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Can you MOT a car early?

If you like being prepared, getting your MOT done early might be the way forward

A blue Audi A1 driving on a rural road with green grass and bare trees in the background.

By Tia Harrison-North

Last updated: 20 October 2025

How early can you MOT your car?

There are a few reasons why you might be asking ‘can you MOT your car early?’ and that could include things like preparing your car to sell.

The DVSA make the MOT rules in the UK, and they say you can get your car MOT’d up to one month (minus one day) before the current MOT expires if you want to keep the current servicing schedule.

This allows you to have flexibility with scheduling your test. If you book your MOT outside of this one-month window, it will then renew on that new date.

If your car fails its MOT test but it still has a valid MOT from the previous year, you can still drive your car unless it has a serious fault.

Get the details on early car MOTs in our guide below.

Faff-free servicing and MOTs

How far in advance can you MOT a car?

You can book your car in for its MOT up to one month, minus one day, before it’s due to keep your MOT schedule.

For example - if your MOT is due on September 25, you can get it booked in from August 26 of the same year and keep the same renewal date.

If you book it in any earlier than this, your MOT will be due earlier next year.

Can I MOT my car 3 months early?

You can MOT your car three months early if you want to, but this will change the date your MOT is next due. Your new MOT date will be 12 months from when you get the test done – but remember, you get that one month (minus one day) leeway to book in.

You might want to get your car MOT done early if you’re planning to sell, as buyers typically love a fresh MOT. It’s evidence that the car is in good shape and highlights advisories that might need taking care of.

You might also want to MOT your car early if you’re going to be unavailable when the test was actually due. Maybe you’re taking a long trip, are due a surgery, or are expecting a baby and want to get your MOT out of the way.

Getting an MOT early means you’re not getting your money’s worth out of your last test, as you’re not waiting the full length of time to get it done. This might not be a bother if the convenience of getting your test done early is worth losing a couple months of valid MOT.

Can you MOT a car early to sell it?

One of main reasons for MOT’ing a car early is in preparation to sell.

A full MOT can boost buyer confidence as they know a professional has recently looked at the car. You might also want to pair your MOT with a service, to really boost that buyer peace of mind.

Buyers might be put off by a car that has a short MOT on it, so getting it done early can make up the price difference you could get from a nervous buyer haggling the value.

Book your MOT with cinch

So, you can book your MOT early – but you should probably consider how early you need to book it and how this might impact your MOT schedule going forward.

Remember the one-month minus one-day rule for keeping your schedule in check.

You can book an MOT or service whenever your car needs sorting, even if you are ahead of schedule.

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