Birmingham Ladies Driving School

Driver and Instructor Training

0121 400 1103


The MOT Test A Drivers Guide

The MOT Test A Drivers Guide

The MOT Test A Guide For Drivers

This guide has been prepared by Birmingham Ladies Driving School, and is intended to provide general information to help drivers to understand the MOT Test and to stay legal; whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date, it is not intended to be a legal guide.

What Is An MOT Test And When Is It Due?

An MOT is a test of roadworthiness and safety of a vehicle.

MOT stands of ‘Ministry of Transport’ and even though that has now become the ‘Department for Transport’ the name has not changed.

A car is due to have it’s first MOT when it is 3 years old, and then every year after that.

An MOT certificate lasts 1 year, so for example if an car passes it’s MOT test on 12th October 2020 the MOT would expire on 11th October 2021.

An MOT can be conducted within the month that the previous MOT is due to expire and still benefit from the unexpired period.

Example:

Can A Car Be Driven Without An MOT?

If a car does not have a valid MOT certificate, it can be driven on a public road providing that the car is insured, but only to and from a garage to be repaired, or to a garage for a pre booked MOT appointment.

When driving a car under these conditions it is important that the vehicle is roadworthy.

Driving a vehicle that is not roadworthy is an offence, and probably dangerous, regardless of whether a car has an MOT, or whether it is being taken to an MOT appointment.

At The End Of An MOT Test

When a vehicle passes an MOT test

When a vehicle fails an MOT test

The easiest option is often to leave the car at the garage to repair the relevant items.

The vehicle can only be driven away if there are no dangerous items recorded, and the previous MOT is still valid.

Driving a vehicle away in these circumstances could also potentially leave a driver open to prosecution for driving an unroadworthy vehicle.

A vehicle that has failed an MOT test with dangerous items recorded can not be driven.

The options would be to leave the car at the garage to be repaired, or to have the car moved by a car transporter to another garage.

Does An MOT Guarantee That The Car Is In Good Condition?

An MOT only means that the car was roadworthy at the moment that it was tested.

It would be possible for a car to pass an MOT, drive away from the garage and an item immediately fail, making the car unroadworthy, illegal or dangerous.

The MOT has over the years been made more comprehensive, it still does not test everything, and it is largely a test of legality and safety.

Whilst a MOT will be taken into account when buying a car, the fact that a car has a valid MOT should not be taken to mean that everything about the car is in good condition, the presence of an MOT certificate should only be one part of the assessment made by a car buyer.

Penalties For Driving A Car Without A Valid MOT Certificate

What Is Tested In An MOT?

More information about the MOT test can be found at the GOV.UK website.

This guide has been prepared by Birmingham Ladies Driving School, and is intended to provide general information to help drivers to understand the MOT Test and to stay legal; whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date, it is not intended to be a legal guide.

Pages in the Law and Documentation A Drivers Guide section of the Birmingham Ladies Driving School website:

Sections of the Birmingham Ladies Driving School website: