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What "Outstanding Recall" Means On Your MOT, History Check Or Car Advert, And How To Clear It

Recall data from DVSA, updated 15 October 2026.

An outstanding recall is a vehicle safety recall that applies to a car but has not been repaired yet. The fix is normally free at a franchised dealer of the make.1 On an MOT it is shown as information only and does not cause a fail.2

Outstanding, Open And Completed Recalls: What’s The Difference?

"Outstanding" and "open" mean the same thing: the recall repair is still due. "Completed" means a dealer has done the work and the manufacturer has recorded it.

Status What it means What to do
Outstanding or open A recall applies to this car and has not been repaired Book the free repair with a franchised dealer
Completed The repair has been done and recorded by the manufacturer Keep the job card as proof
Closed for reporting The manufacturer has reached its target and stopped actively chasing the recall The repair is still free if your car was missed3

The words come from different places. MOT records and DVSA tend to say "outstanding". History checks and car adverts often say "open". Manufacturers sometimes use "to be carried out" or "pending". They all point to the same thing: work that still needs doing on that particular vehicle.

Why Your MOT Says "Outstanding Recall"

Since July 2023 the MOT certificate and MOT history can list outstanding safety recalls, using data from manufacturers that share their recall records with DVSA.2

How a recall shows on an MOT certificate MOT test certificate PASS Outstanding manufacturer safety recall 1 The recall line 2 Still a pass 3 Data sharing note
  1. The recall lineShown when the manufacturer shares recall data with DVSA.
  2. For information onlyA recall line is not a fail; the test result is separate.
  3. Data sharing noteRecalls from makers that don’t share data may not appear, so check by registration too.
How a recall shows on an MOT certificate

GOV.UK says your MOT certificate may show a safety recall in England, Scotland and Wales, depending on the manufacturer.4 Three points follow from that:

  • It is not a fail. The recall line is for information. The tester does not refuse a certificate because of it.2
  • It depends on the maker. Recalls from manufacturers that do not share data may not appear at all.2
  • It may not name the recall. The line tells you that a recall is outstanding, not always which one.

Our page on recalls and the MOT explains the rules in more detail.

How To Find Out Which Recall Is Outstanding

Check the registration here to see the recalls that match your car, then confirm the details by VIN with the manufacturer's helpline or any franchised dealer of the make.

The three steps are:

  1. Enter the registration in the checker above. It reads the MOT recall status and lists the recalls that match your model and first registration date.
  2. Confirm with your VIN. The manufacturer's helpline or a franchised dealer uses the 17-character VIN to say exactly which campaign applies. See where to find your VIN.
  3. Ask a franchised dealer. Any dealer of the make can look up the VIN and book the work in the same call.

Where You Might See "Outstanding Recall", And How Reliable It Is

The MOT record and the manufacturer's own checker are the most reliable sources. Paid history checks and adverts can be incomplete.

Where you saw it What it means How reliable What to do
MOT certificate or MOT history The manufacturer has told DVSA a recall is outstanding on this VIN High, for makers that share data Find which recall and book the repair
Manufacturer's VIN check (helpline or dealer) The maker's own record for that car Highest Book with a franchised dealer
Paid history check A third-party report, often using its own data feeds Variable5 Confirm with the free checks
Dealer report or advert The seller's statement Depends on the seller Ask for written proof of the repair
Recall letter The manufacturer's notice to the registered keeper High Follow the urgency in the letter

Which? found that a paid history check reported "All clear" on a recalled Citroën C3, and another paid check called a serious recall "minor".5 A free registration check plus the manufacturer's VIN check gives the most dependable answer.

The Recall Was Fixed But Still Shows As Outstanding

Ask the dealer to confirm the recall was closed with the manufacturer and keep the job card. Records update after the manufacturer marks the work as complete.

DVSA does not verify individual repairs, because that responsibility sits with the manufacturer.6 If a completed recall still shows weeks later, these steps clear it:

  1. Call the dealer that did the work and ask them to confirm the recall was submitted to the manufacturer as complete.
  2. Send the job card to the manufacturer's customer care team if the dealer cannot fix the record.
  3. Check again after three to four weeks.

If the dealer or manufacturer will not help, our guide on what to do if a dealer refuses to fix a recall explains how to escalate.

How Common Are Outstanding Recalls?

In DVSA's own 2018 figures, about 1 in 13 vehicles had an outstanding safety recall. More recent industry estimates vary widely.7

Figure Source and date Type
About 1 in 13 vehicles had an outstanding safety recall DVSA via Trading Standards, 20187 Official
87,700 of 1.14 million MOT-history recall checks found an outstanding recall DVSA, 20177 Official
89 % to 98 % of cars and light vans in closed recalls were repaired DVSA, 2013 to 20178 Official
72 % of recalled UK cars unrepaired or with no confirmed repair carVertical, 2023 to 20249 Commercial study, method not public; may include unknown status
About 3.2 million recalled cars and vans never checked Auto Data Solutions, 2025 coverage10 Secondary estimate

The official figures and the commercial ones measure different things, which explains the gap. DVSA's completion rates cover recalls that have been closed after reaching their target. The commercial figures look at all recalled cars, including recent campaigns that are still running. Our car recall statistics page sets out each measure.

Buying, selling and insurance

An Outstanding Recall On A Car You’re Buying

Ask the seller to have the recall done before you pay. Dealers have been prosecuted for selling cars without disclosing outstanding recalls.11

DVSA says car dealers, including online sellers, must fix safety recalls free of charge before selling cars to consumers, while private sellers are not bound by the same rules.7 Get the repair confirmed in writing before you hand over money. Our guide to buying a used car with an outstanding recall has a printable checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does An Outstanding Recall Affect Insurance?

It does not usually change your premium, but failing to follow a manufacturer's instructions could affect a related claim.12 See recalls and car insurance.

Is A Car With An Outstanding Recall Safe To Drive?

Follow the urgency in the letter. Stop-drive recalls mean do not drive. Most other recalls let you drive while you book. See whether it is safe to drive with a recall.

Does An Outstanding Recall Lower The Value?

A completed recall should not affect value. An outstanding one can put buyers off until it is done, so get it fixed before you sell.

How Long Do I Have To Get It Done?

There is no deadline and the repair stays free. The recall remains in force even after it is closed for reporting.3 See whether car recalls expire.

Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026.

Sources

  1. The Code does not itself say repairs are free. GOV.UK guidance says "You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall." gov.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.
  2. Recall information was added to MOT certificates and the MOT testing service in July 2023. Manufacturers supply live data directly (first: Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, VW Group). Recalls from makers not yet sharing data come from the SMMT feed and don't appear on the certificate. An outstanding recall is not a fail. iota.org.uk, fleetnews.co.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.
  3. Code timelines: Producers normally respond to DVSA within 28 days (5.5); DVSA reviews are typically monthly (5.4). DVSA must be notified "as soon as the safety defect has been confirmed" (6.1). 3 notifications per motorist is seen as reasonable (8.3). Response rates are reported every three months (11.1).
  4. GOV.UK on recalls and the MOT: Your MOT certificate may show a safety recall in England, Scotland and Wales, depending on the manufacturer. Some child car seat owners won't get a letter because the manufacturer has no details.
  5. Which? investigation (24 Jul 2025): On Autotrader (week of 30 Jun 2025), 12 of 16 dealer-listed 2009 to 16 Citroën C3s had an outstanding recall; only 1 of 7 responding dealers gave the correct status. Autotrader's £4.95 paid check showed "All clear" on a recalled car; Carwow's paid check called the recall "minor". which.co.uk
  6. "DVSA does not have a responsibility for verifying that individual recalls are completed correctly, that is for the manufacturer. DVSA will investigate any complaint of recalls not being conducted in line with the code of practice or legislative requirements."
  7. DVSA via Trading Standards (19 Feb 2018): "By law, car dealers, including online sellers, must fix safety recalls free of charge before selling cars to consumers. Private sellers aren't bound by the same rules." About 1 in 13 vehicles has an outstanding safety recall. In 2017, 87,700 of 1.14 million MOT-history recall enquiries found an outstanding recall. The recall check covered 92 % of cars and small vans. tradingstandards.uk
  8. Official DVSA closed-recall response rates (SAF/04): cars & LGVs 89.9 % (2013-14), 91.4 % (2014-15), 89.0 % (2015-16), 98.0 % (2016-17).
  9. carVertical study (history reports, Jan 2023, Sep 2024, 26 countries): The UK had the lowest recall rate (3.1 % of cars recalled at least once). 72 % of recalled UK cars were still unrepaired. Commercial study, methodology not public. am-online.com, fleetnews.co.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.
  10. Auto Data Solutions (2025 coverage): about 3.2 m recalled cars and vans from 2018 to 2023 never checked; 14.8 m vehicles across 2,128 models recalled. Secondary source.
  11. Jan Autos, Luton (2025): the company and its director were convicted at trial in June 2025 of failing to tell buyers about unresolved manufacturer recalls. Trading Standards had warned the business in 2020; 7 vehicles were found with undisclosed recalls (Jan, Jul 2022). Company fined £14,000 + £190 surcharge + £1,363 costs; director £1,100 + £110 surcharge (total £16,763). am-online.com, luton.gov.uk
  12. ABI (via Which?): recalls don't usually lead to claims, but failing to follow manufacturer instructions could invalidate a policy. Which? advice: get written permission from your insurer before driving a stop-drive car to be repaired.