Ownership
Car failed its MOT? What happens next, retest rules and costs explained
Your car failed its MOT. Here is what the defect grades mean, whether you can still drive it, retest rules and typical costs to get it through.
A failed MOT means the car has at least one Dangerous or Major defect. What happens next depends on the grade of that defect and whether your old MOT certificate is still valid. In most cases you get the car repaired and retested, and the retest is often free or half-price if you go back to the same centre quickly.
Can I drive my car if it failed its MOT?
It depends on the defect grade and on whether your previous MOT has expired.
- Dangerous defect — you must not drive the car at all until it has been repaired, even if the old MOT is still valid. That includes driving it to a garage: have it repaired at the test centre, or have it towed or transported.
- Major defect — if your previous MOT certificate has already expired, you can only drive the car to have the defects repaired or to a pre-booked MOT test. If your old MOT is still valid (this happens when you test early, before the expiry date), you can drive it away, but it must still be roadworthy, and your insurer may refuse a claim if the fault that caused the fail contributed to a crash.
- Minor or Advisory items — these are pass results. You can drive as normal, but get the work done before it worsens.
Driving with a Dangerous defect is a criminal offence. It also invalidates the safety basis your insurance relies on, so a claim after an incident involving that defect could be refused.
Is an MOT retest free?
Often, yes. The DVSA rules depend on where the car is repaired and how quickly it comes back.
- Free partial retest: if the car stays at the test centre for repair and is retested within 10 working days, the partial retest is free. It is also free if you take the car away and bring it back to the same centre by the end of the next working day, but only for certain listed items such as lights, mirrors, wipers and washers, seat belts, number plates, doors and tyres.
- Reduced-fee retest: if you take the car away and bring it back to the same centre within 10 working days, you get a partial retest. The centre can charge up to half the maximum MOT fee for it.
- Full price retest: after 10 working days, or at a different test centre, the car needs a full MOT at the normal fee.
Centres can charge less than the maximum, so ask the centre what it charges for a retest before you leave with the car.
What is the difference between a dangerous and a major defect?
MOT defects are graded Dangerous, Major, Minor or Advisory. Dangerous and Major defects both result in a fail; Minor and Advisory items result in a pass.
| Grade | Meaning | Result | Can you drive? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Direct and immediate risk to road safety or the environment | Fail | No, not until it is repaired |
| Major | Could affect safety, other road users, or the environment | Fail | Only if your old MOT is still valid and the car is roadworthy; otherwise only to a repair or a pre-booked test |
| Minor | Defect with no significant effect on safety or the environment, monitor and repair | Pass | Yes |
| Advisory | May need attention soon, could become more serious | Pass | Yes |
A worn brake disc might be an advisory. The same disc with a crack through it could be Major or Dangerous. The tester's written report on the certificate tells you exactly which category each fault falls into and why.
How long do I have to get a free MOT retest?
For a free retest, either leave the car at the test centre and have it retested within 10 working days, or bring it back to the same centre by the end of the next working day (listed items only). For a partial retest at up to half the fee, bring it back to the same centre within 10 working days of the original test. After that you pay the full fee again, which is currently a maximum of £54.85 for a car.
Steps to take after a failed MOT
- Read the full report. It lists every defect, its grade, and often a photo or note explaining the fault.
- Check whether you can still drive. Use the rules above. If in doubt, do not drive.
- Get quotes for the repair. You do not have to use the test centre's own garage. You are free to shop around, provided the retest happens within the free or reduced-fee window if you want to keep the cost down.
- Book the repair and retest together where possible, so you do not lose the discount window.
- Keep the paperwork. The failed test report and the eventual pass certificate both matter if you sell the car later — a buyer checking the car's history will see the fail and want to know it was fixed properly.
Will a failed MOT show on the car's history?
Yes. Every test result, pass or fail, is recorded by the DVSA and stays on the car's permanent MOT history, visible for free on GOV.UK and on the Motofly listing page for any car with that registration. A fail followed by a prompt pass is normal and not a red flag to buyers. Read our guide to checking MOT history to see exactly what a full history record looks like, including advisories from previous years.
Buying or selling a car with a recent MOT fail
If you are selling, be upfront about a recent fail and show the repair invoice alongside the new pass certificate — it builds trust and avoids awkward questions at viewing. If you are buying, a failed test followed by a quick, well-documented repair is usually fine; a pattern of repeated fails for the same fault is not. Always also confirm the car's tax status before you view it — see our guide to checking if a car is taxed. Combine both checks with a full walk-round inspection using our used car buying checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an MOT extension while I arrange repairs?
No. There is no general extension scheme for a failed MOT. If your old certificate has expired, a car with a Major defect can only be driven to a repair or a pre-booked MOT test, and a car with a Dangerous defect cannot be driven at all until it is repaired.
Does a failed MOT affect my car insurance?
Driving illegally with a Dangerous defect, or a Major defect once your old MOT has expired, can give your insurer grounds to refuse a claim if that defect played a part in an incident. An MOT fail on its own, with the car left off the road, does not usually affect your policy, but check your insurer's terms on unroadworthy vehicles.
Can I appeal an MOT failure?
Yes. If you disagree with the result, you can ask the test centre to explain the defect, or complain to the DVSA within 14 working days of the test using their appeals process. Do not have the car repaired before an appeal if you want the original fault checked, as this can affect the outcome.
Do I need to retest at the same garage?
No. You can take the car to any approved MOT test centre. But the free and half-price retests only apply if you go back to the same centre within the time limits; at a different centre it is a full MOT at the normal fee.
What is the maximum MOT fee I should be charged?
The maximum fee a test centre can charge for a car's MOT is currently £54.85, though many centres charge less. A partial retest at the same centre within 10 working days costs at most half the maximum fee, and some retests are free (see above).