MOT validity

[Senga 2]

Is there any leaway to continue driving after your MOT has expired? I have been given several different answers to this anything from none at all to two weeks. Can anyone give me a definitive answer, please? For any authority figures out there my own MOT is up to date! thanks in advance.

[Postdog]

Not a mechanic or anything to do with a garage, but even I know when your MOT runs out, it is not legal to have it on the road. The ONLY exception (apart from maybe driving to scrap it, and even then I doubt it) is driving to a prearranged MOT tester.

The only "grace" you get, is that you can test a little earlier than the due date, but still have expiry a year on from the due date.

[Panic Button]

Agreed.

When it runs out you are illegal.

Same with road tax. No grace period despite common myth.

As Postdog says, you can get your car MOT'd before the year is up, and it is up to a month early that you are allowed and still have it valid for 12 months from the due date.

[Ethel]

Postdog is right and here is confirmation on the Police National Legal Database:

http://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q360.htm

[bazmoore]

ahhh but panic button if you get your car mot early and it fails your mot runs out on the day it failed and you no longer have that "extra month"

it says this on the certificate.

baz

[david1702198]

baz what are u on about?? if the car is mot'd one month before expiry and it fails the original mot is still valid until it expires. and it does not state anything of the kind on the certificate.

[kempie]

With MOT computerisation that is no longer true david1702198.

The new MOT certificate is your receipt for the MOT test. It shows the information that is held on the MOT database. The certificate is no longer proof of an MOT and should not be relied on as such. Only the computer record can prove a vehicle has a valid MOT.

If you have a car pass an MOT and than choose to MOT the same car the next day and it fails then this information would be placed on the MOT database. This car no longer has a valid MOT despite the existence of the "certificate" issued the previous day.

[david1702198]

kempie i used to do them for a living and i know what it says, if the car is motd and passes and then is motd the next day and fails it does not contradict the original mot UNTIL THE CAR PASSES THE 2ND MOT THEN THE SYSTEM WILL WARN YOU THAT THE 2ND ONE WILL SUPERSEED THE FIRST ONE!!! YOU CANNOT VOID THE ORIGINAL MOT UNTIL IT PASSES ANOTHER. and the certificate is proof of an mot otherwise how would you obtain road tax?? THE MOT WORKS EXACTLY THE SAME WAS AS COMPUTERISATION AS I DID IN THE OLD HAND WRITTEN CERTIFICATE FORM OTHER THAN ALL THE INFO IS LOGGED ON A DATABASE.

[david1702198]

the only way a new mot certificate would void an old one that was stil in date is if the car was to pass an mot within the 4 week period of expiry of the old one then the new post dated cerificate would superseed the old one and thats what would be live on the mot database.

[Doc Spock]

I have had two cars written off where it was not my fault.


On both occasions the mot had expired but the car was taxed and insured.

I got paid out for everything including compo.

No-one checked the mot date.


I presume the assuption was that it must have a valid mot as it was taxed.

[Doc Spock]

The old system was better when an MOT cert lasted 2 years.

[david1702198]

they are talking about reintroducing that .

[kempie]

david1702198 - You may well have "used to do them for a living" but the old system has been revised with the new computerised MOT.

Only the computer record can prove a vehicle has a valid MOT. The new MOT "certificate" is no more than a receipt.

http://direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicl e/Mot/DG_4022108

[bazmoore]

so you put your car in for an mot early and it fails

worn out brake linings

leaking brake cylinders

is it roadworthy?? i think not and id be reluctant to drive it

the certificate telling you it has failed effectively puts the vehicle offf the road (it says this on the reverse
how long have you been doing mots for ?)

[david1702198]

it does say on the rear of the failure ot that the car is unroadwrthy BUT IT DOES NOT INVALIDATE THE ORIGINAL MOT WHICH IS STILL IN DATE AS AT THE TIME THAT WAS ISSUED THE CAR MET THE MINIMUM REQUIRED STANDARD TO PASS. a car can pass an mot one day and fail the next technically but as i say it met the minimum requirements at the time. what about bald tyres???a tyre could be 1.7mm of tread at time of mot but you know and i know it needs replaced asap but it will still pass an mot as its still legal!!!think you should maybe read a bit more carefully bazmoore!! and anyway if there is no visible sign of brake fluid behind the rear brake drums then how do you know there is a leaking wheel cylinder if you are not allowed to remove any wheels during an mot. oh and baz i tested for 5 years so if i didnt know the rules then how did i pass the vehicle inspectorate as it was then and latterly vosa courses and inspections??

[david1702198]

kempie your link is fine but knowhere does it say that a failure document invalidates an already valid mot!which it doesnt!!!!the original mot is still valid as at the time of issue the vehicle was deemed to have met the minimum required standard!! the same as even if it passes, the new mot certificate would be post dated with any time left on the old one. in either xase you wil get the benefit of the already valid mot.