UK Vehicle History API — MOT History, Mileage Trends & Vehicle Health Score
Every used car buyer in the UK checks MOT history on gov.uk. It’s one of the most visited government services — but it’s a manual, one-vehicle-at-a-time web form with no API for developers. The Vehicle History endpoint connects directly to DVSA’s MOT data and transforms it into structured JSON with a proprietary Vehicle Health Score. For used car platforms, fleet managers, insurance underwriters, and anyone processing vehicle data at scale, it replaces screen scraping with a clean API that includes computed analytics no raw data source provides.
What You Get
- •Vehicle identity: registration, make, model, colour, fuel type, first used date
- •MOT history: last 10 tests with date, result (pass/fail), expiry date, recorded mileage, advisory items, and failure reasons
- •Vehicle Health Score (0-100): proprietary composite based on pass rate, recent advisories, and failure history
- •Health Rating: EXCELLENT / GOOD / FAIR / POOR classification
- •Mileage trend: chronological odometer readings from MOT tests for clocking detection and annual mileage estimation
Data Sources
DVSA MOT History
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s complete MOT testing database. Contains every MOT test result for every vehicle tested in the UK including pass/fail outcome, odometer reading, advisory items (things approaching failure), failure reasons (things that failed), and tester details. Updated daily.
Scoring Algorithm
Vehicle Health Score
Weighted composite: historical pass rate (60%), recent advisory count (20% — zero advisories scores full marks), and recent failure count (20% — zero failures scores full marks). A score above 80 indicates a well-maintained vehicle. Below 40 suggests significant mechanical issues.
Use Cases
Used Car Marketplace Integration
Platforms like AutoTrader and Cazoo show MOT history alongside listings. The Vehicle Health Score provides a single trust signal that buyers understand instantly. Dealers with high-Health-Score stock can command premium prices. The mileage trend data also flags potential clocking — odometer readings that decrease between tests.
Fleet Management
Companies managing vehicle fleets (delivery, rental, company cars) monitor MOT status across hundreds of vehicles. Batch API calls flag vehicles approaching MOT expiry, identify those with recurring advisories that need proactive maintenance, and track fleet-wide Health Scores over time.
Insurance Underwriting
Motor insurers assess vehicle condition as a risk factor. A vehicle with a Health Score of 35 and multiple recent failure items is a higher claims risk than one scoring 90. The advisory and failure data adds granularity beyond the make/model/age factors insurers traditionally use.
Vehicle Financing Due Diligence
Lenders financing vehicle purchases verify condition before approving loans. The Health Score and mileage trend provide automated condition checks that support or challenge the dealer’s description. Inconsistent mileage readings trigger fraud investigation workflows.
Example
Request
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ "https://www.ukdatapi.com/api/v1/vehicle/AB12CDE"
Response
{
"data": {
"vehicle": { "registration": "AB12CDE", "make": "FORD", "model": "FOCUS", "colour": "Blue", "fuel_type": "Petrol", "first_used": "2012-06-15" },
"mot_history": [
{ "date": "2025-06-10", "result": "PASSED", "expiry": "2026-06-09", "mileage": 78542, "advisories": ["Tyre slightly worn"], "failures": [] },
{ "date": "2024-06-08", "result": "PASSED", "expiry": "2025-06-07", "mileage": 71230, "advisories": [], "failures": [] }
],
"health_score": 88,
"health_rating": "EXCELLENT",
"mileage_trend": [
{ "date": "2024-06-08", "mileage": 71230 },
{ "date": "2025-06-10", "mileage": 78542 }
]
}
}Pricing
| Depth | Credits |
|---|---|
| Summary | 6 |
| Standard | 6 |
| Full | 6 |
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