How to Check MOT History on Cazoo
Cazoo sells used cars fully online, with home delivery and a seven-day return window. It's a straightforward buying experience, but that convenience shouldn't replace doing your own checks.
The MOT history is publicly available for every registered vehicle in the UK. Here's how to check it before you buy.
Why MOT history matters on Cazoo
Cazoo sources and prepares its cars before listing them, but the DVSA MOT database holds an independent record of the car's history going back years. That record doesn't change when a car changes hands.
Checking it tells you:
- What the car's history looked like before Cazoo. Repeated failures or long gaps in testing can indicate a difficult past.
- Whether the mileage is consistent. Every MOT records the odometer reading. If those numbers don't add up, something is wrong.
- What advisories existed. Some will have been fixed during Cazoo's preparation. Others may not have been.
A seven-day return window is useful, but it's better to spot a concern before the car arrives.
The slow way: GOV.UK MOT checker
- Find the listing on Cazoo
- Note down the registration plate
- Open a new tab and go to the GOV.UK MOT history checker
- Enter the registration and search
- Switch back to Cazoo to compare
Five steps per car. The registration is usually shown on the listing or vehicle spec page.
The fast way: Don't Buy A Lemon
The free Don't Buy A Lemon Chrome extension pulls the MOT history automatically as you browse Cazoo. No tab switching, no copying registrations.
It reads the plate from the listing photos and shows you:
- Full MOT history with pass and fail results
- All advisories and failure reasons
- Mileage at every test
- An automatic flag if the mileage looks suspicious
What to look out for in the MOT history
Red flags:
- Mileage that drops or stays flat between tests
- Repeated failures on the same system
- A long gap in MOT records before Cazoo acquired the car
- Advisories for safety-critical items like brakes or steering
Green flags:
- Consistent annual passes
- Mileage that increases steadily and matches the car's age
- Few or no advisories across the car's history
Frequently asked questions
Is MOT history free to check? Yes. The GOV.UK checker is free. Don't Buy A Lemon is also free to install and use.
How far back does MOT history go? DVSA records go back to 2005 for most vehicles.
Does Cazoo's preparation cover all historical advisories? Cazoo carries out its own checks before listing, but the DVSA record reflects the full historical picture. Cross-reference the MOT history with the vehicle report Cazoo provides at purchase.
Does Don't Buy A Lemon work on Cazoo? Yes. It automatically detects the number plate from listing photos and shows the full MOT history inline, without leaving the page.