Short answer: you can buy one, but you cannot simply drive it home. Buying a car that has no MOT, or an expired one, is not the problem. The law applies to driving it on the road. Before you hand over any money, work out how you will get the car home legally and what an MOT could cost you.
Can you legally drive it away?
GOV.UK says you cannot drive or park a vehicle on the road if its MOT has run out. The only exceptions are driving it to or from somewhere to be repaired, or to a pre-arranged MOT test. You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT.
That means a car bought without an MOT usually cannot be driven home like normal. Your realistic options are:
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Book an MOT first and drive straight to the test, with proof of the booking. You will also need insurance and the vehicle taxed or the correct paperwork in place. See our guide to driving without an MOT.
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Have it transported on a trailer or recovery truck.
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Ask the seller to get an MOT before you collect it, and agree who pays if it fails.
Tax does not transfer to you when you buy a car. You must tax it yourself before it is driven, which we cover in driving without tax.
Why would a car have no MOT?
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The MOT has simply expired
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The owner did not want to pay for a test or the repairs
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The car failed and the seller wants to avoid fixing it
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The car is nearly new, as vehicles do not need an MOT until the third anniversary of registration
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Very old vehicles can be exempt in some cases, so check the rules for historic vehicles
An expired MOT is not automatically a warning sign. But a car that has been left without one for a long time, or one that failed its last test, deserves extra care.
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Unknown faults. An MOT is a snapshot of safety. Without a current one, you do not know what it would find.
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Repair costs. A failure can mean a bill for brakes, tyres, suspension or corrosion, and those costs become yours.
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Hidden history. A long gap in the MOT history can hide problems.
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Dangerous defects. If a test finds a “dangerous” fault, the car must not be driven until it is repaired.
What to check before you buy
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Check the MOT history. It is free and shows past passes, failures, advisories and the mileage recorded at each test. Use our free MOT check or read how to check MOT history before buying.
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Look at the advisories. Recurring items such as corrosion or worn parts signal what is coming.
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Check mileage. It should rise steadily between tests.
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Check finance, write-offs and theft. A car being sold cheaply without an MOT is a reason to check more, not less.
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Inspect it or get an independent inspection.
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Ask when it last had an MOT and why it lapsed.
Our free used car checklist covers what to look at in person.
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Make the sale conditional on an MOT pass if you can, or agree a lower price to cover likely repairs.
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Get a quote for known advisories before agreeing a price.
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Do not drive it until it is legal to do so.
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Keep records of the advert, messages and receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to sell a car without an MOT?
We found nothing on GOV.UK that stops a car being sold without a current MOT, but a seller must describe it honestly. The risk for the buyer is that nobody has confirmed it is roadworthy, so treat the lack of an MOT as a reason to check more.
How far can I drive to an MOT test?
You may drive to a pre-arranged test, but the journey should be direct and you should keep proof of the booking. Do not use it for other trips.
GOV.UK says you can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before the current one runs out and keep the same renewal date.
Does a new car need an MOT?
A car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration.
Start with a free check of the registration at carverified.co.uk, which shows MOT history and tax status. A paid report adds finance, write-off and theft checks. If you are weighing up a car with a doubtful history, Can I buy a Cat S car? explains the questions to ask.