What does an MOT advisory mean, and do you have to fix it?
An MOT advisory is a note from the tester saying a part passed, but it's wearing, slightly damaged or starting to go. Your car has still passed its MOT. You don't legally have to fix an advisory, but it's a warning that the part could fail next time, and a few of them can become a safety problem long before your next test.
How advisories fit with minor, major and dangerous
Every problem a tester finds goes into one of four groups. Two mean a fail and two don't.
| Category | Pass or fail | What GOV.UK tells you to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Fail | Don't drive the car until it's repaired |
| Major | Fail | Repair it immediately |
| Minor | Pass | Repair it as soon as possible |
| Advisory | Pass | Monitor it and repair it if necessary |
The difference between a minor defect and an advisory catches people out. A minor defect is already below the standard, just not badly enough to affect safety much. A slightly chafed brake hose and a defective wiper blade are both minors in the MOT manual. An advisory is still within the rules today but heading the wrong way. "Brake pad(s) wearing thin" is the classic one.
On the GOV.UK MOT history page you'll see these as headings: "Repair immediately (major defects)", "Repair as soon as possible (minor defects)" and "Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories)".
Do you legally have to fix MOT advisories?
No. There's no law that says you must repair an advisory, and there's no deadline. The car has a valid MOT.
There is a catch. The car has to be roadworthy every time you drive it, not just on test day. An MOT only shows the car's condition on the day it was tested. If a tyre that was "close to the legal limit" in March is under 1.6mm by August, you can be fined and get points for it, whatever your certificate says. The GOV.UK guidance makes the same point: the vehicle must meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times.
Which advisories can wait and which can't
Advisories aren't equal. Some are a part that will last another year or two. Others are a part on its last few hundred miles. Here's how the common ones usually rank.
| Advisory | How soon | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre worn close to legal limit | Within a few weeks | Wet grip drops off fast as tread gets low |
| Brake pads wearing thin | Within a month or two | Leave it and you'll need discs as well |
| Brake pipe corroded | Get it looked at soon | Badly rusted pipes can split under hard braking |
| Split CV boot or rack gaiter | Within a few weeks | Once grit gets in, a cheap boot becomes an expensive joint |
| Oil leak, but not excessive | Check the level, watch it | Usually a gasket. Fix it if it's getting worse |
| Shock absorber has a light misting of oil | Watch it | Normal ageing until it's actually leaking |
| Underside generally corroded | Watch it, treat it before winter | Surface rust becomes structural rust over a few winters |
The safest rule: anything to do with tyres, brakes or steering, sort out before the next MOT is even in sight. The rest you can plan around a service.
Why testers give advisories
The MOT inspection manual sets out what's a fail. Advisories cover everything the tester notices that isn't a fail yet. They're recorded on the official MOT record, and that record is public. Anyone can look up a car's history with the number plate, including the next person who wants to buy it.
That's worth knowing if you plan to sell. A buyer who sees "corroded brake pipe" listed three years running will ask why it was never sorted. Our guide on checking MOT history before you buy covers how buyers read those records.
What an advisory can't tell you
Testers don't take anything apart, so advisories are based on what they can see and feel with the car on the ramp. A pad that looks thin from the outside might be worse on the inner side. Also, the MOT doesn't look at the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. A clean MOT with no advisories doesn't mean the car is mechanically perfect.
What to do with your advisories now
- Paste them into the MOT advisory decoder. You'll get each line in plain English, sorted by urgency, with a rough repair cost.
- Deal with tyres, brakes and steering first.
- Get a quote and ask the garage to show you the worn part. A good garage won't mind.
- Before your next MOT, check last year's advisories and have them looked at during a service. Fixing them in advance is usually cheaper than a fail and retest.
If your car didn't just pick up advisories but actually failed, read whether you can drive a car that failed its MOT before you take it anywhere.
Got more than one advisory?
Paste your whole MOT result into the decoder. It explains every line, sorts them by urgency and adds up a rough repair budget.
Decode my MOT