Failed your MOT? Here's exactly what it means and what to do next.

Around one car in four fails its MOT first time. This is the independent, plain-English guide to every UK MOT failure: what each defect means, whether you can still drive, how retests work, what repairs cost, and when the sensible answer is to scrap the car.

What to do nowGet a scrap quote
26.75%of MOT tests failed, April–June 2026 (DVSA)
£54.85maximum MOT fee for a car – unchanged for 2026
3-1-1first MOT at 3 years old, then every year
£2,500maximum fine for driving with a dangerous defect, plus 3 points

Just failed? Start here

  1. Read the certificate. Your VT30 refusal lists every defect as Dangerous or Major. That category decides whether you can drive. Defect categories explained
  2. Check if you can drive it. Dangerous defect, or MOT already expired? Your options are very limited. Can I drive after failing?
  3. Use the retest window. Repair within 10 working days and the retest is free or half price. Retest rules
  4. Do the sums. If repairs cost more than the car is worth, scrapping or selling may pay more. Repair-or-scrap calculator

What did your car fail on?

Pick the section on your failure sheet. Each guide explains what the tester checks, the common defects, whether you can fix it yourself and typical garage costs.

Most common

Lights, reflectors & electrics

Blown bulbs, headlamp aim, indicators, battery, wiring.

 2nd most common

Suspension

Broken springs, leaking shocks, worn bushes and ball joints.

 Top 5

Tyres

Tread under 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, mismatched sizes, TPMS.

 Top 5

Brakes

Efficiency, imbalance, worn discs and pads, pipes, ABS.

 Top 5

Windscreen & visibility

Chips in zone A, wipers, washers, mirrors.

 Most expensive

Corrosion & structure

Sills, subframes, mounting points, sharp edges.

Emissions

Diesel smoke, DPF removal, CO/HC limits, catalytic converters.

Exhaust, leaks & noise

Blowing exhausts, fluid leaks, fuel system.

Steering

Track rod ends, racks, power steering, free play.

Warning lights

Airbag, ABS, engine management, ESC, TPMS lights.

Seatbelts & airbags

Fraying, retractors, buckles, SRS faults.

Number plates & VIN

Illegal fonts, spacing, missing VIN.

Electric & hybrid cars

What's different for EVs and hybrids.

See the full failure statistics →

Is it worth repairing?

A £150 repair on a car worth £3,000 is a no-brainer. A £900 welding job on a car worth £700 is not. The cars that fail on structural corrosion, emissions (DPF, catalytic converter) or multiple suspension and brake items are the ones where the bill most often overtakes the value.

Our repair-or-scrap calculator compares the repair quote against what the car is worth after passing and what a scrap yard would pay today. Read the typical repair costs guide for realistic garage prices.

Three ways out of a failed MOT

1. Repair and retest. Best when the repair is cheap relative to the car's value. Use the 10-working-day retest window.

2. Sell it as it is. Trade buyers and online car buying services will buy failed cars, but expect the repair cost (plus their margin) off the price. Selling a car with no MOT

3. Scrap it. A licensed Authorised Treatment Facility pays by bank transfer, collects free and issues a Certificate of Destruction so the DVLA knows it's gone. Scrapping a failed car

Before your next MOT

About half of all MOT failures could be avoided with a ten-minute check on the driveway: bulbs, tyres, wipers, washer fluid, horn, number plates and dashboard warning lights. Use our pre-MOT checklist, and check the car's MOT history online to see what was flagged as an advisory last year – advisories are the best predictor of this year's failure.

Questions people ask

What happens if my car fails its MOT?
You get a 'refusal of an MOT certificate' (VT30) listing each dangerous and major defect. The car must be repaired and pass a retest before you get a new certificate. If your old certificate has run out, or any defect is dangerous, you generally cannot drive it on the road except to a pre-booked repair or test.
Can I drive my car if it failed its MOT?
Only if your current MOT certificate is still valid and none of the defects is dangerous. If the MOT has expired you can only drive to a pre-booked MOT test or to a garage for repairs needed to pass. With a dangerous defect you should not drive it at all.
How long do I have to fix an MOT failure?
There is no legal deadline to fix it, but the retest is free or reduced if you get the repairs done and the car retested at the same test centre within 10 working days. After that you pay for a full new test.
Is it worth fixing a car that failed its MOT?
Compare the repair quote with what the car will be worth once it has passed, minus what you could get for it today as scrap or sold as seen. If repairs cost more than about half the car's value, or the failure is serious structural corrosion, scrapping or selling usually makes more financial sense.

Failed MOT and not worth fixing?

Get a free scrap quote from a licensed Authorised Treatment Facility. Free collection across England, Scotland and Wales, payment by bank transfer and a Certificate of Destruction issued for you.