MOT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Q: MY MOT HAS EXPIRED. CAN I LEGALLY DRIVE TO THE MOT STATION?

 

A: YES. HOWEVER AN APPOINTMENT HAS TO BE MADE WITH THE MOT STATION BEFORE DRIVING ON THE PUBLIC ROAD. IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY THE POLICE ON THE WAY, THEY MAY CONTACT US TO CONFIRM YOUR BOOKING. IF YOU ARE NOT BOOKED IN YOU CAN BE FINED UP TO £1000 FOR DRIVING ON THE PUBLIC ROAD WITHOUT A VALID MOT. THIS MAY ALSO INVALIDATE YOUR INSURANCE POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FURTHER FINE AND PENALTY POINTS ON YOUR DRIVING LICENCE. YOU ALSO NEED A VALID MOT IN ORDER TO TAX YOUR VEHICLE.​

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​​Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF MY VEHICLE FAILS THE MOT?

 

A: IF THERE IS TIME REMAINING ON THE EXISTING MOT CERTIFICATE IT WOULD STILL BE VALID. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE MAY BE DEEMED UNROADWORTY AFTER ITS LATEST TEST AND IF YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE, AS THE DRIVER YOU WOULD BE HELD RESPONSBLE FOR ITS CONDITION FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT OR IF STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR A ROUTINE ROADWORTHINESS CHECK. THIS MAY ALSO RESULT IN A FINE AND PENALTY POINTS ON YOUR DRIVING LICENCE.

IF THE PREVIOUS MOT HAS ALREADY EXPIRED PRIOR TO HAVING THE NEW TEST, PROVIDING YOU ONLY HAVE 'MAJOR' AND NOT 'DANGEROUS' DEFECTS ON YOUR LATEST MOT CERTIFCATE, YOU WOULD BE PERMITTED TO DRIVE ON THE PUBLIC ROAD TO A PLACE OF REPAIR. FOLLOWING REPAIR, YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE AN MOT RETEST BOOKED BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK ON THE PUBLIC ROAD. THIS JOURNEY IS PERMITTED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING TO THE MOT STATION. 

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Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 'MAJOR' AND A 'DANGEROUS' FAILURE DEFECT?

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​A: THE CATEGORY OF FAILURE DEFECT DETERMINES WHETHER YOU CAN TEMPORARILY DRIVE ON THE PUBLIC ROAD FOLLOWING A FAILED TEST. THE CATEGORIES OF FAILURE SET BY THE DVSA ARE 'MAJOR' AND 'DANGEROUS'.

A 'MAJOR' DEFECT WILL PERMIT YOU TO DRIVE TO A PLACE OF REPAIR AND BACK TO A BOOKED RETEST. GENERAL DRIVING IS NOT PERMITTED IF THE VEHICLE IS IN AN UNROADWORTHY CONDITION OR IF THE PREVIOUS MOT HAS EXPIRED. 

A 'DANGEROUS' CATEGORY DEFECT WILL RENDER THE VEHICLE UNFIT TO DRIVE ON THE PUBLIC ROAD AND DOING SO WOULD BE ILLEGAL. TECHNICALLY, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECOVERED TO A PLACE OF REPAIR IF REPAIRS ARE UNABLE TO BE CARRIED OUT AT THE ORIGINAL TESTING STATION. YOU CAN BE FINED UP TO £2500, BE BANNED FROM DRIVING AND RECEIVE 3 PENALTY POINTS ON YOUR LICENCE FOR DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE IF IT HAS ANY DANGEROUS DEFECTS.

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Q: ARE THERE ANY OTHER DEFECT CATEGORIES?

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A: YES. THERE ARE TWO OTHER CATEGORIES. 'MINOR' AND 'ADVISORY' DEFECTS.

A 'MINOR' DEFECT IS ONE THAT IS NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY AN MOT FAIL. IT IS ADVISED TO HAVE MINOR DEFECTS RECTIFIED AT YOUR EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN THE ROADWORTHINESS OF YOUR VEHICLE.

AN 'ADVISORY' DEFECT IS ONE THAT IS LIKELY TO BECOME DEFECTIVE SOON. AS FOR 'MINOR' DEFECTS, IT IS BEST TO HAVE THESE RECTIFIED BEFORE THEY DEVELOP INTO ISSUES THAT CAN THREATEN THE ROADWORTHINESS OF YOUR VEHICLE.

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Q: DOES AN ACCUMULATION OF 'MINOR' OR 'ADVISORY' DEFECTS RESULT IN A FAILED MOT TEST?

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A: NO AS THEY ARE UNRELATED TO 'MINOR' AND 'MAJOR' DEFECTS.

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Q: WILL 'MINOR' OR 'ADVISORY' DEFECTS BE FAILED ON THE NEXT MOT TEST IF NOT RECTIFIED?

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A: NOT NECESSARILY. DEFECTS MAY STILL BE IN THE SAME CONDITION AS THE LAST MOT ON THE NEXT ONE. HOWEVER, THEY MAY DETERIORATE AND DEVELOP INTO 'MAJOR' OR 'DANGEROUS' DEFECTS IF NOT RECTIFIED PRIOR TO THE NEXT TEST.

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Q: WHAT IF I PASS?

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A: HAPPY DAYS! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

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