Car mileage check

GOV.UK’s MOT history service shows the mileage recorded at tests. For cars tested in England, Scotland and Wales, the service covers results from 2005; Northern Ireland results are available from 2017. You need the vehicle’s registration number to start the search.

Car Check places available mileage readings alongside MOT and provenance findings. This helps you examine the car’s history in one report. A vehicle with few test records may have a short timeline, so check what is actually available rather than expecting a reading for every period of its life.

Arrange the entries chronologically and check whether the readings use miles or kilometres. Compare the advert with the most recent relevant record, remembering that the car may have been driven since that entry. Copy the date and source into your notes with the number so the context is not lost.

For example, a later figure of 48,000 after an earlier 82,000 deserves investigation, but first check the units and vehicle identity. A graph can highlight the change; it cannot establish whether the cause is a data entry mistake, a replacement instrument cluster or deliberate alteration.

Ask about the exact entries that do not fit: the test date, recorded figure and source. Request dated service invoices, workshop records or paperwork for a replacement instrument cluster. Check that each document identifies the same car and actually explains the period you are investigating.

Avoid accepting a general explanation such as ‘the garage made a mistake’ without supporting evidence. Equally, avoid treating a single inconsistent entry as proof of clocking. The practical question is whether the seller can provide a coherent, verifiable account of the readings.

A gap means that the timeline does not show readings for that period. It does not tell you how far the car travelled, and it does not prove that the vehicle was unused. Look for maintenance documents and ask the seller about the car’s use during the interval.

An increasing sequence also has limits. It shows a pattern in the records available, not continuous monitoring of the odometer. Review the condition of the car, its maintenance evidence and the overall history alongside the numbers rather than treating a smooth chart as a mileage guarantee.

Use DVSA’s current correction guidance for the relevant MOT entry. The online form covers mileage errors more than 28 days old and directs you to the appropriate route for newer readings, missing tests or other mistakes. Northern Ireland has a separate DVA route. Check which process applies before submitting evidence.

For a mileage correction, DVSA asks for supporting evidence identifying the vehicle, mileage and a date within one day of the test. An invoice, service receipt or workshop record may qualify; an MOT certificate or dashboard photograph does not. The correction form cannot remove results, defects or advisories. A disagreement with a test result follows the separate appeal process.

Compare the current odometer with the advert and the report. Return to any unanswered questions while the original documents are available. If an explanation relies on a repair, ask to see the invoice and check the date, vehicle identity and description of the work.

Keep the Car Check PDF with your notes and share relevant concerns with an independent inspector. Decide how much confidence the combined evidence supports before paying. If important entries remain unexplained, preserve that uncertainty instead of converting it into an assumed correct mileage.

Match service invoices to the VIN or registration, date and recorded mileage. A stamp alone may not show what work was carried out; an invoice can add a date and description to the timeline. Ask the seller for the relevant manufacturer record where one exists.

Servicing evidence and MOT readings are separate records. A gap in one may be explained by the other, but neither establishes a complete mileage history. Keep any uncertainty visible when deciding whether you need more paperwork or an inspection.