No, you are not legally required to fix MOT advisories to keep your MOT certificate valid. However, they are official safety warnings that you are legally responsible for monitoring, as you must keep your vehicle roadworthy at all times.
It's one of the most common questions I hear after an MOT test: "Right, so it's passed... but what about these advisories? Do I actually have to get them fixed?" It's a perfectly fair question. After all, your car has a fresh pass certificate, so you'd think you're all set for another year. The short answer is no, you don't *have* to fix them for the certificate to be valid. But the long answer is a bit more complicated and gets to the very heart of what the MOT is for: your safety and the safety of others. An advisory isn't just a casual suggestion; it's a formal note from a qualified tester saying, "This part is worn or starting to deteriorate. It's safe enough for a pass today, but it won't be for much longer." Ignoring them can have serious consequences for your safety, your wallet, and even your insurance. Think of it like a dentist telling you, "That filling is starting to crack, but it's holding for now. We need to keep an eye on it." You wouldn't wait for the tooth to break before acting. Your car is no different. The MOT is a minimum standard on a single day, but your legal responsibility to maintain a roadworthy vehicle is continuous, 365 days a year.
The official UK MOT rule
Let's be clear on what the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the body that governs MOTs in the UK, actually says. The official guidance doesn't use phrases like "you must fix advisories within X days." The system is built on a different principle: roadworthiness. When we complete a test, we record the results in the official MOT testing system. The possible outcomes, as listed in the 'MOT testing guide', are: * **Pass:** The vehicle meets the minimum legal standards. * **Pass with defects (Minors):** The vehicle has one or more 'minor' faults. These are technical defects, but they aren't considered serious enough to fail the test. The MOT certificate is still issued, but the defects are recorded. A loose trim piece or a non-essential light not working might fall into this category. Like advisories, these should be fixed soon. * **Fail (Majors or Dangerous):** The vehicle has one or more 'major' or 'dangerous' defects and is not considered roadworthy. Crucially, the DVSA also provides a category called **Advisory**. The official definition is for items which are not defective enough to be a 'minor' fault, but which are wearing or deteriorating and will likely require attention in the near future. The wording on your certificate will be something like "monitor and repair if necessary." This is where many people get confused. The MOT certificate is a snapshot in time. It confirms the car met the standard *on the day of the test*. An advisory is the tester's professional judgement, based on experience, that a component is going to fall below that standard soon. The legal obligation isn't tied to the MOT certificate itself, but to the overarching laws like the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. This act states that you must not use a vehicle on a road if it's in a condition that might cause danger to any person. An MOT advisory is a direct, official warning that your vehicle is heading towards that dangerous condition. If a part noted on an
How testers actually assess this
When I'm under a car on the ramp, I'm not looking for reasons to fail it. My job is to make a fair and accurate assessment based on the DVSA's manual. The decision to issue an advisory comes from experience and a bit of forecasting. Let's take a set of front brake discs. The vehicle manufacturer specifies a minimum thickness. If the disc is worn below that minimum, it's a clear 'Major' fail. If the disc is nearly new, it's a clear pass. The grey area is where advisories live. Say the disc is visibly 'lipped' at the edge and has some surface scoring, but my calibrated measuring tool shows it's still 1mm above the minimum thickness. It's not a fail. But I know from experience that in another 5,000-8,000 miles, it probably *will* be below the minimum. So, I issue an advisory: "Front brake discs worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened." It's the same for many other components: * **Tyres:** The legal limit is 1.6mm of tread. If your tyre has 2mm, it's a pass. But you'll burn through that 0.4mm of legal tread very quickly. So I'll add an advisory: "Nearside front tyre worn close to legal limit." This gives you a crucial heads-up to get new tyres budgeted for and fitted before they become illegal and dangerous. * **Suspension:** I might feel a tiny amount of play in a ball joint, or see a shock absorber that looks 'misty' with oil but isn't actively leaking and dripping. It's not enough to fail the stringent test for play or a fluid leak, but it's the first sign that the part is wearing out. The advisory gives you notice before it develops into a dangerous 'clonk' or affects your car's handling. * **Corrosion:** This is a big one. The MOT test is very specific about corrosion within 30cm of a structural point (like a seatbelt mount or suspension strut). If I can poke a hole through it with my corrosion assessment tool, it's an immediate fail. But if I see thick, flaky rust in that area that hasn't fully perforated the metal yet, I'll advise it. It's my way of sa
Common scenarios — pass, advisory or fail?
To make this really clear, here are some everyday examples a tester sees and how we're trained to categorise them. Remember, these are generalisations and the final decision is always down to the specific condition on the day. #### Tyres * **Pass:** Plenty of tread (e.g., 4mm or more), sidewalls are in good condition with no cuts or bulges. * **Advisory:** * `Tyre worn close to the legal limit` (e.g., tread is between 1.6mm and 3mm). This is the most common tyre advisory. * `Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing`. We often see this on older cars or caravans where the rubber is ageing, showing small cracks. * Uneven wear on the inner or outer edge, which might hint at a wheel alignment issue. * **Fail (Major):** * `Tread depth below requirement of 1.6mm`. * `A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear`. This indicates structural failure and is very dangerous. #### Brakes * **Pass:** Brake pads have plenty of material left, and discs are clean and smooth. * **Advisory:** * `Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened`. This means the surface is imperfect or the disc is getting thin, but it's still within the legal tolerance. It's a warning that a disc and pad change is on the horizon. * `Brake pads wearing thin`. We can see the pad material is getting low, but not yet below the usual 1.5mm failure point. * **Fail (Major):** * `Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick`. * `Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn` (i.e., below the manufacturer's minimum thickness). * The brake test shows a significant imbalance from one side to the other, which could cause the car to pull or swerve under heavy braking. #### Corrosion * **Pass:** Underbody is clean or has a good layer of factory underseal with only minor surface rust spots on non-structural parts. * **Advisory:** * `Corrosion on non-prescribed area`. For example, surface rust on a front wing or door, which is cosmetic rather than structural. * `Sub-frame/suspension component corroded, pitted or scored, b
What to do if you're worried before your test
A bit of 'pre-MOT anxiety' is completely normal, but you can save yourself a lot of stress and potential expense with a few simple checks. First, dig out last year's MOT certificate. Did it have any advisories? If so, what did you do about them? If the answer is 'nothing', be prepared for them to have worsened into failures this year. A slightly worn tyre has had another 12 months of wear; surface corrosion has had another winter of road salt to eat away at it. This is the single biggest reason for a car failing—an ignored advisory. Next, do the simple 'walk around' checks that catch a surprising number of failures: 1. **Lights:** Ask a friend or family member to help you check every single exterior light: headlights (dipped and main beam), sidelights, indicators, brake lights (including the high-level one), reverse lights, and fog lights. A failed bulb is a cheap fix but still an MOT fail. 2. **Washer Fluid:** Top up your screenwash bottle. An empty bottle is a 'Major' fail, believe it or not. 3. **Wipers:** Check for tears or perishing in the rubber. If they leave big smears, they need replacing. 4. **Tyres:** Check your tyre pressures. For the tread, a 20p coin is a great guide. Pop it into the main tread grooves. If you can't see the outer band on the coin, your tread is likely legal. If you can see it, your tyres are probably illegal or very close to it. If you hear any rattles, clonks from the suspension, or grinding noises when you brake, don't just cross your fingers and hope the tester doesn't notice. We will. It's far better to get it diagnosed at a garage on your own terms before the test.
What happens if you do fail
It can be disheartening to see 'FAIL' on the certificate, but it's not the end of the world. The first thing to understand is *why* it failed. Your certificate will list the defects as either 'Major' or 'Dangerous'. * **Major Defect:** This is a test failure. Your car is not considered roadworthy. If your previous MOT certificate is still valid (i.e., you took the test early), you can still legally drive the car. However, the DVSA advises against this, as the car has been declared unroadworthy. The only other exception is driving it to a pre-arranged appointment to have the faults repaired, or to a pre-booked MOT test. * **Dangerous Defect:** This is the most serious category. It means driving the vehicle would pose a direct and immediate risk to road safety. Under no circumstances can you drive the car away from the test centre. It must be repaired on-site or recovered by a tow truck. Once the car has failed, you need to get it repaired. The retest rules are quite favorable if you act quickly. If you leave the car with the test garage for repair and it's re-tested within 10 working days, the partial retest is free. If you take the car away for repair and bring it back within 10 working days, you will usually be charged for a partial retest, which costs half the full test fee. If you wait longer than 10 working days, you'll need a complete new MOT test at the full price. It pays to get a quote from the test centre for the repairs, as it's often the quickest and easiest way to get back on the road.
Can I sell a car that has MOT advisories? — Yes, you absolutely can. A car with a 'pass with advisories' has a valid MOT certificate, making it legal to sell. However, you have a moral and legal duty to be transparent with the buyer. You must show them the MOT certificate, including the list of advisories. A savvy buyer will use these advisories as a negotiating point to lower the price, as they represent future repair costs they will have to bear. Hiding the advisories is a recipe for disputes after the sale.
Do police check for MOT advisories during a stop? — Police Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems only show whether a car has a valid MOT or not; they don't display the advisory notes. However, if you are stopped for a specific offence, such as having a bald tyre or a loud, broken exhaust, the situation changes. If the officer checks the car's MOT history online and sees that same fault was listed as an advisory, it demonstrates you were officially warned about it and did not act. This can strengthen their case for prosecuting you for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
Will having outstanding MOT advisories affect my car insurance? — Potentially, yes, and this is a big risk. All insurance policies require you to keep your vehicle in a roadworthy condition. If you have an accident and need to make a claim, the insurance company's assessor will investigate. If they find the accident was caused by a fault that was previously noted as an MOT advisory (e.g., worn tyres led to a skid, or worn brakes meant you couldn't stop in time), they could argue you were negligent. This could lead to a reduced payout or, in a worst-case scenario, the complete invalidation of your insurance claim.
I have an advisory that says 'undertrays fitted obscuring some components'. What does this mean? — This is a very common and completely harmless advisory. Please don't worry about it. Modern cars are fitted with large plastic or fibre trays underneath the engine and gearbox for aerodynamics and protection. As MOT testers, we are not permitted to remove these. This advisory is simply our official note to say, "We couldn't inspect the components hidden by these covers". It does not suggest there is a fault. It's a standard procedural note and requires no action from you at all. Think of it as a footnote on the test.