How the due date works

A new vehicle needs its first MOT three years after registration. After that the certificate is valid for twelve months. The expiry date in the record is the date your current certificate runs out, and it is the date that matters for driving legally.

Testing early without losing a year

You can present a vehicle for test up to one month minus a day before the current certificate expires and keep the same renewal date next year. Test it earlier than that window and the new certificate runs from the test date, which quietly shortens the following year. Booking inside the window is how you get an early test without paying for it twice.

What happens if you miss it

There is no grace period. Driving without a valid MOT is an offence, and the only permitted journeys are to a pre-booked test or to a place of repair. Insurance commonly excludes a vehicle with no MOT, and the DVSA record will show the gap to anyone who checks the vehicle later.