There is no public register of car servicing, so no car check, ours included, can show a car's service history. The records sit with the owner and with the garages that did the work. What you can get for free is the MOT history, and it is the best tool you have for testing what the service records say.
Service history and MOT history are different things
| Service | MOT | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Maintenance to the manufacturer's schedule: oil, filters, plugs, fluids and belts | A yearly test that the car meets minimum safety and emissions standards |
| Required by law? | No, but warranties usually depend on it | Yes, once a car is three years old (four in Northern Ireland) |
| Where the record is | The service book, invoices and digital records held by garages and manufacturers | Online, free, with the registration |
So MOT history is not the same as service history, and an MOT does not count as a service. A car can pass its MOT every year without ever having its oil changed. Some garages do both on the same visit, and the invoice will then show both jobs.
Where to find the service history
- The service book. Each stamp should show the garage, the date, the mileage and what was done.
- Invoices. The most convincing evidence, because they list the parts and labour. Ask to see them, not just the stamps.
- Digital records. Many makes now record services digitally instead of stamping a book. A franchised dealer for the make can usually look the record up from the registration or VIN, and the seller may be able to print it or show it in the manufacturer's app.
- The garages themselves. With the seller's permission, call the garages in the book and ask them to confirm the dates and mileages they recorded.
Cross-check it against the free MOT history
- 1Get the MOT historyRun the free check with the registration. It lists every MOT with the date and the mileage, and flags any reading that went down.
- 2Line up the dates and mileagesPut each service next to the MOT nearest to it. A service at 40,100 miles in May and an MOT at 41,800 miles the next March fits. A service invoice showing more miles than a later MOT does not.
- 3Look for advisories that were dealt withIf an MOT advised worn brake pads and an invoice a month later shows new pads, the history hangs together. If the same advisory appears year after year with no invoice, it was probably ignored.
- 4Check the gapsA long gap with no service and no MOT might mean the car was off the road. Ask why.
More mileage readings
MOT readings are a year apart at best. The full history check adds mileage from other recorded sources, which gives you more points to compare with the service records. It costs £7.99.
Warning signs
- Every stamp looks the same, in the same pen, or comes from garages you cannot find.
- Pages are missing, or an older car has a brand new book.
- There are stamps but no invoices for any of the work.
- The mileages in the book do not fit the MOT readings.
- The advert says full service history, but the record has gaps.
If the mileages do not add up, our guide on how to spot a clocked car explains what to do next.
What 'full service history' means
It is not a legal term. Sellers use full service history to mean the car was serviced at every interval the manufacturer sets, and full main dealer service history to mean all of it was done by franchised dealers. Part service history means some services are missing. Check what is actually there rather than relying on the label.
The big jobs to look for
- Cambelt (timing belt). Expensive to replace and expensive if it fails. Find out the manufacturer's interval for the engine and whether it has been done. Some engines run the belt in oil: see wet belt engines.
- Brake fluid and coolant. Often changed every few years. A good history shows them.
- Automatic gearbox servicing, where the manufacturer schedules it.
- Electric cars. Ask for any battery health report, and check the servicing the manufacturer requires to keep the battery warranty.
If there is no service history
A car without service records is not always a bad buy, but it is a bigger risk, and the price should reflect that. Pay for an independent inspection, budget for a full service and any belt change straight after you buy, and see what the MOT history says about how the car has been kept. Our used car buying checklist covers the rest.