Rules for Great Britain checked on 22 October 2026 against GOV.UK and DVSA’s motorcycle inspection manual. Northern Ireland runs its own system through the DVA.
Key takeaways
- First MOT by the third anniversary of registration, then every year; at four years old in Northern Ireland.
- Test from a month minus a day before expiry and you keep the same renewal date.
- A dangerous defect means you cannot ride the bike away: doing so can cost up to £2,500, a ban and 3 penalty points.
- The online MOT history shows every result and the mileage recorded at each test since 2005.
Due dates
When is my motorcycle’s MOT due?
A motorcycle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, then by the anniversary of its last MOT every year after that. Nobody books it for you: the due date is on your last result and in the online MOT history.
You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before the current one runs out and keep the same renewal date. GOV.UK’s example: if your MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest test that keeps the date is on 16 April. Test any earlier and the renewal date moves forward.
In Northern Ireland, cars and motorcycles must normally pass their first MOT four years after first registration, then every year, at DVA test centres.
Sources GOV.UK: getting an MOT nidirect: MOT in Northern Ireland GOV.UK: MOT reminders GOV.UK: historic vehicles
| Your situation | When to test | Worked example |
|---|---|---|
| New bike in Great Britain | By the third anniversary of first registration | Registered 10 March 2024: first MOT by 10 March 2027 |
| MOT runs out on 15 May | From 16 April to keep the date | Tested 20 April: next MOT still due by 15 May |
| Bike registered in Northern Ireland | Four years after first registration, then yearly | Tested at a DVA test centre |
| Built or first registered over 40 years ago | May be exempt if not substantially changed | It must still be kept roadworthy |
Free reminders: GOV.UK will text or email you one month before your motorcycle’s MOT is due. The service is not open to Northern Ireland residents, who get a reminder by post seven weeks before.
Fees and booking
How much does a motorcycle MOT cost, and where do I book?
Test centres cannot charge more than the official maximum: £29.65 for a solo motorcycle, whatever the engine size, and £37.80 with a sidecar. You do not pay VAT on the fee.
Only centres showing the blue sign with three white triangles can carry out an MOT, and not every centre tests bikes, so check when you book.
Sources GOV.UK: MOT fees GOV.UK: booking an MOT
| Vehicle | MOT class | Maximum fee |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle up to 200cc | Class 1 | £29.65 |
| Motorcycle over 200cc | Class 2 | £29.65 |
| Motorcycle with sidecar | Class 1 or 2 | £37.80 |
The inspection
What does the tester check on a motorcycle?
The MOT checks the parts that matter for road safety and the environment on the day of the test. It does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. You can watch from the viewing area, but you must not interrupt the tester.
Two details catch riders out: tyres need at least 1mm of tread (mopeds only need visible tread), and a motorcycle registered on or after 1 September 2001 must display a number plate at the rear only, on two lines.
Sources GOV.UK: motorcycle parts checked at an MOT GOV.UK: how the MOT test works GOV.UK: number plate rules GOV.UK: tyre tread depths
| Area | What is checked |
|---|---|
| Lights | Condition, operation and security of lamps, indicators and reflectors; headlamp colour and aim |
| Steering and suspension | Forks, handlebars, grips, mountings, head bearings, swinging arm and shock absorbers |
| Wheels and tyres | Condition, security, size and type, tread depth and valves |
| Brakes | Condition, performance and controls |
| Frame | Cracks, damage, distortion or corrosion that could affect steering or braking |
| Drive chain and sprockets | Chain tension and wear, sprocket wear, chain guard security |
| Exhaust and fuel system | Exhaust secure, complete and not too noisy; no fuel leaks |
| Controls and fittings | Throttle, clutch lever, footrests, seats and horn |
| Identification | Registration plate, vehicle identification and frame numbers present and legible |
The night before
How should I prepare my bike for its MOT?
Most fails are things you can spot on your own driveway. Go round the bike cold, on its stand, with a friend watching the lights. This is not a service, but it saves losing a slot to a blown bulb.
- Lights: dipped and main beam, rear lamp, brake light from both the lever and the pedal, all four indicators, number-plate lamp.
- Horn working, and no warning light left on.
- Tyres: at least 1mm of tread, no cuts or bulges, cold pressures as the handbook specifies.
- Brakes: pads above their wear marks, fluid at the right level, no weeping from hoses or calipers.
- Steering: bars turn lock to lock without notches; no oil on the fork stanchions.
- Chain: tension and lubrication as the handbook specifies, no hooked sprocket teeth, guard secure.
- Exhaust: secure, no blowing joints, a silencer that is not excessively noisy.
- Rear plate clean, legible and secure; frame number visible.
- Footrests, seat and levers tight; throttle snaps shut when you let go.
Spotted a fault? Fix it before the test and keep the invoice: it belongs in the bike’s history as much as the MOT result does.
The result
What do dangerous, major and minor defects mean?
With minor defects only, the bike passes and the defects are recorded. Any major or dangerous defect means a fail, and you get a refusal of an MOT certificate, form VT30.
After a fail, you can ride the bike away only if your current MOT is still valid and no dangerous problem was listed. Otherwise it has to be repaired first. Riding a bike that failed on a dangerous problem can cost up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points.
Sources GOV.UK: MOT test result GOV.UK: retests DVSA: motorcycle inspection manual
- Left at the centre for repair and retested within 10 working days: partial retest, free.
- Back at the same centre before the end of the next working day: free partial retest for listed items such as lamps, horn and number plate, but not motorcycle wheels and tyres.
- Back within 10 working days: partial retest, which may be charged.
- Any other case: a full test at the full fee.
| Grade | What it means | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Advisory | Wear to monitor, not yet a reason to fail | Pass |
| Minor | No significant effect on safety or the environment | Pass, defect recorded |
| Major | May affect safety or the environment, or put other road users at risk | Fail |
| Dangerous | Direct and immediate risk to road safety or the environment | Fail: do not ride until repaired |
Expired MOT
Can I ride my motorcycle without a valid MOT?
Only to a pre-arranged MOT test, or to and from somewhere it is being repaired. Otherwise, riding without a valid MOT can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.
A pass is not a guarantee for the year ahead: it records the bike’s condition on test day. Between tests the bike must stay roadworthy, and the manufacturer’s service schedule still applies.
Sources GOV.UK: driving without an MOT GOV.UK: keeping a vehicle safe
Online records
How do I check a motorcycle’s MOT history online?
Enter the number plate on GOV.UK’s Check MOT history service. For tests in England, Scotland and Wales, it shows results since 2005: pass or fail, the mileage recorded at each test, when the next MOT is due, which parts failed and any minor problems. With the 11-digit number from the V5C log book, you can also see where each test was done and download certificates.
Northern Ireland results only go back to 2017. You do not need to keep the paper certificate: the result is recorded in the MOT database, and a lost certificate can be replaced online for free with the plate and the V5C number.
Sources GOV.UK: Check MOT history GOV.UK: replace an MOT certificate
| Look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Mileage at each test | A reading lower than the year before needs an explanation |
| The same defect two years running | It was probably never fixed |
| A year with no test | Ask why: off the road, declared SORN, or simply not tested |
| A fail followed by a pass | Shows what was repaired, and how quickly |
After the test
What should I record in my maintenance log after the MOT?
The date, the result, the mileage recorded and the next due date, then every minor defect or advisory, to deal with at the next service. Add the invoice for any repair made to pass, with the part numbers.
MotoLert’s garage, coming soon to iPhone, is designed to keep that record with the bike: mileage, services, parts and documents such as the MOT certificate. In the UK the app switches to miles on its own, and the garage shows costs in pounds.
Explore this topic Motorcycle Maintenance Log: Free Template and 5 Steps
| Record | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Test date, result and mileage | MOT history or printed certificate |
| Minor defects and advisories | Result sheet from the centre |
| Repairs made to pass | Invoices with part numbers |
| Next due date | MOT history |
References
The information cited was checked on 22 October 2026. Rules and services may change after this date.
- GOV.UK: Getting an MOTFirst MOT at three years, testing a month minus a day early, permitted journeys and the £1,000 fine.
- GOV.UK: MOT test fees£29.65 for a motorcycle, £37.80 with a sidecar, no VAT.
- GOV.UK: Motorcycle parts checked at an MOTDVSA list of the parts checked on a motorcycle.
- DVSA: MOT inspection manual for motorcyclesDefinitions of minor, major and dangerous defects; updated 1 April 2026.
- GOV.UK: MOT test result and retestsFails, dangerous defects (£2,500, ban, 3 points) and retest rules.
- GOV.UK: Check MOT historyResults and mileage since 2005 in Great Britain, since 2017 in Northern Ireland.
- GOV.UK: Get MOT remindersFree text or email reminder one month before the MOT is due.
- GOV.UK: rules for number platesRear plate only for motorcycles registered on or after 1 September 2001.
- GOV.UK: check your vehicle is safeMinimum 1mm tread for motorcycles; penalties for a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
- nidirect: motor vehicle documentationNorthern Ireland: first MOT four years after first registration, then every year.