Booking your MOT test for the right time is extremely important. Failing to keep track of test dates and continuing to drive your car beyond the point of your most recent certificate’s validity can have serious consequences.
You won’t need to take a new car for an MOT test until three years after its date of registration, but it will need regular checks after this time.
In this article, the automotive experts at Dronsfields answer the questions “how long is an MOT valid for?” and “is an MOT valid on its expiry date” – as well as providing you with a little extra information about the flexibility of your MOT certificate and the risks you may be taking in driving your car once that certificate becomes invalid.
How Long is an MOT Valid For?
Each MOT is valid until a year after the date its last checks were performed. There is a little leeway prior to its renewal date, but not after – despite many people wrongly believing that drivers are permitted 14 days’ grace following the date upon which their checks were meant to have been undertaken.
You can book an MOT for up to a month (minus a day) before the “anniversary” of your previous test.
Is an MOT Valid on its Expiry Date?
Can you drive your car on the day its MOT expires? The answer is yes. Your MOT is valid until midnight on its expiry date. After this point, you will only be permitted to drive your vehicle without an MOT if you can prove that you are driving it to an approved test centre.
UK government legislation states that MOT testing is a legal requirement. It is required in order to ascertain that every vehicle on the UK’s roads is safe to drive and that polluting emissions are kept to a minimum.
If you are caught driving a vehicle that is not covered by a current MOT certificate, you may be fined up to £1000. Furthermore, if your car is involved in an accident or incurs damage in any other way after its MOT certificate has expired, your insurance will not be valid and will not pay out to cover your costs.
The only vehicles that are exempt from MOT testing are goods vehicles powered by electricity and registered before 1st March 2015, tractors and specific “classic” vehicles. Lorries, buses and trailers do not require an MOT as they are subject to separate annual checks.
Simply put, you need to arrange for your car’s next MOT to take place exactly a year from the date of its last one at the very latest. If you fail to do this, you risk being fined up to £1000 and invalidating your vehicle’s insurance.
You can, however arrange for your next MOT to take place up to a month before that date, plus, you’re permitted to drive your car without a current MOT certificate only if you’re on your way to a test centre at the time.