All cars and motorcycles that are three years old or more must, by law, undergo an MOT test. Once your vehicle starts having an MOT, it must have the next one on or just before the anniversary of the last MOT to stay legal.

The MOT is designed to check whether your car is roadworthy, to protect you and other road users.

When you car passes its MOT you are issued with an MOT certificate. If it fails, you need to have the remedial work done, have it re-tested, and it must pass, to get a new MOT certificate.

If you drive a car over three years old without an MOT, you could be fined or prosecuted, and it’s highly unlikely that your insurance would be valid.

According to the government, almost half of faults during the MOT could be avoided if owners kept up basic maintenance in between tests.

We’ve listed the top 5 reasons for failure below – just keeping on top of these things makes it far less likely that your car will fail.

Top five reasons for a car failing its MOT:

• Screen wash wasn’t topped up
  This takes seconds so make sure you do it before you take your car in for its test.
• Lights not working
  Check that all bulbs are working eg headlamps, indicators, brake lights etc. Not always easy to change yourself but let the garage know and we can quickly replace a bulb.
• A registration plate problem
  This could be that the plate was broken, or too dirty to read properly. Also included are plates that don’t have the correct kind of lettering or spacing. If you have a personalised plate, make sure it conforms to the rules.
• Stickers on the windows blocking the driver’s view
  The best way to avoid this is to make sure anything stuck to the windscreen, such as parking permits, is outside the wiper area. This also applies to things hanging on the rear view mirror – air fresheners/furry dice etc!
• Lit-up warning light on the dashboard
  If a light comes up on the dashboard, make sure you know what it means and get it checked out straight away – don’t wait for your MOT. Ignoring a light could do serious and long-lasting damage to your car.

An MOT involves dozens of checks, including bodywork, and the fuel and exhaust systems. It doesn’t cover the engine, clutch or gearbox, so you should keep these in good working order separately.

What’s included in an MOT test?
You can see exactly what is covered in an MOT for cars and motorcycles on the Gov.uk website. What gets checked in an MOT doesn’t vary from place to place – the list is a legal requirement so all test centres will cover everything on the list.

What to do if your car fails its MOT
If your car fails its MOT, we will let you know what it has failed on, and what it will cost to get it fixed, before we start any work. We will then offer you a retest for free if re-presented within 10 working days. We know being without your car is a major inconvenience, so we will try our best to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

My MOT is expired by my test is booked – can I drive?
You can’t drive your car on the road if your MOT has expired. The only exception is driving it to a pre-booked appointment at the test centre. If you are stopped by police you will be asked to prove that you have an appointment, otherwise you could be fined or prosecuted.

Can I drive my car if it fails its test?
If you thought ahead and got your car tested before your old MOT certificate ran out, you can drive it until the certificate runs out. However, if it is un-roadworthy and you are stopped by police, you can still be fined or prosecuted, even with a valid MOT certificate. If it fails, you will need to get the failures fixed and have it retested before your certificate runs out.

When can I have an MOT?
Your car can take an MOT test anytime. If you have less than a month left on your existing certificate, and your car passes, your new certificated will run from the end date of your old one.

Is my vehicle exempt from an MOT?
Tractors, goods vehicles powered by electricity, any vehicle under 3 years old and cars and motorbikes made before 1960 don’t need an MOT.

Contact us now to book an MOT