Motorcycle MOT checklist
Every section of DVSA’s motorcycle MOT manual and the parts it covers, in one list. Tick them off in the garage before the test, or print it and take it out to the bike.
0. Identification of the vehicle
DVSA: "Registration plate (number plate) and vehicle identification number rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 0
1. Brakes
DVSA: "Brake condition and operation (including brake lever and pedal, lining and pads, callipers and cylinders), brake performance and efficiency, and brake fluid rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 1
2. Steering
DVSA: "Mechanical condition, handlebar, forks and yokes and wheel alignment rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 2
4. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
DVSA: "Headlamp, position lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators, rear registration plate lamp, rear reflector and direction indicator ‘tell-tale’ rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 4
Halfway: the wheels, frame, horn and exhaust are next.
5. Wheels, tyres and suspension
DVSA: "Wheel bearing, wheel and tyre, and suspension (including springs, shock absorbers, and suspension arms and joints) rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 5
Tread, in DVSA's words: the tread pattern must "be visible over the whole tread area" and "have a depth of at least 1.0mm throughout a single band of at least 3/4 over any section of the breadth of tread round the entire outer tyre circumference". "Motorcycles with an engine capacity not greater than 50cc do not need to have 1mm of tread. However, they must have a visible tread pattern around the entire circumference and across the whole breadth of the tread."
6. Structure and attachments
DVSA: "Frame and attachments (including exhaust system and fuel system), and seat and riding controls (including clutch and throttle controls and footrests) rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 6
7. Audible warning
DVSA: "Audible warning (horn) rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 7
8. Exhaust noise
DVSA: "Exhaust noise rules and inspection for motorcycle MOT tests." Read section 8
From DVSA's MOT inspection manual for motorcycles. Checked against DVSA's motorcycle MOT inspection manual on 30 October 2026. Ticks stay on this page only. The printed sheet is A4, with a line that should measure 50 mm.
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Where the list comes from
MOT testers work to DVSA's MOT inspection manual for motorcycles. DVSA says it covers "motorcycle, scooter, moped and motorcycle combination (class 1 and 2 vehicle) MOT tests", and it applies in England, Scotland and Wales. Each section of the manual has a short summary that names the parts it covers. The checklist is those sections and those parts, in DVSA's words, with a link to each section in full.
Kept up to date by itself
The manual changes from time to time. So every night we read DVSA's contents page and the tyre section again, and check that every summary and the tread rule are still there word for word. If one has changed, the checklist says it is being re-checked, and the manual itself is the last word. Under the tool you'll see the date we last confirmed it.
How to use it
Work through it with the bike on its stand, in daylight if you can. Tick each part as you look at it. The ticks stay on this page only, and nothing you type is stored. To print, add the registration number if you like and press Print. The sheet comes out on A4 with a box by every part and a line that should measure 50 mm, so you can check the printer kept the size.
What a checklist can't do
This list tells you what the test looks at. It doesn't tell you what passes or fails: for that, read the section itself. In section 5, for example, each defect has a category such as major or dangerous. Section 3 isn't on the list because DVSA says it "is not currently used". For the age of your tyres, our tyre date code checker reads the code on the sidewall.
Written by Craig Fearn, Throttlefolio. Last updated .
Questions answered
What do they check on a motorcycle MOT?
The test follows DVSA’s MOT inspection manual for motorcycles. The checklist gives each of its sections and the parts it covers, in DVSA’s words.
Where does this checklist come from?
From the section summaries in DVSA’s MOT inspection manual for motorcycles. We re-check them against the manual every night.
Can I print the MOT checklist?
Yes, on A4, with a tick box for each part and a 50 mm line to check the printer kept the size.
Keep reading
- Tyre date code: how old are my tyres?
Type the four-digit date code from the side of the tyre. You get the week it was made and how old it is today.