The rule that sets the timing
In Great Britain, a car can have its MOT up to a month (minus a day) before the current certificate runs out and still keep the same renewal date. That window is the whole point of a reminder: a customer who books inside it loses nothing by coming in early, and you get a booking on your terms rather than a last-minute squeeze.
So the first reminder should land just before that window opens, early enough for the customer to book a slot that suits both of you. A second, shorter nudge nearer the due date catches anyone who meant to book and didn't. After that, stop.
Work from the official due date, not your own records
Your own records only know about the MOTs you did. They miss the car that was MOT'd somewhere else last year, the car that's just had its first MOT (due at three years old in Great Britain), and the date that changed because the test was taken early.
The official record is public: the government's MOT history service shows each car's expiry date from its registration. Reminders built from that date don't depend on anyone keeping a spreadsheet up to date.
Stop chasing cars that have moved on
Nothing annoys a customer faster than a reminder for an MOT they've already had done. Before each reminder goes out, check the car still needs it:
- it hasn't already been tested somewhere else;
- the customer still has the car;
- they haven't already booked with you.
A reminder that's wrong once teaches the customer to ignore the next one.
What a good reminder says
Keep it short enough to read at a glance. A good MOT reminder covers:
- the car, by registration and model, so there's no doubt which one;
- the date the MOT runs out;
- that booking early keeps the same renewal date;
- how to book: a link, or a reply;
- your garage's name, so it's obviously from you;
- how to stop receiving reminders.
For example:
Hi James, the MOT on your Ford Focus (AB12 CDE) runs out on 14 November. You can have it done from 15 October and keep the same renewal date. Book here: [link]. [Your garage name]. Reply STOP to opt out.
An illustration only: the name, car and dates are made up.
Text or email?
For most customers a text is read soon after it arrives; an email is better for anything longer. Use the contact details the customer gave you and the channel they prefer. There's no need to send both unless the first one goes unanswered.
Stay on the right side of the marketing rules
A reminder that encourages a customer to book a service with you can count as direct marketing under the UK's electronic marketing rules (PECR). For your existing customers, the usual basis is the “soft opt-in”:
- you collected their details when they bought a service from you;
- the reminder is about similar services, such as their next MOT;
- you gave them a simple way to opt out when you collected their details, and you give them one in every message.
This is general information, not legal advice. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) publishes guidance on direct marketing if you want to check how it applies to your garage.
Make the MOT visit count
An MOT booking is a good moment to mention anything else the car is due, such as a service, so the customer can combine the work into one visit. Offer it once, plainly, with a price or estimate; a customer who feels upsold on a reminder is less likely to book the next one.