MOT Advisories Explained – Do You Actually Have to Fix Them?

Your car passed its MOT, but underneath the pass result there’s a list of things you weren’t expecting.

Those are usually advisories or minor defects. They don’t mean your car failed, and an advisory doesn’t create a legal requirement to have that particular item repaired.

But don’t ignore the list automatically. An advisory often tells you that something is wearing, deteriorating or getting close to becoming a problem. Some are worth sorting soon. Others genuinely aren’t urgent.

Here’s how to tell the difference.

What Is an MOT Advisory?

An MOT advisory is a note recorded by the tester about something that isn’t bad enough to fail the MOT but may need monitoring or attention.

DVSA guidance says an advisory may be recorded when an item hasn’t deteriorated enough to justify rejection. Testers can also advise on vehicle peculiarities or defects found on non-testable items during the inspection.

Your car has still passed. Its MOT certificate is valid.

Advisories give you an early warning. A tyre may still have legal tread but be getting low, for example.

Previous MOT results can be viewed through the GOV.UK MOT history service, so future buyers can also see recorded MOT results and defects.

Advisory, Minor, Major and Dangerous: What’s the Difference?

These terms aren’t interchangeable.

Result	Pass or fail?	What it means
Advisory	Pass	Something to monitor or repair if necessary
Minor	Pass	A defect that should be repaired as soon as possible
Major	Fail	A defect serious enough to fail the MOT
Dangerous	Fail	A direct and immediate road-safety risk or serious environmental issue

A car can pass with both minor defects and advisories.

DVSA guidance says a Minor defect has no significant effect on vehicle safety or the environment. Major and Dangerous defects result in failure.

If your certificate contains a failure, read our guide to what happens when a car fails its MOT on tyres.

Do You Legally Have to Fix an MOT Advisory?

No. An advisory itself doesn’t create a legal requirement to repair that particular item.

That doesn’t mean you can ignore the condition of the vehicle indefinitely.

Your vehicle still needs to remain roadworthy between MOT tests. A valid MOT certificate doesn’t guarantee that it’ll remain roadworthy for the following 12 months. If an advised item later deteriorates until the vehicle becomes unroadworthy or no longer meets a legal requirement, having a valid MOT doesn’t change that.

Think of an advisory as information rather than an instruction.

If it concerns something safety-critical and continuously wearing, such as a tyre or brake component, find out how much usable life remains. If it’s simply recording that something couldn’t be fully inspected, there may be nothing to repair.

How Long Do MOT Advisories Last?

An MOT advisory doesn’t have an expiry date.

It forms part of the recorded result for that particular test. Repairing the problem doesn’t rewrite the old MOT result.

If you repair an advised item, it shouldn’t be recorded for the same reason at the next test if the problem is no longer present. The earlier entry remains part of that historical test result.

Can MOT Advisories Be Removed?

You generally can’t remove a legitimate advisory simply because you’ve repaired the problem or don’t want it appearing in the vehicle’s history.

The result records what was found at that particular test.

Genuine errors are different. If you believe something has been recorded incorrectly, contact the testing station or DVSA as appropriate.

Repairing an advisory is therefore about dealing with the vehicle’s condition, not deleting its old MOT history.

Tyre Advisories: What They Mean and What They Could Cost You Later

Tyre advisories deserve particular attention because tyres continue to wear every time you drive.

For most cars, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and around the entire outer circumference.

Here are some tyre-related notes you may encounter.

Tread Approaching the Legal Limit

This is one to take seriously.

The tyre may still be legal, but its remaining tread is getting close enough to the limit to justify bringing it to your attention.

Suppose a tyre has 2.5mm remaining. That’s above the 1.6mm legal minimum, but it leaves only 0.9mm before reaching it.

That doesn’t tell you exactly how many months or miles are left. Wear varies with mileage, driving style, tyre design, pressures, alignment, road conditions and whether the tyre is wearing evenly.

Don’t assume that because it passed this year’s MOT, it’ll automatically make it to the next one.

Our guide to how tread depth is measured and when to replace explains how to check it properly. You can also read TyreSafe’s tread depth guidance.

Tyre Slightly Damaged, Cracking or Perishing

You may see wording describing a tyre as slightly damaged, cracking or perishing.

The important point is that the tyre wasn’t considered bad enough at that test to meet the relevant failure criteria.

But deterioration still deserves attention. Fine surface ageing isn’t automatically the same as serious structural damage. The location, depth and extent matter. More serious cuts, exposed or damaged cords, bulges, tears and structural problems can result in failure.

Our guide explains which tyre cracking is dangerous and which isn’t.

Uneven Tyre Wear

Uneven wear is often a clue that something else needs checking.

If one shoulder is disappearing faster than the rest of the tyre, replacing the tyre may not solve the underlying problem. Wheel alignment, suspension condition and tyre pressures can all contribute.

See what uneven wear across the tyre means.

Where alignment is suspected, it also helps to understand the difference between tracking, alignment and balancing. Correcting the cause can help prevent the replacement tyre developing the same wear pattern.

Tyre Pressure, Valves and TPMS Notes

Pressure-related MOT notes aren’t all treated in the same way.

An obviously under-inflated tyre is classed as a Minor defect. A seriously damaged or misaligned valve likely to cause sudden deflation is Dangerous.

TPMS has separate criteria. On applicable vehicles, a malfunctioning or obviously non-functioning tyre pressure monitoring system is a Major defect. DVSA guidance allows advisory information where it isn’t clear whether the warning lamp indicates a system malfunction or simply low tyre pressure.

If you’ve got a dashboard warning too, read what the tyre pressure warning light means.

If an advised tyre is close to replacement, you can also check tyre prices for your registration.

Which MOT Advisories Are Worth Acting On?

Not every advisory deserves the same response.

Act Soon

Take advisories involving tyres, brakes and steering seriously.

These are safety-critical systems, and many related components wear progressively. A tyre approaching the tread limit won’t gain tread with time, and worn brake components don’t repair themselves.

You don’t necessarily need to replace something the same afternoon. But find out how much usable life remains rather than forgetting about it until next year’s test.

Plan for It

Corrosion, suspension components showing early wear and developing exhaust problems may fall into this category, depending on severity.

The vehicle may be perfectly usable now, but the advisory gives you time to budget and investigate the problem.

Repeated advisories deserve attention too. If the same suspension or corrosion issue appears across several tests, find out whether it’s progressing.

Often Fine to Leave

Some notes are informational rather than an instruction to spend money.

Minor cosmetic issues may have no meaningful effect on roadworthiness. Likewise, a note saying part of the vehicle couldn’t be fully inspected doesn’t automatically mean something needs replacing.

Read the actual wording rather than treating every line underneath a pass as a repair bill.

If your next test is approaching, our guide explains what to check before your MOT.

“Under Trays Fitted” and Other Advisories That Aren’t Really Problems

A note about undertrays or covers being fitted can look worrying because it appears alongside actual defects.

On its own, it doesn’t necessarily mean the undertray is faulty.

Modern cars commonly have panels underneath the engine bay and other areas. An MOT is largely a visual inspection, and testers don’t dismantle the vehicle to inspect covered components.

A tester may therefore record a note where a fitted cover limits what can be inspected behind it.

That shouldn’t be confused with a defective undertray. If an undertray itself is insecure or damaged badly enough to present a risk, it can be treated as a defect.

If the wording simply says a tray or cover limited the inspection, there’s normally no reason to replace a perfectly serviceable part just to remove the note.

MOT Advisories and Selling Your Car

A prospective buyer can check a vehicle’s MOT history, so previous results aren’t necessarily private notes between you and the test centre.

One advisory isn’t automatically a problem. Patterns are more informative.

If the same tyre wear, corrosion or suspension issue appears repeatedly across several tests, a buyer may ask whether it was ever dealt with. An advisory that doesn’t appear on a later test may indicate the issue was repaired, although the MOT history alone doesn’t prove what work was carried out.

Keeping invoices and service records can help show what happened after an advisory appeared.

Getting Tyre Advisories Sorted in Redhill

If the advisory is tyre-related, Street Tyres can inspect the tyre and explain whether it needs attention soon or can continue to be monitored.

We’re a tyre specialist, not an MOT test centre. You don’t need us to turn every line on your certificate into a repair bill.

You can visit us on Holmethorpe Avenue in Redhill, or use our mobile tyre fitting service across Redhill, Reigate, Horley and Merstham.

If replacement is needed, check tyre prices for your registration. If you’re unsure what your certificate means, get in touch and tell us exactly what it says.

FAQs

Do I Have to Fix MOT Advisories?

No. An advisory itself doesn’t create a legal requirement to repair that particular item, and your vehicle can pass with advisories recorded. You still have a responsibility to keep the vehicle roadworthy, so pay attention to anything safety-critical or likely to deteriorate.

How Long Do MOT Advisories Stay on Record?

An advisory forms part of the result for that particular MOT test. Repairing the issue doesn’t rewrite the previous result. If the problem has been dealt with, it shouldn’t be recorded for the same reason at a future test if it’s no longer present.

Can MOT Advisories Be Removed?

You generally can’t remove a legitimate advisory from an old MOT result simply because you’ve repaired the problem. Genuine errors are different and may be queried with the testing station or DVSA using the appropriate procedure.

What’s the Difference Between an Advisory and a Minor Defect?

Both can appear on a vehicle that passes. A Minor defect is a defined defect with no significant effect on vehicle safety or the environment. An advisory identifies something that doesn’t justify rejection but may still deserve attention or monitoring.

What Does “Tyre Slightly Damaged, Cracking or Perishing” Mean?

It means tyre deterioration was noticed but wasn’t serious enough at that test to meet the relevant failure criteria. Check the extent of the deterioration, particularly if cracks are deepening or the tyre develops cuts, bulges, exposed cords or other structural damage.

Will an Advisory Become a Failure Next Year?

Not necessarily. Some conditions change slowly, while wearing components such as tyres and brakes can deteriorate considerably with use. There’s no rule saying an advisory automatically becomes a failure at the next MOT, so monitor the actual condition rather than waiting for the next test.