Has This Car Been Clocked?
Enter a registration and we read every odometer figure the DVSA holds for it since 2005, then say plainly whether the sequence is consistent — or where it goes backwards. One question, one verdict, free.
Just want to read the mileage history yourself, alongside MOT results, tax and spec? Use the full free car check instead — this page is the fraud verdict, not the report.
Instant results using official DVSA MOT data. No sign-up.
How Mileage Fraud Works
Understanding the mechanism is what tells you which part of the record to trust — and which part a seller controls.
The Scam
The mileage a car displays is a stored number, not a physical property. Tooling that connects to the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port rewrites that number in the instrument cluster, and on many cars in the other modules that mirror it, in minutes. Nothing about the car changes; only what it claims about itself does.
The Benchmark
We do not publish a national clocking-prevalence figure, because we have not measured one. What we have measured is what normal looks like: across 29,796,409 UK vehicles tested in the year to 2025-12-30, the median reading was 29,369 miles at three years old, 41,350 at five and 77,673 at ten. A ten-year-old car showing 40,000 is not impossible — it is unusual enough to want an explanation. The full distribution and method.
The Danger
A clocked car is not just a financial risk — it is a safety risk. Vehicles with hidden high mileage may have worn brakes, degraded suspension components, and ageing tyres that the new owner does not realise need replacing. Service intervals based on the false mileage will be incorrect, meaning critical maintenance gets missed.
The Defence
The MOT record is the strongest free defence, because the owner does not write it. Every test since 2005 captures the odometer reading as the DVSA-authorised tester sees it, into a government database the keeper cannot edit. Its limit is worth knowing too: it only proves consistency between tests, so a rollback done before 2005, or in a gap with no test in it, leaves nothing to find. See the physical signs that catch what the record misses.
What Our Mileage Check Shows
Our mileage check analyses official DVSA MOT data to give you a complete picture of any vehicle's mileage history.
Mileage at Every MOT
See the exact odometer reading recorded at each MOT test from 2005 onwards, providing a verified mileage trail across the vehicle's lifetime.
Year-on-Year Progression
Track how the mileage has increased year by year. Consistent annual increases indicate an honest history; sudden changes raise questions.
Automatic Anomaly Detection
Our system automatically flags mileage drops, implausible jumps, and suspicious patterns. Any discrepancy is highlighted clearly in your report.
Model Average Comparison
Compare the vehicle's annual mileage against the UK average for its make and model. Unusually low mileage relative to wear patterns can be a warning sign.
Warning Signs of a Clocked Car
Beyond the mileage check, look for these physical indicators when inspecting a used car.
Worn pedal rubbers on a supposedly low-mileage car
Steering wheel leather shiny or worn smooth
Driver's seat bolster worn, sagging, or cracked
Inconsistent service history with mileage gaps
Multiple previous owners in a short period
Dashboard or instrument cluster looks newer than the car
Scuff marks or fingerprints around the instrument cluster
Excessive stone chips on the bonnet and windscreen
Worn gear knob inconsistent with stated mileage
Brake discs with deep lip suggesting high mileage wear
Check a Vehicle's Mileage Now
Protect yourself from odometer fraud. Enter any UK registration to see its MOT mileage history and clocking verdict.
Mileage Check FAQ
Common questions about mileage clocking and our mileage verification service.
What is mileage clocking?
How do I check if a car has been clocked?
Can digital odometers be clocked?
Is mileage clocking illegal in the UK?
What does this clocking check actually show?
How reliable are MOT mileage readings?
What mileage is normal for a car of this age?
I want the full MOT mileage history, not a fraud verdict.
More checks before you buy
Run all of these on any UK car before you pay a deposit — every one is free to start.
Full Car Check
MOT, mileage, tax and spec by reg — the free starting point.
MOT History Check
Every test, advisory and failure on the DVSA record — free.
DVLA Vehicle Check
The DVLA registration record and DVSA MOT history in one search.
Car Import Check
No free import marker exists — how to read the four indicators instead.
MOT Failure History
Pass-rate and recurring-failure patterns from MOT history.
Outstanding Finance
Why unpaid finance can cost you the car — and how to verify.
Stolen Car Check
The warning signs of a stolen vehicle before you pay a deposit.
Write-Off Check
Cat A/B/S/N explained and what a write-off means for buyers.
Cat S / Cat N Check
Insurance write-off categories explained — is it worth buying?
HPI Check Alternative
What each check covers and costs — an honest price comparison.
Car Tax Check
Tax status, due date and SORN by registration — free.
Insurance Group Check
The 1–50 insurance group for any model — what it will cost to cover.
Is My Car Insured?
How to confirm a car's insurance status before you drive it away.
Car Tax Calculator
Estimate the annual VED road tax for any car by reg or spec.
Car Recall Check
Check DVSA safety recalls for the make and model, free.
Selling Your Car
See the record a buyer will pull on your reg — before they pull it.
Service History: Who Holds It
No site can look one up. Who really has the record, by make.
Used Car Buying Checklist
The full step-by-step checklist before you buy a used car.
Buying a Cat S / Cat N Car
Is a write-off worth it? The honest costs, risks and decision rule.
Check Finance Before Buying
Why there's no free finance check — and how to verify before you pay.
What Does HPI Clear Mean?
Why an 'HPI clear' result does NOT mean accident-free.
How to Spot a Clocked Car
The tell-tale signs of mileage fraud before you buy.
What Is a Cat S Car?
Category S write-off meaning — structural damage, explained.
What Is a Cat N Car?
Category N write-off meaning — and why 'non-structural' isn't 'minor'.
What we check — and where it comes from
| Check | What it tells you | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MOT history & mileage | Every test, advisory, failure and odometer reading since 2005 — plus our clocking analysis the DVSA listing doesn't do. | DVSA MOT API (official) |
| Tax & MOT status, CO2, ULEZ | Current tax and MOT validity, emissions band and ULEZ position. | DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service |
| Outstanding finance | Coming soon — not yet offered, and not something we charge for today. | |
| Stolen / write-off / keeper history | Coming soon — not yet offered, and not something we charge for today. | |
We're honest about our limits.
The MOT & mileage data here is the same data you can get free at gov.uk — we add the analysis and the clocking flags. We don't claim a guarantee we can't back, we don't hide our data sources, and we don't use fake countdown timers. If a check isn't live above, we don't have it yet — and we won't pretend otherwise.
Data sourced from the DVSA. Last updated: April 2026.