MOT Advisories Explained
An advisory is something an MOT tester noticed that was not serious enough to fail the vehicle, but is worth knowing about. Read across several years, advisories are the single most revealing free record of how a car has been looked after.
The defect categories
Since 2018 MOT defects have been graded, and understanding the grades tells you how urgent something is.
| Category | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous | Fail | Direct and immediate risk to road safety, or a serious environmental impact. Do not drive the vehicle. |
| Major | Fail | May affect safety or the environment, or put other road users at risk. Must be repaired immediately. |
| Minor | Pass | No significant effect on safety, but should be repaired as soon as possible. |
| Advisory | Pass | Something to monitor — a component wearing but still within limits. |
Reading advisories over several years
A single advisory tells you little. The pattern across a vehicle's history tells you a great deal.
- The same advisory year after year means it was never fixed. A corroding subframe or a persistent oil leak that appears in four consecutive tests is a car that has had the minimum done to it.
- An advisory that becomes a fail the following year is normal wear progressing — a tyre "close to the legal limit" becoming a failure is expected.
- Advisories that disappear suggest the work was actually done.
- A sudden cluster after years of clean tests can indicate a change of owner or a period of neglect.
Advisories that matter most when buying
Corrosion. The wording matters. "Corroded but not seriously weakened" on a subframe, sill or brake pipe is a warning that the structure is deteriorating. Structural rust is expensive and often terminal on older cars.
Oil leaks. "Light misting of oil" on shock absorbers is common and often tolerable. An engine or gearbox oil leak noted repeatedly is a different matter.
Brake components. Discs "worn, pitted or scored" and pads "wearing thin" are consumables, but they are immediate costs you will inherit.
Tyres. "Worn close to the legal limit" means replacement is due now. Uneven wear on one edge can point to tracking or suspension problems rather than just the tyre.
Suspension. Repeated shock absorber advisories, or anything about play in joints, suggests wear that affects handling.
What advisories do not tell you
An MOT is a snapshot of minimum roadworthiness on the day of the test. It is not a mechanical inspection. It says nothing about engine condition, gearbox health, clutch wear, service history or accident damage. A car can pass with a clean sheet and still have significant problems.
Use advisories alongside, not instead of, an inspection
The MOT record is excellent for spotting patterns of neglect and mileage inconsistencies. It is not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic on a car you are serious about.
Checking a vehicle's advisory history
The full MOT history is public and free. Enter a registration on this site and you will see every recorded test, the mileage at each, and every defect and advisory noted, graded by severity.
Check any vehicle free
Enter a registration for full MOT history, mileage analysis and DVLA details — plus the official askMID insurance check options.
Check a vehicle →Frequently asked questions
Does an advisory mean the car failed its MOT?
No. Advisory and minor defects are recorded on a pass. Only dangerous and major defects cause a failure.
Do I have to fix an MOT advisory?
There is no legal requirement to fix an advisory, but it flags a component that is wearing and may fail later or become a failure at the next test.
Are MOT advisories public?
Yes. The full MOT history including advisories is free to check with just a registration number, using official DVSA data.
What is the most serious advisory to see when buying?
Structural corrosion — wording such as 'corroded but not seriously weakened' on sills, subframes or brake pipes — is usually the most expensive to put right.