UK MOT & vehicle history checks, explained

AI Plate Checker is a free UK MOT check with AI condition scoring, plus full vehicle history reports from £9.99 — no app, no sign-up, just a reg plate. Type any UK registration and it reads the official MOT history, scores the car's condition out of 100, estimates repair costs and shows an indicative market price. A paid report adds finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper checks.

Yes. The MOT history, tax and MOT status, ULEZ compliance, AI condition score, repair cost estimate, problems you may need to fix, market price and Saved Cars are all free, with no sign-up. The only paid product is the full history report, a one-off £9.99 with no subscription.

No. AI Plate Checker runs in your browser and needs no account and no app. You only need to give us an email address when you buy a full history report — so we can send your receipt and report link — or if you choose to email us.

The gov.uk MOT page shows raw test results and leaves you to interpret them. AI Plate Checker reads the same official MOT data and adds analysis: a condition score out of 100, plain-English explanations of each advisory, repeat-fault patterns across years, an estimated repair bill for the issues found, an indicative market price, and a Saved Cars list to compare cars side by side.

The score starts from the car's full MOT record — pass and fail history, advisories, how often the same fault recurs, gaps between tests, and how the mileage has moved — and weighs it the way an experienced mechanic would. A paid full history report then re-scores the car using the full record, including write-off, stolen, salvage and mileage findings.

The score is guidance, not a verdict. It is only as good as the MOT record it reads, and it cannot see anything that was never tested or recorded. Treat it as a way to rank cars and decide which questions to ask, then inspect the car, check the V5C and service history, and get a professional inspection before you pay.

A free check shows an MOT-based risk level — low, medium or high — based on the test history alone. A full history report re-scores the car and gives a history label such as Good history, Mostly clean, Fair, some work, Needs work or High risk, shown alongside the finding that drove it so you can see why. Labels describe the record we found, not the car's mechanical condition, which only an inspection can confirm.

Because the full report adds findings the free check cannot see. A free score is based on MOT history only; the full report re-scores the car using everything found, so an insurance write-off, a confirmed mileage rollback, a salvage record or a stolen marker can take a car from a good free score to a poor re-scored one. Outstanding finance is different — it is not damage to the car, so it is flagged as something to settle before you buy rather than treated as a fault.

The full history report includes outstanding finance, insurance write-off (Cat A, B, S, N and legacy C, D), stolen marker, mileage discrepancy analysis, registered keepers, plate changes, colour changes, import and export status, scrapped status, salvage auction and taxi/private-hire records, running costs and emissions detail, and an in-depth AI verdict that re-scores the car using all of the above. It is a one-off £9.99 with no subscription.

A full history report covers the same core provenance checks buyers expect from an HPI-style check — outstanding finance, insurance write-off, stolen marker, mileage discrepancy, keepers, plate changes and import or scrapped status — and adds an AI interpretation of what the findings mean, repair cost estimates, and a Saved Cars comparison. AI Plate Checker does not offer a data guarantee. HPI is a trademark of its owner and AI Plate Checker is not affiliated with it.

A purchased report stays available for 60 days from purchase. After that it expires, because vehicle records change and an old report can become misleading. Download or save a copy while it is available if you want to keep it.

Reports are digital content delivered instantly, so by buying one you request immediate delivery and give up the 14-day right to cancel — they are generally non-refundable once delivered. If a report failed to generate, is unreadable, or returned no data for a valid registration, email feedback@aiplatechecker.co.uk within 30 days and we will fix it or refund you. Your statutory rights are not affected.

No. AI Plate Checker does not offer a data guarantee, compensation scheme or insurance against errors in source records. We take care to present official and licensed data accurately, but no vehicle check can see everything, and a clear result only means the sources checked returned no adverse record at that time.

Yes — outstanding finance is part of the £9.99 full history report. It checks finance-industry data used across the UK motor trade for hire purchase, PCP and other agreements. If finance is found, the lender may still legally own the car, so the seller must settle it before you pay. The report flags this as action required before purchase. Read the outstanding finance guide →

Look at the mileage recorded at each MOT test: a genuine car's mileage only goes up. A reading that drops and stays below the previous trend is a sign the odometer has been wound back. AI Plate Checker shows every MOT mileage on a timeline for free, and the full report separates a confirmed rollback from a simple keying error at the test centre, which is far more common. Read the clocked car guide →

A recording error is a one-off mistake typed at the MOT test centre — for example 38,352 miles entered as 3,835 — after which later readings rejoin the original trend. A confirmed mileage discrepancy is a permanent step down where every later reading stays below the earlier trend, which points to the odometer being altered. AI Plate Checker reports these separately: a one-off reading is noted for you to verify against the service history, while a confirmed discrepancy is treated as a serious finding.

They are UK insurance write-off categories. Cat A and Cat B cars must never return to the road — Cat A is scrapped whole, Cat B can only be broken for parts. Cat S has structural damage that has been repaired and can be driven again. Cat N has non-structural damage, such as cosmetic or electrical, and can also be driven again. Cat C and Cat D are the older equivalents of S and N, used before October 2017. Read the write-off categories guide →

MOT history and vehicle details come from official UK government vehicle and MOT records. Finance, write-off, stolen, salvage, keeper and plate data in paid reports comes from licensed UK vehicle-data providers used across the motor trade and insurance industry. Market prices come from live third-party listings. The AI analysis is built in house.

AI Plate Checker is run by an independent UK developer, trading as AI Plate Checker from London. It launched in 2026 and is not affiliated with the DVLA, DVSA or any car dealer, insurer or finance company. More about us →

No. AI Plate Checker is an independent UK business. It uses official vehicle data under licence but is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the DVLA, the DVSA or HM Government.

Email feedback@aiplatechecker.co.uk, or message the official accounts on Instagram, Threads, TikTok or Facebook. The postal address is AI Plate Checker, 66 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NA.

Email feedback@aiplatechecker.co.uk with the registration number and what you believe is wrong. We test against real vehicles with known histories and fix data issues as they are reported.