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MOT mileage history explained

Informational5 min read·11 February 2026

The official MOT mileage history is the list of odometer readings recorded at each MOT test. It's a useful free reference, but a clean MOT history does not prove a car hasn't been clocked: it only captures readings at test points, and a blocker can freeze the figure in real time. Establishing whether a car has been tampered with takes a proper check.

What it shows

Each MOT test records the mileage on the day. Plotted over time, those points should rise steadily. The history is published by the DVSA and is free to view by registration.

A useful but incomplete signal

A clean MOT history is reassuring but it is not proof: readings are only captured at test points, so it cannot reveal tampering between tests, and on its own it cannot tell you whether a blocker is fitted now.

What it can't tell you

MOT history only captures readings at test points. It cannot reveal tampering between tests, and it cannot tell you whether a blocker is fitted now. That's why a specialist on-vehicle inspection is needed to answer the live-device question.

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