The short answer
An MOT advisory means the tester spotted something worth watching but not serious enough to fail your car today. It is a warning about a possible future problem, not a repair order. Ignoring advisories entirely is a mistake, though: some will become failures, and a few will become safety risks before your next MOT comes around.
What an advisory actually is
Since 20 May 2018, the DVSA has used four outcome categories on every MOT certificate: Dangerous, Major, Minor, and Advisory. The first two mean an immediate fail. Minor means the car passes but the defect should be repaired as soon as possible. Advisory means the car passes and the item should be monitored and repaired if necessary.
Only Dangerous, Major, and Minor are formal regulated defect categories. The DVSA’s own testing blog confirms that advisories sit outside the test regulations and are classed as best practice rather than mandatory findings. Testers can note an advisory or choose not to, using their professional judgement.
You receive a pass certificate called form VT20 if the car passes. If it fails, you get a failure notice known as form VT30. If advisories are noted alongside a pass, the garage may also issue a separate advisory notice, form VT32. All of this goes onto the DVSA’s national records.
How the system works
The tester works through the MOT Inspection Manual, which was last updated on 29 November 2024 with changes effective from 1 December 2024. For most items, the manual lists precise conditions that correspond to each category. The tester matches what they see to the manual, and the category follows automatically. There is less guesswork than under the old pre-2018 system.
That said, professional judgement still applies at the margins. Two testers looking at the same corroded brake pipe or worn suspension bush may classify it differently. The same goes for a windscreen chip close to the driver’s line of sight.
The DVSA has also acknowledged that inappropriate advisories exist. Some are plain errors. Some are used to generate additional repair bookings. Advisories cannot be removed from the vehicle’s history once recorded, so a questionable advisory can follow a car for years and affect its resale value. If you believe an advisory is wrong, you can raise a complaint with the DVSA.
One more thing. An advisory from a previous test that was never fixed can return as a major fail at the next test. A note saying “brake pads 3mm” one year that becomes “brake pads 1mm” the next tells you those pads are wearing fast. That is not a monitoring situation any more. It is an imminent bill.
Does this affect you?
Every car, van, or motorhome that goes through an MOT can receive advisories, regardless of age, fuel type, or mileage. The overall MOT failure rate sits at around 28.1%, down from roughly 40% in 2013 to 2014, but that still means more than one in four vehicles fails outright. Advisories affect a much larger proportion of cars that pass.
Used car buyers have particular reason to pay attention. Checking the free MOT history service at gov.uk/check-mot-history before buying shows every test date, every pass or fail, every advisory noted, and the mileage recorded at each test. A pattern of repeated or escalating advisories on the same component is a red flag that the previous owner has been running the car rather than maintaining it.
What an MOT pass is not
This is worth saying clearly. The VT20 pass certificate states that the vehicle met minimum standards at the time it was examined. The words “when the vehicle was examined” carry all the weight. A pass is a snapshot, not a guarantee for the next twelve months.
The driver is legally responsible for the vehicle’s roadworthiness at all times, certificate or no certificate. Check your tyres, fluids, and lights before long journeys. Do not treat the next MOT date as your only maintenance deadline. This is general information, not legal advice.
What it costs
The MOT test itself costs a maximum of £54.85 for a standard car (Class 4), a figure the DVSA has held unchanged since April 2010. Most garages charge less than the maximum, with typical prices between roughly £30 and £45.
The cost of fixing advisories is where the numbers climb. These are typical ranges, not fixed quotes. They vary by vehicle make, region, and garage.
- Brake pads (advisory: low wear): typically £60 to £120 fitted. Leave them and they become a major fail, plus you pay a retest fee on top of the repair. UKCalculator puts typical pad costs in this range for 2025.
- Tyres (advisory: tread close to the 1.6mm legal minimum): typically £50 to £100 each fitted. Below the minimum, the DVSA inspection manual classifies the defect as Dangerous, meaning the car should not be driven until it is fixed.
- Wiper blades: typically £10 to £25 if you fit them yourself, or £10 to £30 fitted at a garage, according to Resolvo. Note that since 1 December 2024, wipers that do not operate automatically when switched on will cause a fail, so a wiper advisory is now more pressing than it used to be.
- Exhaust (minor corrosion or noise): typically £100 to £400 depending on which section needs attention.
- Suspension bushes or dampers (wear within limits): typically £100 to £500 depending on the component and vehicle.
Repair costs at MOT time have risen sharply. BookMyGarage invoice data shows the average total bill on an MOT booking at one national group rose 70% from 2022 to 2025, reaching £227, with a 24.3% jump in 2025 alone. Motoring Research, reporting the same data, noted a regional network saw average bills rise 50% between 2023 and 2025. Fixing advisories before they become failures is cheaper in almost every case.
Common myths and misunderstandings
“I passed, so I am legal for a year.” No. You met the minimum standards on the day of the test. You remain responsible for roadworthiness every day after that.
“Advisories are just upselling.” Not always, but the DVSA has acknowledged that misleading advisories exist. If a certificate is heavy with advisories on expensive components, get a second opinion from an independent garage before booking any work.
“An advisory does not affect the car’s value.” It can. Advisories stay on the DVSA history and any informed buyer can read them. A string of unaddressed advisories on the same item will raise questions.
“Minor and advisory mean the same thing.” They do not. A Minor defect is a formal regulated category and the tester is required to record it. An advisory is best practice only. Both allow the car to pass, but they are different in status.
What is still changing
The MOT Inspection Manual was updated on 29 November 2024, with changes effective from 1 December 2024. Key changes included stricter treatment of braking system locking devices and automatic wiper operation. The DVSA has not announced further changes at the time of writing, but the manual is a live document and special notices are issued periodically. It is worth checking the MOT manuals collection on GOV.UK if you have a borderline component and want to know where it sits.
What to do next
Here is a simple action list.
- Read your certificate in full. Note every advisory and every Minor defect. Do not file it away and forget it.
- Ask your garage to explain each advisory and give you a realistic timescale before it is likely to become a fail or a safety issue. Get that answer in plain language, not workshop jargon.
- Check your MOT history at gov.uk/check-mot-history. Look for the same advisory appearing across multiple years. If it is getting worse, act now.
- Prioritise by risk. Tyre tread and brake wear are safety critical. Exhaust corrosion and wiper faults are urgent. A minor oil seep may wait until your next service. Ask a qualified mechanic if you are unsure.
- Get a second opinion on expensive advisories. Find an independent garage and ask them to inspect the item specifically. Do not authorise major work on the strength of one advisory note alone.
- Book repairs before the next MOT. Fixing a brake advisory in advance will nearly always cost less than a failed MOT plus a retest fee plus a rushed repair.
- If an advisory looks wrong, challenge it. Contact the DVSA. Advisories cannot be removed from the record, but a formal complaint creates a trail.
None of this requires you to be a mechanic. It just requires you to read the paperwork and ask the right questions.
