Privacy Policy

1.What we collect

We may collect the following information to provide and improve our MOT history checking service:

• Vehicle registration numbers that you enter into the search tool. These are used solely to retrieve official DVSA records and are not stored after your session ends unless explicitly stated.
• Technical information automatically collected when you visit the site, including your IP address (anonymised), browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and the time and date of your visit.
• Contact information such as your name and email address, but only if you voluntarily choose to contact us via a feedback form, email link, or newsletter sign-up.
• Usage data detailing which pages you visit, how long you spend on them, and interactions such as clicks and scroll depth. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.

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2.How we use the information

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• To deliver our core service: Retrieving MOT history, tax status, and related vehicle data directly from the DVSA API based on the registration you submit.
• Internal record keeping and service improvement: Analysing anonymised usage patterns helps us understand which sections of the site are most useful and where improvements are needed.
• Communication: If you contact us, we may use your provided email address to respond to your enquiry. We will not add your email to a marketing list without your explicit consent.
• Security and fraud prevention: Monitoring traffic to detect and prevent automated scraping, denial-of-service attacks, or fraudulent use of the service.
• Legal obligations: We may process personal data to comply with applicable laws, court orders, or governmental regulations.

We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal data to third parties. Any data sharing is strictly limited to what is necessary to operate the website, as outlined in the Third-Party Services section below.

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3.Security and retention

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

All data transmission between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security) technology. Our internal systems are protected by firewalls and access is restricted to authorised personnel only.

• Vehicle registration data is processed in real-time and is not written to long-term storage logs. Memory-resident data is cleared after the API response is delivered.
• Anonymised analytics logs are retained for a maximum of 26 months to allow year-on-year trend analysis.
• Correspondence records are kept for up to 12 months after the last communication, after which they are securely deleted.

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4.Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies – small text files placed on your device – to distinguish you from other users and to improve your experience. The cookies we use fall into the following categories:

• Strictly necessary cookies: These are essential for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that maintain a secure session while you navigate the site. These do not require consent under UK GDPR.
• Analytics/performance cookies: We use a self-hosted, privacy-focused analytics platform (Plausible Analytics) that does not use cookies and fully anonymises IP addresses. No personal data is sent to external analytics providers.
• Functionality cookies: Used to remember choices you make (such as a dismissed notice) to improve your experience. No personally identifiable information is stored in these cookies.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. However, this may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

We do not use any advertising or targeting cookies, and we do not participate in ad networks or behavioural remarketing programmes.

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5.Third-party services

To deliver the MOT history checking service, we rely on a small number of trusted third-party providers. Data is only shared to the extent necessary for them to perform their functions:

• DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) API: Your vehicle registration number is transmitted to the official DVSA database to retrieve MOT history, tax status, and related records. The DVSA privacy policy governs how that data is handled once received.
• Content Delivery Network (CDN): We serve static assets (CSS, JavaScript, icons) through a CDN to improve load times. The CDN provider may process your IP address temporarily as part of standard HTTP request handling.
• Hosting infrastructure: Our website is hosted on a secure cloud platform within the UK/EEA. The hosting provider manages server-level security and logs, which may include anonymised IP addresses for diagnostic purposes.

We do not embed social media share buttons or external comment systems that automatically send data to third parties without your interaction. Links to external sites (such as GOV.UK) are provided for convenience; we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.

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6.Your data protection rights

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access: You can request copies of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit the processing of your data while a dispute about its accuracy or use is resolved.
• Right to object: You can object to processing that relies on legitimate interests as a lawful basis.
• Right to data portability: You can request that we transfer the data we hold to another organisation or directly to you, in a structured, commonly used format.

We will respond to any verified request within one calendar month. There is usually no charge for exercising these rights. If you wish to make a request, please contact us using the details in the Contact section below.

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7.Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the services we offer. When we make changes, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of the page.

If the changes are significant, we may provide a more prominent notice (such as a banner on the homepage or an email notification if you have subscribed). We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

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8.Contact information

Motadvisor is the data controller responsible for your personal data. If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or how your data is handled, you can reach us through the following channels:

• Email: contact@motadvisor.co.uk
• Postal address: Data Protection Officer, Motadvisor, 85 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1AE, United Kingdom

We aim to acknowledge all privacy-related enquiries within two working days and provide a full response within the statutory timeframe.

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