MOT check online - why do you think we need the V5C
Discussion
Can anyone offer an opinion why the online GOV site for MOT requires one to provide the V5C?
Is it some sort of data privacy thing?
Personally I would not object to having it open- i.e. punch in a license plate and voila MOT yay/nay and epiry date.
The reason I ask is I wanted to check my car and the other halfs (they are not due for a while I know) and I went on the site. Yes I can put in reminders,etc on my phone and in fact I have the info at home - but as they have the information available why not make it available. If I am going to dig out my V5 - I can dig out the last certificate and I also like to know its 'officially' registered as having an MOT for any APNR checks (I like to check for insurance after I have renewed for example).
Equally in the past when I have looked to buy a car I have used the site and had to ask for the V5C number to check the MOT. This always sounds suspicious to the seller (worries of cloning I guess?) - I had one person who did not believe me you could do this until I sent him the link.
I would not object to that information being available. As I said you can check teh insurance of any car online for example! though technically you're supposed to tick you're the owner.
Thoughts?
Is it some sort of data privacy thing?
Personally I would not object to having it open- i.e. punch in a license plate and voila MOT yay/nay and epiry date.
The reason I ask is I wanted to check my car and the other halfs (they are not due for a while I know) and I went on the site. Yes I can put in reminders,etc on my phone and in fact I have the info at home - but as they have the information available why not make it available. If I am going to dig out my V5 - I can dig out the last certificate and I also like to know its 'officially' registered as having an MOT for any APNR checks (I like to check for insurance after I have renewed for example).
Equally in the past when I have looked to buy a car I have used the site and had to ask for the V5C number to check the MOT. This always sounds suspicious to the seller (worries of cloning I guess?) - I had one person who did not believe me you could do this until I sent him the link.
I would not object to that information being available. As I said you can check teh insurance of any car online for example! though technically you're supposed to tick you're the owner.
Thoughts?
s offthere are 2 sites
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle
they both require the same details
they should make it that the status check public with no need to verify, the history check should still need the reference number
the status check should be public, the public should be able to check a vehicle they suspect of having no mot, the same way they can do for tax.
It would be helpful for reporting unroadworthy cars and would give people the opportunity to check before being the passenger in one.
The full MOT history should not be able to be made public, it's bad enough that people can look up the age of other people's cars.
If your neighbour parks a nice car on their drive you shouldn't be able to look up how many miles it's done and what sort of faults it's had that easily.
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle
they both require the same details
they should make it that the status check public with no need to verify, the history check should still need the reference number
the status check should be public, the public should be able to check a vehicle they suspect of having no mot, the same way they can do for tax.
It would be helpful for reporting unroadworthy cars and would give people the opportunity to check before being the passenger in one.
The full MOT history should not be able to be made public, it's bad enough that people can look up the age of other people's cars.
If your neighbour parks a nice car on their drive you shouldn't be able to look up how many miles it's done and what sort of faults it's had that easily.
Ive had the same trouble when buying cars, as i would like to look at the mot history and be sure that a car actually has one before i travel to look at it.
Especially handy as advisory's are also listed so you know to look at those brake pipes that were 'slightly corroded' have been done, part worn tires etc etc.
I would assume the reason for needing the v5c is how the mot database is setup with its record keeping/retrieval, it is annoying, especially when a seller thinks that im trying to pull a fast one on them.
[Also all mot records are online now, that bit of white paper is not proof of an mot anymore iirc it says so on it]
Especially handy as advisory's are also listed so you know to look at those brake pipes that were 'slightly corroded' have been done, part worn tires etc etc.
I would assume the reason for needing the v5c is how the mot database is setup with its record keeping/retrieval, it is annoying, especially when a seller thinks that im trying to pull a fast one on them.
[Also all mot records are online now, that bit of white paper is not proof of an mot anymore iirc it says so on it]
MG0o said:
Ive had the same trouble when buying cars, as i would like to look at the mot history and be sure that a car actually has one before i travel to look at it.
Especially handy as advisory's are also listed so you know to look at those brake pipes that were 'slightly corroded' have been done, part worn tires etc etc.
I would assume the reason for needing the v5c is how the mot database is setup with its record keeping/retrieval, it is annoying, especially when a seller thinks that im trying to pull a fast one on them.
[Also all mot records are online now, that bit of white paper is not proof of an mot anymore iirc it says so on it]
But the list of advisories from some garages is more likely to reflect the fact they have got tyres that need shifting or a special on brakes than on any actual real problems with the car.Especially handy as advisory's are also listed so you know to look at those brake pipes that were 'slightly corroded' have been done, part worn tires etc etc.
I would assume the reason for needing the v5c is how the mot database is setup with its record keeping/retrieval, it is annoying, especially when a seller thinks that im trying to pull a fast one on them.
[Also all mot records are online now, that bit of white paper is not proof of an mot anymore iirc it says so on it]
It's a good idea to check it online after having an MOT. Went to tax the OH car last month and it said no MOT. I definitely took it for an MOT 11 mths back which it passed, but the garage made a mistake entering it online and so legally it didn't have one. Luckily we weren't caught in that 11mth period.
Engineer1 said:
But the list of advisories from some garages is more likely to reflect the fact they have got tyres that need shifting or a special on brakes than on any actual real problems with the car.
I completely agree with that as it is quite often the case, but it doesn't hurt to have a shortlist of things to look at first or to just have a mental not to take a look at.[providing you know what you looking at that is 
]--I forgot that an mot cert number can be used as well, probably an alternative method of pulling the cars record out of the database.
Thanks - I thought it was some sort of data protection type thingy but didn't consider it could also be search related.
The way its been explained is the website is more to check you have officially been registered as having an MOT, hence typcial to do after your cert.
I like one of the above suggestions that perhaps they should have two links- one with the car reg details alone to just say yay/nay (and perhaps expiry) of MOT and the other with perhaps more info?
Anyways was just musing...
The way its been explained is the website is more to check you have officially been registered as having an MOT, hence typcial to do after your cert.
I like one of the above suggestions that perhaps they should have two links- one with the car reg details alone to just say yay/nay (and perhaps expiry) of MOT and the other with perhaps more info?
Anyways was just musing...
Rakoosh said:
Thanks - I thought it was some sort of data protection type thingy but didn't consider it could also be search related.
The way its been explained is the website is more to check you have officially been registered as having an MOT, hence typcial to do after your cert.
I like one of the above suggestions that perhaps they should have two links- one with the car reg details alone to just say yay/nay (and perhaps expiry) of MOT and the other with perhaps more info?
The search related thing is certainly part of it. Because people can transfer personal plates on and off cars, the registration number alone isn't going to work. If you've got a car, but its number plate was allocated to another car when they both had their MOTs which should show up when you search?The way its been explained is the website is more to check you have officially been registered as having an MOT, hence typcial to do after your cert.
I like one of the above suggestions that perhaps they should have two links- one with the car reg details alone to just say yay/nay (and perhaps expiry) of MOT and the other with perhaps more info?
The V5C number or MOT test number are both tied to the car forever.
Not sure if this has already been posted in another topic, but its now possible to view the MOT expiry date online without needing any details from the V5
Just go here and enter the make and registration - https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/Default....
Just go here and enter the make and registration - https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/Default....
va1o said:
Not sure if this has already been posted in another topic, but its now possible to view the MOT expiry date online without needing any details from the V5
Just go here and enter the make and registration - https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/Default....
Very useful.Just go here and enter the make and registration - https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/Default....
Engineer1 said:
But the list of advisories from some garages is more likely to reflect the fact they have got tyres that need shifting or a special on brakes than on any actual real problems with the car.
I agree with you on that. I had a strange advisory once- "heat shield on rear back box corroded. Silencer not leaking". So off to my exhaust specialist for a check - Car was a VAG model ,which didn't have a heat shield, but a double skinned box. Then there was "Discs worn". I measured them against Haynes -well in spec. And asked an RAC bloke for an opinion. Pads only sweep part of the disc, hence an unworn weathered outer .I found out later the tester had had an assessment and found wanting. Strangest one I've ever had was at ( you've guessed it -a tyre place), where I found "nail in NS rear tyre". Got the jack out to check ,and no nail in that tyre, but a screw in the spare- a spare that had been fitted & CHECKED recently by a mate of SIL and carried to the boot . As for V5 - AND mot info. Since I've found out about the service I like it. However I'd suspect DVLA is guarding it's back over possible DPA infringements. Also the thought that some hacker could harbour a grudge against someone and change the online status of a car. After all it's not what the bit of paper says these days, it's what MR Computer says to Womble in DVLA van. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff