Updated October 2026
Your car has just passed its MOT, but the certificate comes with a list of “advisories”. Does that mean something is wrong? Do you have to fix them? And will they come back to haunt you at next year’s test?
An MOT advisory is simpler than it sounds: your car passed the test. Nothing on the certificate stops you driving it. But the tester spotted one or more parts that are wearing out and could become a problem before long. Think of an advisory as an early warning, not a verdict.
Understanding what advisories really mean, and which ones deserve your attention, can save you money, keep you legal, and tell you a great deal about a car you’re thinking of buying. Here’s the full picture.
Your car passed, so what exactly is an advisory?
During an MOT, the tester inspects hundreds of items against the DVSA inspection manual and grades every fault they find. If an item is still within the legal limit but clearly on its way out, a tyre approaching the minimum tread depth, brake pads that are thin but not yet dangerous, the tester records it as an advisory.
The official meaning, as set out in the MOT rules, is: it could become more serious in the future, monitor it and repair it if necessary. The advisory is the tester’s professional heads-up, written onto your MOT record.
Crucially, an advisory does not change your legal position. The day you drive away, the car is roadworthy in the eyes of the test, your MOT certificate is valid for its full term, and the advisory alone affects nothing about your insurance or your road tax.
The four defect grades, in plain English
Since the MOT rules changed in May 2018, every defect found at test is put into one of three categories, with advisories recorded alongside them. Here is what each one means for you:
- Dangerous, a direct and immediate risk to road safety. The car has failed, and you should not drive it until the fault is repaired. Examples: a tyre worn below the legal limit, a brake failure on one axle, a broken suspension spring with a sharp end exposed.
- Major, it may affect the vehicle’s safety or put other road users at risk. The car has failed and must be repaired before it can pass. Examples: excessive brake imbalance between wheels, headlamp aim badly out, a leaking brake pipe.
- Minor, no significant effect on safety or the environment. The car passes, but the defect is recorded and you should repair it as soon as possible. Examples: a number plate character slightly deteriorated, a wiper blade with a small split.
- Advisory, not a defect at all. The item passed, but the tester judged it will need attention before long. The car passes, and there is no legal requirement to fix it, but ignoring it is rarely wise.
The key line: only dangerous and major faults fail the test. Minors and advisories both come with a pass. The difference is that a minor is a real (small) fault, while an advisory is a warning about the future, “fine today, but I can see where this is heading.”
The most common MOT advisories, and what they really mean
Advisories cluster around the same handful of wear items. If you see one of these on your certificate, here is how to read it:
Tyre tread close to the legal limit
The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. An advisory is typically noted when the tread is visibly approaching that limit, legal today, but with noticeably less grip in the wet than a healthy tyre. This is one of the most common advisories in the country and one of the most worth acting on.
Brake pads or discs worn
“Brake pad worn close to limit” or “brake disc worn, pitted or scored” means the braking system still works within tolerance, but the margin is shrinking. Brakes degrade gradually and then suddenly, budget for replacement within a few months rather than waiting for the warning to become a failure.
Corrosion
Advisories mentioning corrosion, on brake pipes, the subframe, or suspension mounting points, deserve respect. Surface rust on a ten-year-old car’s bodywork is cosmetic. Corrosion on structural or braking components is the start of something expensive, and in severe cases it becomes a dangerous defect. Have a mechanic look underneath sooner rather than later.
Suspension wear
“Slight play in a suspension bush or joint” is normal wear on a higher-mileage car. A small amount of play passes; excessive play fails. The advisory tells you which side of that line you are on, and that the line is approaching.
Fluid weeps and exhaust deterioration
Minor oil or fluid weeps and an exhaust system that is starting to corrode often appear as advisories. They rarely demand same-week action, but neither improves on its own.
Which advisories need action now, and which can wait
Not all advisories are equal. Use this rough priority order:
- Act soon (weeks, not months): anything involving tyres near the limit, brakes, steering, or corrosion on brake pipes and structural parts. These are safety-critical systems where the gap between “advisory” and “dangerous” can close faster than you expect.
- Plan for the next service: suspension bushes with slight play, minor fluid weeps, exhaust deterioration. Mention them when the car goes in for its service and let the mechanic confirm how far they have progressed.
- Monitor yourself: cosmetic corrosion, minor trim issues. Keep an eye on them; they may never need money spent on them at all.
Rule of thumb: if the advisory concerns something that keeps the car on the road, stops it or steers it, move it up the list. And remember, there is no requirement to have advisory work done at the test centre, any competent garage can do it, and you can find MOT test centres near you if you are looking for one.
What happens if you ignore an advisory?
Nothing happens immediately, and that is the trap. An advisory carries no fine, no points, and no legal deadline. But the wear it describes does not stop. A tyre near the limit today will be below the 1.6mm minimum in a few thousand miles, and a “worn” brake pad becomes a “dangerous” one without any further warning.
Here is where it gets serious: the law does not care when your last MOT was. Driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition carries a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points, even if your MOT certificate is still valid. The test only confirms the car met the standard on the day it was checked; keeping it roadworthy for the rest of the year is the keeper’s job. An advisory that matures into a dangerous defect, ignored, can put you on the wrong side of that law months before your next test is due.
There is a cost angle too. A brake disc replaced at the advisory stage is a routine job. The same disc, left until it damages the caliper or hub, becomes a far bigger bill. Advisories are, in effect, the cheapest possible time to fix a problem. An advisory on its own does not invalidate your insurance, but if an ignored advisory turns into the dangerous defect that causes a crash, expect your insurer to take a very close interest.
Reading advisories when you’re buying a used car
Advisories are arguably even more useful to buyers than to owners. Every MOT test is recorded against the registration number, and you can read the full history free. Run any car you are considering through a free MOT history checker and study the advisories year by year. You are looking for one pattern in particular:
The same advisory, repeated across multiple years. “Rear brake pads wearing thin” in 2023, 2024 and 2025 tells you the owner saw the warning three times and never acted on it. That says more about how the car was maintained than any polished service book. A car whose advisories get fixed, appearing once and then disappearing, is a car that was looked after.
Also compare the mileage readings recorded at each test: a reading that drops between years is a red flag for clocking, whatever the advisories say.
For the full method, what to check, and in what order, before you travel to see a car, see our complete MOT guide.
Passed is passed, but listen to the warnings
An advisory is good news wrapped in a warning: your car passed, and a professional has just told you, for free, exactly what’ll need attention next. Act on the safety-critical ones promptly, fold the rest into your servicing, and never let the same advisory show up two years running. Think of them as the maintenance schedule your car wrote for you.