Updated May 2026
MOT Checkup vs GOV.UK MOT: same data, buyer-side analysis on top
Both pull from the official DVSA MOT history API — the underlying record is identical. MOT Checkup adds an AI reliability score, mileage anomaly detection, common-faults context, and a free stolen-vehicle check on the same plate input.
Free MOT history check — type any UK registration to start.
GOV.UK's check-mot.service.gov.uk is the official DVSA service and the authoritative MOT history record. MOT Checkup queries the same DVSA MOT history API and adds AI common-faults by make and model, mileage anomaly detection, a free stolen-vehicle check and a multi-vehicle history view on top of that identical data. Use GOV.UK for a clean official confirmation; use MOT Checkup when you want the same data with buyer-side context.
TL;DR
- Both are free; both show the same DVSA MOT record.
- GOV.UK is the official source and the right choice for evidence or formal use.
- MOT Checkup adds AI common-faults, a stolen check and multi-vehicle view.
- The DVSA explicitly publishes MOT data through an open API for re-use.
- This is a "use which" comparison, not a "better than".
Side-by-side comparison
| MOT Checkup | GOV.UK MOT history | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Source of MOT data | DVSA API | DVSA (official) |
| Full MOT history since 2005 | ||
| Mileage at every test | ||
| Advisory list | ||
| Major / dangerous defects | ||
| AI common-faults by make | ||
| Free stolen-vehicle check | ||
| Multi-vehicle history view | ||
| Sign-up required | No | No |
| Time to first result | Under 3 sec | Under 3 sec |
Why GOV.UK is the source of truth
- The DVSA — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency — runs MOT testing in the UK and publishes the resulting record.
- check-mot.service.gov.uk shows that record without any third-party layer in between.
- For formal use — insurance evidence, dispute correspondence, confirming your own MOT for a remote tester — GOV.UK is the right destination.
- All MOT data on MOT Checkup is the same DVSA data, queried through the official API.
What MOT Checkup adds on top
- AI common-faults: a make-and-model summary that puts the advisory list in context.
- Free stolen-vehicle check: a quick check against a published stolen-vehicle record alongside the MOT timeline.
- Multi-vehicle view: easy to flick between two or three registrations you are comparing without re-keying.
- Buyer-friendly layout: mileage trend visualised, advisories grouped, defects prioritised by category.
Speed, friction and accuracy
- Both load within roughly three seconds on a normal connection.
- Both require no sign-up and no payment — DVSA's policy on this is why the data is widely re-used.
- Accuracy is identical because the data is identical; differences are presentation and added context.
When to use GOV.UK directly
- You need an official-source confirmation for a third party.
- You are submitting MOT evidence for an insurance or dispute claim.
- You prefer no third-party service in the chain when looking up your own car.
- You only ever need pass / fail and mileage and have no use for the common-faults context.
When to use MOT Checkup
- You are about to view a used car and want common-faults context for the make and model.
- You want a free stolen-vehicle check in the same view as MOT history.
- You are comparing two or three candidate registrations and want a multi-vehicle view.
- You want clocking checks with the mileage trail visualised.
The honest summary
GOV.UK's MOT history service is the authoritative source and a free public good. MOT Checkup is a free third-party tool built on the same DVSA data, designed for buyer-side context — common-faults, stolen check, multi-vehicle view. They are complementary, not in conflict. If you want one official answer, go to GOV.UK. If you want buyer-friendly context layered on top, MOT Checkup is built for that.
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