1 In 6 Drivers Book MOT After Expiry, Kwik Fit Data Reveals

Missing an MOT deadline might feel like something that only happens to disorganised drivers, but our latest booking data suggests it’s far more common than you may realise. 

To better understand how drivers plan (or don’t plan) for their MOT, we analysed online MOT bookings between July and December 2025. 

The results reveal a clear split between drivers who plan ahead, and those who leave it until the last minute - with a significant number missing their MOT deadline before they even make a booking.

Missed MOTs: 16% of drivers book MOTs after expiry date

Firstly, we found that almost 16% of online MOT bookings were made after the MOT had already expired.1 That’s around 1 in 6 drivers booking an appointment after their vehicle should already have been off the road. 

While some of these drivers may only be overdue by a short period, there's no automatic grace period once an MOT expires. And, if you’re caught driving without a valid MOT, the consequences can be serious - from fines to insurance complications.

1 Kwik Fit data – Kwik Fit carries out more than one million MOTs each year. The company analysed all online bookings for MOTs carried out between July and December 2025, identifying the period between day of booking, MOT expiry and test date for each car. To obtain average figures, analysts identified cases where the MOT was booked between one day to one year after MOT expiry.

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Another 17% leave it to the final week before expiry

Missing your MOT deadline entirely is one thing. Cutting it fine is another - and they’re both happening almost as often. 

A further 17% of drivers booked their MOT within the final 7 days before expiry, while 1.6% booked on the due date itself. When a booking is made this late, it leaves very little breathing space. Any disruption, from a busy diary to a failed test requiring repairs, can quickly push an MOT past its expiry date.

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1 in 5 MOT appointment take place after the due date

Booking an MOT is only half the story; what matters legally is when the test actually happens. 

When we compared MOT appointment dates with MOT due dates, we found that 22% of MOT appointments took place after the due date, meaning just over 1 in 5 MOTs were carried out after expiry. 

That means that around 1.7 million cars were tested after their MOT had expired, despite being booked in before the MOT. With DVSA data showing that more than a quarter of cars (27%) fail their MOT, the figures highlight that, as well as being illegal, over 1.5 million of these cars without a valid MOT would not be roadworthy.2 

This is one of the clearest signs why leaving it late can be risky. If drivers only start thinking about their MOT close to the deadline, it becomes much easier for the test itself to fall after the expiry date. 

Booking ahead of time, when the choice of appointments is much greater, removes this potential for delay. That’s why, at Kwik Fit, you can book your MOT up to 33 weeks in advance.

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2DVSA data from April-June 2025, most recently published data - MOT testing data for Great Britain - GOV.UK

Most drivers book in time (but many only act last minute)

It’s not all bad news. Most drivers are managing to book their MOT before it expires. In fact, 84% of bookings were made before the MOT due date, showing that the majority are staying on the right side of the deadline. 

But the timing of those bookings tells a slightly different story. For many drivers, the MOT doesn’t seem to move to the top of the to-do list until the appointment is close: 

• 56% booked within 7 days of the MOT appointment 
•  76% booked within 14 days Only 
• 24% booked more than 14 days in advance. 

So, while most drivers are technically booking “on time”, a large proportion are still treating their MOT as something to deal with in the final fortnight, rather than planning ahead weeks or months in advance.

What these missed MOT booking habits could mean nationally

As the largest MOT tester in the UK, we see booking behaviour at scale - and the patterns above provide a useful snapshot of how drivers are managing their MOT deadlines. 

To understand what this could mean across Britain, we compared these percentages with the latest Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics. We focused on MOT-eligible vehicles by excluding newly-registered vehicles under three years old and MOT-exempt vehicles over 40 years old. 

• Our estimates show that more than 4.3 million cars on Britain’s roads were only booked in for an MOT after their current one expired. 
• That’s nearly 16% of Britain’s cars getting their MOTs booked in after the deadline has passed. 
• When it comes to the actual testing date, almost 6 million cars in Great Britain receive their MOT after its expiry each year, with the average time between expiry and test being 33.7 days.

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Why are so many drivers still booking their MOT late?

MOT deadlines are predictable. So, why do so many drivers still end up booking close to expiry - or even after it? For many people, it comes down to: 

• Forgetting the date: MOTs are annual, and without a reminder, the date can creep up unnoticed. 
• Misunderstanding the rules: Drivers occasionally assume there’s a grace period after expiry. In reality, the only time you can legally drive without a valid MOT is to a pre-booked test appointment. 
• MOTs feel like admin: For many drivers, an MOT is something that gets pushed down the to-do list until it becomes urgent. 
• Life gets in the way: Work, family commitments, commuting, and busy schedules can all make it easy for an MOT date to slip. 

That said, any convenience gained by pushing a booking back a few days is quickly outweighed by the stress of a deadline, the risk of a fine, or being left with a car without a valid MOT. 

On this, our Operations Director and MOT Programme Lead, Dan Joyce, said:

Drivers can book MOTs up to 6 months early online

One of the simplest ways to avoid missing your MOT is to book ahead - and online booking makes that easy.

• Booking: When booking online with Kwik Fit, drivers can choose a date and time for their MOT up to 6 months in advance.
• Actual appointment: With advance booking, drivers can also get their actual MOT done up to 1 month early, while retaining the same due date (essentially making the MOT valid for 13 months).

For drivers who rely on their car every day, this flexibility makes it easier to stay road legal, reduce last-minute stress, and leave time for repairs if the vehicle doesn’t pass first-time.

What happens if you drive without an MOT?

Driving without a valid MOT isn’t just risky, it can also be illegal. If you drive without a valid MOT, you could face a fine of up to £1,000 as well as:

• Insurance issues, as insurers may refuse to pay out if you’re involved in an accident. 
• Penalties, in more serious cases, especially if the vehicle is found to be unroadworthy. 
• Increased risk of breakdowns or safety issues, as faults may go unchecked. .

What to do if your MOT has expired

If you’ve missed your MOT deadline, don’t panic; the most important thing is to act quickly, but safely. 

1. Check your MOT due date, using Kwik Fit’s MOT checker or your last MOT certificate. 
2. If you confirm your MOT has expired, don’t drive your vehicle - unless it’s to a pre-booked MOT appointment, 
3. Book an MOT as soon as possible. 
4. If needed, consider combining your MOT with a service for extra peace of mind that it will pass.

The bottom line: preparedness makes the difference

The data points to one clear pattern: many drivers are still leaving their MOT booking until the deadline is close, and a significant number are missing it before they remember to book. 

The good news is that missed MOTs are avoidable, and staying road legal doesn’t need to be stressful. 

If your MOT is coming up, booking early is one of the simplest ways to stay in control. And if you’ve already missed the date, we’re here to help you get back on track as quickly as possible. 

Book your MOT today.

A note on methodology

This analysis reviews online consumer MOT bookings made through the Kwik Fit website between July and December 2025. 

The findings reflect online booking behaviour only and do not include MOT bookings made directly in-centre. 

To provide a national context, the percentages from this analysis were compared with the wider UK vehicle parc using the latest Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (as at October 2025). For relevance to MOT behaviour, this comparison focuses on MOT-eligible vehicles by excluding newly registered vehicles under three years old and MOT-exempt vehicles over 40 years old from the national total.