How to check if a vehicle has been clocked
MOT mileage readings can show whether recorded miles move forwards as expected.
Clocking means winding back a vehicle's mileage to make it look less used. MOT tests record the odometer reading, so the history can show whether recorded miles move forwards as you would expect. It is one of the most useful checks you can do before viewing a used vehicle, and it is included in a free myMOTreport report.
What MOT mileage can show
Each MOT stores the mileage the tester saw that day. Laid out in date order, those readings form a trail. Healthy history usually climbs steadily, or stays the same if the vehicle covered few miles that year. A drop between two tests is the clearest public warning sign that the odometer may have been altered.
Warning signs in the readings
- Mileage that falls from one MOT to the next.
- A large jump that does not match the vehicle's age, use, or service story.
- Long periods with little or no recorded change, then a sudden leap.
- Readings the seller's advert does not match.
A free standard report shows the recorded mileage on each test. Advanced reports add charts and automated flags where mileage appears to move backwards.
What this check cannot prove
MOT mileage is not a forensic clocking certificate. Testers can record a wrong reading, an odometer can fail, and miles wound back between tests might still sit above the previous MOT figure. A clean trail does not guarantee the vehicle has never been clocked. A drop does not, on its own, prove a crime.
Treat odd mileage as a reason to walk away or to get a specialist inspection, not as a verdict by itself. Also compare the MOT figures with the dashboard, service stamps, and the seller's description.
How to run the check
Enter the registration on the homepage and run the free standard report. Review the mileage on each test from oldest to newest. If you unlock the advanced report, look at the mileage chart and any clocking warnings generated from those same official readings.
Related guides
myMOTreport is an independent service and is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by DVSA, GOV.UK, or DVLA. This page is information only and is not purchase advice. For the official government MOT history service, visit GOV.UK.