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What is a Mileage Check?

A mileage check reviews the history of a vehicle’s odometer readings to identify signs of mileage fraud—commonly known as clocking. This involves rolling back the odometer to make a vehicle appear less used and more valuable than it actually is.

At Total Car Check, we collect mileage data from multiple trusted sources, including:

• DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency)
• DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency – MOT records)
• BVRLA (British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association)
• NAMA (National Association of Motor Auctions)
• RMI (Retail Motor Industry Federation)

Our free check includes MOT mileage data. Buy a Silver or Gold Check to receive full mileage history from all available sources.

Why Is Mileage Adjusted?

Clocking is usually done to:

• Illegitimately increase a vehicle’s resale value
• Avoid excess mileage penalties on lease or finance agreements

The process is shockingly easy to carry out using widely available tools or services, and unfortunately remains common in the UK. There are very few legitimate reasons to alter a vehicle’s mileage.

Is Mileage Adjustment Legal in the UK?

Surprisingly, mileage adjustment is not illegal. However, selling a clocked vehicle without disclosing the mileage change is a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

What Are the Risks of Buying a Clocked Vehicle?

• You may overpay, as the vehicle appears to have less wear and tear.
• The car could be less safe, since parts may be older and more worn than expected.
• Insurance claims or warranties may be invalidated by false mileage.

How Common Is Clocking?

According to our internal analysis at Total Car Check, more than 1 in 18 vehicles on UK roads show signs of having been clocked—based on MOT mileage data alone. Read our blog post on mileage fraud for detailed insights.

What’s Included in a Total Car Check Mileage Report?

A vehicle history report from Total Car Check includes:

1. Full mileage history from MOT and other sources
2. Warnings for mileage discrepancies
3. Clear identification of mileage reduction showing where mileage has fallen and over what period

Our Free Mileage Check

The free mileage check includes odometer readings recorded during annual MOT tests. This data is officially recorded and verified by the DVSA.

Every MOT must include a mileage reading, which is published on the MOT certificate and stored in national records.

Why Upgrade to Silver or Gold?

While the MOT data is valuable, it only starts from a vehicle’s first MOT at 3 years old. Our Silver and Gold Checks include data from over 180 million private and trade-sourced readings collected from:

• Garages
• Dealerships
• Leasing companies
• Service records

This can help to detect mileage fraud that occurs before the first MOT and between MOTs, giving you a much clearer picture of a vehicle’s true usage history

Why Pre-MOT Mileage Checks Matter

Mileage fraud is most common in the first three years of a vehicle's life when:

• The vehicle depreciates rapidly, creating a financial incentive to clock
• There is no MOT mileage data, making detection harder

By upgrading, you protect yourself from paying too much for a vehicle that may not be what it seems.