Data sources

MOT tests and defects come from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) MOT history associated with the vehicle's registration. That is the same source buyers see on the government MOT history service — we structure and score it for buying decisions.

Vehicle identity and snapshot fields may include DVLA-held attributes where we have permission and a valid lookup path. Tax status, MOT expiry on the certificate, and similar fields can differ from "what happened at the last garage test"; we label snapshots clearly on the report where we show them.

What MOT data does not include: unreported repairs, private work, accident history unless it surfaced as a defect, outstanding finance, theft markers, or whether the odometer was illegal. Gaps between tests can be innocent (SORN, off-road) or suspicious — we flag patterns, not intent.

Stolen, write-off & finance: These signals usually come from insurers (MIAFTR write-offs), finance houses, and Police National Computer checks via licensed vehicle-data providers — not from MOT records alone. Where we surface them on a report, it's clearly labelled and comes from those specialist sources. For a full provenance check you can also follow the partner link on your vehicle report when offered.

We update as upstream data refreshes. If a test was entered late or corrected, the history can change — always verify the latest record before you pay.