Number plate failures are annoying precisely because they've got nothing to do with how the car drives. But a plate has to be legible, correctly formatted, securely fitted and lit at the rear, and a surprising number aren't.
Number plate failures are annoying precisely because they've got nothing to do with how the car drives. But a plate has to be legible, correctly formatted, securely fitted and lit at the rear, and a surprising number aren't.
The usual culprits are faded or peeling plates on older cars, novelty spacing that makes the registration read as something else, and non-standard fonts fitted at some point in the car's past.
The VIN check is separate: the tester has to be able to find and read the vehicle identification number, and it has to match the record.
Registration plate insecure, illegible or incorrectly formatted
The plate can't be read properly, isn't the correct format, or isn't securely attached. Faded, cracked or peeling plates are the most common version; novelty spacing and non-standard fonts are the next.
Full explanation of Registration plate insecure, illegible or incorrectly formatted
How registration plates and vin defects are graded
Every MOT defect is recorded as dangerous, major or minor. Dangerous and major both fail the test; the difference is that a dangerous defect means the car is not roadworthy and must not be driven away. A minor defect passes but is recorded on the certificate, and an advisory is a note that something is wearing and will need attention before the next test. Tester notes in the registration plates and vin section use standard DVSA wording, which is why the phrasing on your certificate looks nothing like plain English — the pages above translate it.
Getting a registration plates and vin failure put right
You are free to take the car anywhere for the repair — there is no obligation to have the testing station do the work, and getting a second opinion on a big quote is sensible. Ask for the failed item to be shown to you on the ramp; a genuine defect is always something a mechanic can point at. Once repaired, a partial retest within ten working days covers the listed items without paying a second full test fee.
Avoiding it next year
Most registration plates and vin failures are found on a pre-MOT check for a fraction of the cost of a failure plus retest, because they are inspected before the clock is running. An MOT at Bob's Mechanical Repairs in Birnam, Dunkeld is £54.85, and anything found is explained and priced before work is agreed. Bob has 32 years on the tools, so the advice you get is what he would do with his own car.
Common questions
Can I drive away after a registration plates and vin MOT failure? Only if the old certificate is still valid and the defect is not dangerous. A defect recorded as dangerous means the car must not be driven on the road until it is repaired, and driving it can mean a fine and points.
Do I pay again for the retest? If the car is left at the testing station and the repair is done there, the partial retest is usually free. If you take it away and bring it back within ten working days, a partial retest is free for the listed items; after that a full test fee applies.
What does an advisory in this section mean? An advisory is a pass with a warning: the item is not bad enough to fail today but is wearing. Advisories on the same item two years running are the ones worth acting on before they become failures.
Decode your exact MOT wording or browse all MOT failure categories.