Selling a car with MOT advisories

Most used cars carry an advisory or two. Buyers see them on the free MOT history and ask about them, sometimes after they have bought the car. Here is where you stand, and how to turn the list into a reason to trust you.

What an advisory is

Since 20th May 2018, MOT testers grade defects as minor, major or dangerous. A car with only minor defects passes; any major or dangerous defect fails it (DVSA MOT inspection manual).

An advisory sits below all three. The manual describes it as an item that is “not sufficiently deteriorated to justify rejection”, noted to tell the owner. Typical examples are tyres close to the limit, light corrosion or a bush starting to perish.

Can you sell a car with advisories?

Yes. An advisory does not stop a car being sold. Two rules still apply:

• It must be roadworthy. Nobody may supply a vehicle “in an unroadworthy condition” (Road Traffic Act 1988, section 75). An MOT certificate helps, but trading standards guidance says it should not be relied on as proof of roadworthiness.
• It must be of satisfactory quality. Sold to a consumer, a car must meet the standard a reasonable person would expect, taking account of its age, price and mileage (Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9). Some wear is expected on a used car.

What you should tell the buyer

Trading standards guidance on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which replaced the old unfair trading regulations on 6th April 2025, lists information a trader should give before the sale. It names cars where “there are any ‘MOT advisory’ items”, and “discrepancies in the mileage or service history of the vehicle”, among the things to disclose (Business Companion). It also lists failing to disclose the results of checks carried out on the car as a practice to avoid.

Why telling them protects you

The satisfactory quality rule does not cover anything “specifically drawn to the consumer’s attention before the contract is made” (section 9(4)). An advisory you showed the buyer in writing is one they cannot later rely on as a quality complaint. One they found for themselves afterwards is a conversation you would rather not have.

How to show it

Put the record in front of the buyer before they commit, with what you have done about each item. A report lays each part the MOT has noted along a row, one box per test, so a buyer can see what was a one-off and what was dealt with:

Sample data, for illustration.

Each trade report also carries a condition checklist: every part the MOT has noted and what happened to it, then the paperwork. Hand it over with the car, or send the PDF before a buyer travels to see it.