When
Do I Need To Book an MOT?
It is your
responsibility to ensure that your vehicle is examined every
12 months. Without an MOT certificate, you will be unable to
renew your road tax and your car may not be insured. Having
a current MOT certificate is also a legal requirement in the
UK in order to drive your car on the public highway.
Originally
known as the Ministry of Transportation test, an MOT is an annual
examination of a vehicle that is three years or more in age. The
MOT tests both the safety of your vehicle and the level of emissions
in the exhaust it produces into the atmosphere.
The
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) takes responsibility
for the licensing of both the MOT test station (ie the garage
performing the MOT) and also the MOT tester who condusts the test
on your vehicle.
MOT
Nominated Testers are accredited by VOSA in their role to assess
your vehicle against a pre-determined list of safety checks and
to pass it as deemed to be acceptable and safe to drive on the
public highway, or indeed not. The acceptable standards can be
viewed online and are as recorded in the VOSA Vehicle Inspection
Manual.
The
MOT check is based on the condition of the vehicle provided on
the day, so make sure you do as many pre-checks as possible prior
to dropping the vehicle off with the MOT centre. Subject to the
vehicle passing, the tester carrying out the MOT will also normally
list any advisory items that have passed the test but will require
attention in the future.
You
can have your vehicle MoT tested up to 28 days in advance of its
due date, we recommend trying Kwik-Fit for your MOT. Kwik Fit
have over 250 VOSA approved testing centres and you can book over
the phone by calling 0800 222-111 or online by visiting their
website.
Just ensure you leave enough time to book your vehicle in beforehand
- you don't want your MOT to expire!
Documents
you need to remember to take with you for the MOT Test.
Remember to take your Vehicle Registration Document, this is also
known as the 'V5' document – and of course a means of paying
the current fee. Some companies let you book and pay online as
well.
You
can book an MOT for your car up to 28 days in advance of the date
it expires. This means you can have the car tested in advance
of the old certificate running out, and your new MOT will only
come into effect once the old one expires, so technically you
can have a 13 month MOT if you're really organised!
What
happens if my car fails the MOT?
If your vehicle fails its MOT, it means that it does not meet
minimum legal requirements and must be repaired to an acceptable
standard as to comply with MOT Test criteria. The tester will
supply you with a list of notes explaining why the vehicle has
failed its MOT and the necessary work required in order for it
to pass.
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