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If you own a car that is at least three years old, you are
legally obliged to book it in for a Ministry of Transport (MoT)
test to prove that it is roadworthy. You won't be called for
an MoT test or notified when the next one is due, so it is
up to you to make sure that your vehicle has an annual
inspection. |
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What is an MoT test? |
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The person
who carries out your MoT test must be authorised by the
Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA). He or she will
do a full inspection of the vehicle, including checks to the
inside, outside, underside and underneath the bonnet. Your
vehicle will only pass the full test if the tester ticks all
of these areas off on the form.
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If your
vehicle does not meet the required standards, you will be
given a VT30 document to confirm that it has failed the MoT test. In some
cases, the tester may highlight areas that have passed the
test, but still need checking on a regular basis.
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What Happens if My Car Doesn't have an
MOT Test? |
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It is against the law to drive a car that has not passed an
MoT test (and therefore does not have an MoT certificate to
confirm this). It is now even easier for VOSA and the police
to check your MoT status as a result of the computerised MoT
systems that have recently been introduced.
You are likely to be given a fine if you do not have an MoT
certificate. If you have an accident It will also affect any
insurance claims, unless you can prove that your vehicle was
roadworthy when the accident happened. You will not receive
any penalty points on your driving license. Depending on
your driving history, you could receive a summons, but it is
unlikely that you would have to attend a court hearing in
person.
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Attending the MoT |
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When you take your vehicle for its MoT, it would be
advisable that you also have your Vehicle Registration
Document (V5) with you. At the MoT Station there will be a
customer viewing area, so you can watch the whole process.
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What Happens if I'm not Happy with My
Car's MoT Results? |
If you feel that your MoT tester
did not do an adequate or correct job, you should speak to
the garage that carried out your MoT to see if there is
anything that you have misunderstood. If repairs to your car
are needed, you should postpone these in case the result was
wrong. If you are still unhappy, you can contact VOSA.
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Appeal forms (VT17) are
available at MoT testing centres. Alternatively, you obtain
a form by contacting VOSA. The appeal form needs to be sent
back within 14 days of your vehicle's MoT. You also need to
send VOSA the payment for a new MoT. They will schedule a
new MoT for your vehicle, and if your appeal is upheld, the
money will be refunded to you. It is important not to have
any repairs carried out on your vehicle before the
rescheduled MoT, as this could affect the result of your
appeal.
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The Car Doctor is
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