When do you need an MOT?
All vehicles aged 3 years or more are required to have a valid MOT test certificate.
If you have brought your car new, the MOT is due on that 3rd anniversary of the car purchase. If you buy a car second hand, check on the MOT certificate for when its next check is due. It is your responsibility to ensure that it is checked annually.
You can have your vehicle MOT tested up to 28 days in advance of the MOT expiry date without losing any days on your certificate. Put simply, if the MOT is due on the 30th April and you have your car tested on the 15th April, your MOT will run for another year until the 30th April again.
What happens if a car fails its MOT, or the MOT has expired?
If your vehicle fails a test you can take it away if your MOT certificate is still valid in order to get faults rectified.
If your MOT has run out you can take your vehicle to:
- have the failed defects fixed
- a pre-arranged MOT test appointment
Driving without a valid MOT other than in these circumstances is illegal and will also invalidate your car insurance.