Everything you need to know about: MOT Tests

MOT stands for the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Transport is the Government department that first introduced the test in 1960.

An MOT Test is an annual test of vehicle safety, roadworthiness and emissions that is required in the UK for vehicles over three years old. It will determine if your vehicle meets the minimum road safety and environmental standards required by law.

The test is designed to make sure the driver, any passengers and other road users are safe when the vehicle is on the road.

• What is an MOT test?
• Why do I need an MOT?
• How often do I need an MOT?
• How long does an MOT Test take?
• What gets checked on an MOT?
• Do electric cars need an MOT?
• How to check when my MOT is due
• What happens if my car fails the MOT?
• How early can I have an MOT Test?
• Is it illegal to drive without an MOT?
• What is the penalty for having no MOT in the UK?
• Can I park on the road with no MOT?
• Does a service plan cover MOTs?
• Are MOT failures and repairs covered under warranty?
• What are the most common MOT failures?
• What is an MOT advisory?
• Book your MOT in Chippenham, Wiltshire

If your car is over 3 years old, a valid MOT Test is a requirement by law.

Following the 3^rd anniversary of your car’s registration, it will require an MOT Test every year.

Fun fact: When the MOT test was first introduced in 1960, an MOT test was only required after a car was 10 years old!

An MOT test takes around one hour to complete all the relevant checks.

Every MOT test includes dozens of standard tests and checks, including:

• Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension
• Body, structure and attachments (including exhaust system, seats and doors)
• Steering
• Brakes
• Brake fluid contamination
• Brake pads warning light
• Fuel system
• Exhaust emissions
• Diesel particulate filter (DPF) for tampering
• Fluid leaks other than coolant and Adblue
• Lights, battery and electrical wiring
• Daytime running lights
• Reversing lights
• Horn
• Number plates
• Seatbelts
• Speedometer
• Visibility (wipers, windscreen, mirrors)

Yes, electric and hybrid vehicles do need an MOT. The MOT test for electric vehicles varies slightly, with a focus on battery condition and electrical components. Click here to read more about Electric Car MOT tests.

Making a note of when your MOT is due is helpful to prevent any delays in obtaining car tax and to ensure you do not run the risk of your tax expiring before you have a valid MOT certificate. There are a couple of methods to find out when your car is due for its next MOT. If you have last year’s MOT certificate, it will provide both the date that your vehicle passed the MOT, as well as the date it is due. If you cannot find your MOT certificate, you can look up your MOT expiry date online. The Government website has a tool that enables you to check the MOT status of a vehicle and when the MOT is due to expire. To use this tool, all that is needed is the vehicle’s registration number. 

If you are concerned about forgetting your MOT expiry date, you can also sign up for MOT reminders on the MOT section of the Government website. This service provides you with free alerts one month before your MOT expires. You can choose to receive MOT reminders by either email or text message.

If your car fails an MOT test before the current MOT certificate expires, you may still be able to drive your vehicle until you have fixed the issues and completed another MOT Test.

In the unfortunate event that your car is found to have a dangerous defect, you may not be able to drive the car until it has been repaired, and the current MOT certificate will be invalidated.

If your car fails an MOT test after the current MOT certificate expires, you will not be able to drive your vehicle as it will not be deemed roadworthy. You will either need to have the issues fixed at the garage it is currently in, or have it recovered elsewhere to repair.

Without a valid MOT certificate, you will also not be able to tax your car. 

We always recommend having your MOT Test carried out in advance of the expiry date, so there is an opportunity to resolve any problems and re-test without taking you off the road for too long.

At the earliest, an MOT Test can be carried out one month, minus a day, prior to the expiry date of your existing MOT certificate, whilst still preserving the anniversary of the expiry date.

In most cases, driving without an MOT is illegal and can incur penalties. However, there are some exceptions. It is not illegal to drive your car without and MOT in the following scenarios:

• If your car is less than 3 years old
• If you are driving to an MOT Test centre for an MOT Test

If you are found driving without a valid MOT certificate, you could receive a police caution or a fine of up to £1,000. You may also incur points on your licence or in extreme cases, a driving disqualification.

If you are involved in an accident, your insurance may be invalid if you do not have a current MOT certificate.

According to Government guidelines, you cannot park your car on the road if the MOT has expired. That means you must park on private property, or pay for it to be safely stored until it can have an MOT Test.

It depends. Some service plans include a set number of MOT tests within the plan, and some do not. It would be worth checking your service plan paper work prior to booking your MOT.

In the event your car fails the MOT, a service plan will not cover the cost of repairs.

In most cases, MOT failures are not covered under vehicle warranty. The most common MOT failures are wear and tear items, or consumables, which would not be covered under warranty in any event.

Click here to read the most common MOT failures and how to avoid them.

In summary:

• Lighting and signalling – anything from blown bulbs to cracks in the lights or misty lenses could see your car fail its MOT
• Suspension – your suspension system is out of sight, so you may be unaware that you have a leaky shock absorber, but this would be an MOT failure
• Brakes – one in 10 cars fail an MOT with brake issues
• Tyres – the minimum legal requirement for tyres is 1.6mm across the central three quarters. Anything less than that, or any uneven wear, damage or punctures may cause your car to fail
• Issues affecting visibility – Anything block the windscreen, light an air freshener, sat nav, cracks or chips could be an MOT fail

An MOT advisory is an item that is close to the point of failure on an MOT, such as your tyres being close to the minimum tread depth. You can pass an MOT Test with some advisory items. They will usually be very minor problems, or something the MOT Technician has noticed that has the potential to be an issue.

You can still drive with these advisories, but it is advised that you address them for your safety and peace of mind, especially before the next MOT Test is due.

At Chippenham Motor Company, we don’t just sell high-quality new cars and used cars; we also offer MOTs and servicing to ensure your car stays running at its best. If your MOT or annual service is due soon, why not get in touch and find out how we can help. Contacting our friendly team is easy; you can call us or use our contact form, and we will get back to you.

We are authorised service centres for Citroen, Peugeot, SEAT, Kia, Ford, Volvo and Polestar, but all makes and models are welcome.