While we take all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy and availability of the service, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to:

  • that the service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free
  • that the data displayed is complete, accurate or up to date at the time of your query
  • that any errors or defects in the service will be corrected
  • that the service or the servers that make it available are free from viruses or other harmful components

MOT history data is sourced directly from DVSA's database. There may be a delay between a test being completed and the result appearing on this service. DVSA accepts no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of data that has not yet been updated.

info MOT history data shown on this service reflects official DVSA records. If you believe a record is incorrect, you should contact DVSA directly. We are not able to alter government records through this interface.
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4.Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, DVSA and the Department for Transport exclude all liability for any loss or damage, whether direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or otherwise, arising from your use of or reliance on this service, including but not limited to:

  • any loss suffered as a result of inaccurate, incomplete or delayed MOT or vehicle data
  • any financial loss arising from a vehicle purchase made in reliance on data from this service
  • any loss arising from interruption to or unavailability of this service
  • any loss caused by viruses or malicious code transmitted in connection with this service

Nothing in these terms shall limit DVSA's liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

MOT history data is one of several checks you should carry out before purchasing a used vehicle. We strongly recommend that you also obtain a full vehicle history report from a commercial provider and have the vehicle independently inspected by a qualified mechanic.

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5.Intellectual property

The MOTAdvisor brand, logo, website design and all original content on this website are the intellectual property of DVSA and the Department for Transport. All rights are reserved except where expressly stated otherwise.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify or create derivative works from any part of this website's design, branding or original content without prior written permission from DVSA.

Vehicle and MOT data

The vehicle and MOT data displayed on this service is Crown Copyright. It is made available under the Open Government Licence (OGL) v3.0, which permits free reuse subject to the conditions described in Section 6 below.

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6.Open Government Licence

Vehicle and MOT data accessed through this service is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Under this licence you are free to:

  • copy, publish, distribute and transmit the data
  • adapt the data
  • exploit the data commercially and non-commercially, for example by combining it with other data, or by including it in your own product or application

You must, where you do any of the above, acknowledge the source of the data by including the following attribution statement:

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The OGL does not cover the MOTAdvisor brand, logo, website design or any third-party intellectual property included on this site.

open_in_new Read the Open Government Licence v3.0 in full

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7.Linking to and from this service

Linking to MOTAdvisor

You may link to the MOTAdvisor homepage or to any publicly accessible page on this website without prior permission, provided that:

  • you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation
  • you do not suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part where none exists
  • you do not frame this website within another website in a way that misleads users about its origin

Links from MOTAdvisor

This website contains links to external websites operated by third parties, including GOV.UK, DVLA, commercial vehicle history providers and other organisations. These links are provided for your convenience only.

We do not endorse and are not responsible for the content of any external website. Following a link to an external site means you are subject to that site's own terms and conditions and privacy policy.

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8.Third-party services and content

MOTAdvisor may reference or provide links to third-party services such as commercial vehicle history providers (for example HPI Check or Experian AutoCheck). These references are provided for informational purposes only.

DVSA does not receive any commercial benefit from referencing third-party services on this website. We do not display advertising and we are not paid to recommend any product or service.

warning_amber Be cautious of websites that imitate government services and charge for information that is available free of charge through MOTAdvisor. Always check that you are on the correct official website.
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9.Changes to these terms

We may update these terms and conditions from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our operating practices. The date at the top of this page will be updated whenever changes are made.

We recommend that you review these terms periodically. Continued use of MOTAdvisor after changes have been published constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

If changes are significant, we will endeavour to notify users by posting a prominent notice on the website.

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10.Governing law

These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising in connection with these terms or your use of this service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unlawful, void or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

Contact

If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, please contact us:

  • Email: legal@motadvisor.gov.uk
  • Post: Legal Team, MOTAdvisor / DVSA, The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP

open_in_new Contact DVSA – GOV.UK

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