Decode your MOT advisories in plain English
Paste the defects and advisories from your MOT. You'll see what each one means, how urgent it is and roughly what it costs to fix.
- Sorts everything into fix now, fix soon and keep an eye on it
- Turns nearside and offside into left and right
- Free, and nothing you paste leaves your device
Copy them from the GOV.UK MOT history page or type them from your certificate. Leave the headings in (like "Monitor and repair if necessary") and the decoder uses them to sort by urgency.
The decoder runs in your browser. What you paste isn't uploaded, stored or seen by anyone.
What the four MOT categories mean
Every problem a tester finds goes into one of these groups. Dangerous and major mean the car has failed. Minor and advisory items still give you a pass.
| Category | Result | What it means | Can you drive it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Fail | An immediate risk to road safety, or a serious risk to the environment. | No. Don't drive it until it's repaired. Doing so can mean a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points. |
| Major | Fail | Could affect safety, put other road users at risk or harm the environment. | Only if your current MOT hasn't run out, and the car must still be roadworthy. Get it repaired straight away. |
| Minor | Pass | No significant effect on safety or the environment. | Yes. Get it repaired as soon as you can. |
| Advisory | Pass | Something that's wearing and could become more serious later. | Yes. Keep an eye on it and repair it when it needs doing. |
More detail in what an MOT advisory means and whether you have to fix it, and whether you can drive a car that's just failed.
How to find your advisories
Lost the paperwork? Every test result is on the GOV.UK MOT history service, and anyone can look it up with just the number plate.
- Open the MOT history checker
Go to Check MOT history on GOV.UK. It's free.
- Enter the registration
Type in the number plate. You'll see the car's test results going back years.
- Copy the latest test
Select everything from the first heading down to the last advisory and copy it.
- Paste it above
Press Decode my MOT. Leave the headings in, because they tell the decoder which items failed.
Buying a used car? The same history shows every advisory the car has picked up. Here's what to look for before you buy.
Guides to the most common advisories
Each guide covers what the tester saw, what a repair usually costs, whether you can do it yourself and how long it's safe to leave.
- What does an MOT advisory mean, and do you have to fix it?
What advisories are, how they differ from minor defects, and whether you have to fix them.
- Can you drive a car that failed its MOT?
When you can and can't drive after a fail, the fines, and how free retests work.
- "Tyre worn close to legal limit": what the MOT advisory means
How much tread is left, how long you've got, and why "worn on edge" means tracking.
- Brake pads wearing thin and discs worn: what the MOT advisory means
How long thin pads last, when worn discs fail, and what pads and discs cost.
- Brake pipe corroded MOT advisory: what it means and what to do
How serious rusty brake pipes are, what "covered in grease" means, and replacement costs.
- "Oil leak, but not excessive": what the MOT advisory means
Where small leaks come from, when a leak fails, and how to track one down.
- Suspension arm bush deteriorated or worn: what the MOT advisory means
What bushes do, when wear turns into a fail, and whether to replace the bush or the arm.
- Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play: what it means
The knocking drop link: what it is, how urgent it is and how cheap it usually is to fix.
- Exhaust MOT advisories: minor leaks, corrosion and loose mounts
Minor leaks, rusty boxes and tired rubber hangers, plus when the exhaust fails.
- Underside of vehicle generally corroded: MOT rust advisories explained
Surface rust vs structural rust, why some areas matter more, and what to do before winter.
- "Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing": what it means
Harmless surface cracks vs dangerous ones, how to read a tyre's age, and when to replace.
- Windscreen chips and cracks on your MOT: the 10mm and 40mm rules
The zone A rule, the 40mm rule, and when a chip can be repaired instead of replaced.
- Nearside and offside: which side of the car is which?
Nearside is left, offside is right. What NSF, OSF, NSR and OSR mean.
- How to check MOT history before buying a used car
Using the free MOT history check to spot neglect, repeat advisories and mileage problems.
Who runs MOT Decoded
Questions people ask
Do I have to fix MOT advisories?
No. An advisory isn't a legal requirement to repair, and the car has passed. It's the tester telling you a part is wearing. Left alone, plenty of advisories turn into fails at the next test, and some get more expensive the longer they wait.
How accurate are the repair costs?
They're typical ranges for parts and labour at an independent garage. Your make and model, where you live and the garage you use all move the price, and main dealers usually charge more. Treat them as a sense check for a quote, not a quote.
Is this an official DVSA tool?
No. MOT Decoded is independent and has no connection with DVSA or GOV.UK. If anything here doesn't match what your tester told you about your car, go with the tester, because they've seen it and we haven't.
What if the decoder doesn't recognise my advisory?
It still sorts the item by urgency using the heading it sat under. There's a link on the result to send us the wording, and we'll add it to the list.
What do nearside and offside mean?
On a UK car, nearside is the left (passenger) side and offside is the right (driver's) side. The decoder translates these for you. Full explanation here.
Do you keep what I paste?
No. The decoder works entirely inside your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else, and it's gone when you close the page.