MOT advisories explained: ignore, monitor or fix?

Updated 23 July 2026 · OBDCode UK editorial

An advisory means the item passed but is wearing out. You don’t have to fix it to stay legal — but advisories are the tester’s prediction of your next MOT fail, and they’re permanently visible in the car’s public MOT history.

Where advisories sit in the MOT scale

Result	Meaning	Can you drive?
Pass	Meets the minimum standard	Yes
Advisory	Legal today, wearing out	Yes — plan the repair
Minor	Defect with no significant safety effect	Yes — repair soon (recorded)
Major	Fails the test	Only if the existing MOT is still valid
Dangerous	Fails; direct risk	No — driving it is an offence

Which advisories to take seriously

Prioritise by system, not by wording: brakes, tyres, steering, suspension are the safety group — book those within weeks. Corrosion advisories on structural areas deserve a proper look before winter salt. Oil leaks “not excessive” and worn wiper blades can wait for the next service. Our advisory library covers the 188 most common items with the real recorded frequency of each.

Buying a used car? Advisories are gold

Repeated advisories for the same item across years = owner ignores maintenance.
Tyres “close to legal limit” on the last test = a £200–£500 bill the seller hopes you won’t notice.
Advisory that vanished without a related repair invoice = ask questions; testers vary but parts don’t heal.

Run any car through the free MOT history check before viewing — it takes ten seconds and the record can’t be edited by the seller.

Can advisories be removed?

No. They’re part of the DVSA test record. The only way an advisory disappears is fixing the item so it isn’t advised at the next test. Anyone offering to “clean” an MOT history is describing fraud.

General guidance for UK drivers, not professional advice. MOT rules follow the DVSA inspection manual (2026 edition).