Is there ever a time I can drive without an MOT? The simple answer is, no, it's illegal to drive without an MOT. If your vehicle is more than three years old, you can't drive without an MOT unless you are driving to a pre-booked test at an authorised test centre.
An MOT lasts for a year. The date it runs out is printed on your current MOT pass certificate. You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT. You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
Being caught driving without a valid MOT certificate could result in a police caution, but in some cases it can carry the penalty of massive fines of up to £2,500. Fines can also include points on your licence or a driving disqualification in more severe cases.
The law makes no mention as to how far you can go for an MOT but we would suggest the distance is kept as short as possible because even though you are exempt from having a valid MOT certificate in the circumstances described above, if you are stopped by the police you could still be prosecuted for any defective parts ...
Driving a vehicle that's failed
You can take your vehicle away if: your current MOT certificate is still valid. no 'dangerous' problems were listed in the MOT.
If your vehicle fails its MOT, you can leave it at the test centre for essential repairs. As long as the repairs are done within 10 working days of the test, your vehicle can then be retested for free.
What is the MOT? The abbreviation MOT actually stands for the Ministry of Transport, which was the Government department responsible for the roads when the MOT was first introduced in 1960. When it was first introduced, an MOT test was only required after a car was ten years old.
An MOT involves dozens of checks on your car, ranging from the brakes and fuel system to lights, mirrors, seatbelts, windscreen wipers and exhaust system. It doesn't cover the condition of the engine, clutch and gearbox.
Rain, mud, slush, wind, extreme heat from the sun, can all damage the exteriors of a car for life. Parking your car inside a garage protects it from the elements. Your vehicle has many rubber components that can wear out if they get exposed to the harsh weather and fluctuating temperatures for an extended period.
Cars, trucks, or other engines are left running in enclosed spaces, such as garages. Carbon monoxide can build up in a garage and leak back into the house. Even sitting in an idling car in an open garage can be dangerous.
The tester will be subject to cessation if they have 500 or more points from Appendix 8.1 for the current case. The tester will also be subject to cessation if they have: 30 points or more for the current case. 100 points or more in total from the current case, unspent formal warnings, and unspent short term cessation.
“The PSNI has agreed not to penalise the driver of a vehicle whose MoT has expired so long as the vehicle is in a roadworthy and safe condition, the vehicle is properly insured, and the driver can provide proof by showing a MoT appointment notification, either in electronic or paper form, that a test appointment has ...
How long does an MOT take? The MOT test takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete. Each Kwik Fit MOT test centre is equipped with comfortable seating, free tea and coffee and free wifi so you can make yourself at home and we will carry out your MOT while you wait.
It's illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least 3rd party insurance. Even if the vehicle itself is insured, if you're not correctly insured to drive it you could get penalised.
Carbon Monoxide
According to the Centers for Disease Control, "People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before ever experiencing symptoms." If you live in a garage where someone parks his vehicle, you are putting yourself at risk. Using a small propane stove and lantern is also dangerous.
It is safe to sleep in a car in the garage provided the engine is turned off and fresh air can enter easily. Ensure your garage is not airtight before choosing to sleep inside. Take extra care when getting in and out of your vehicle to avoid hazards such as sharp objects or harmful materials.
So dangerous that it must NEVER be done, even for a short time. The extremely high concentrations of carbon monoxide produced by an engine can raise CO concentrations in a closed building so quickly that a person may collapse before they even realize there is a problem.
When it comes to preparing for an MOT test, tyres are an important aspect not to be ignored – there are quick visual checks you can easily perform to ensure your tyres will pass an MOT. The checks involve measuring tread depth, checking for bulges or cut, checking tyre pressure and other maintenance factors.
You can avoid this by checking our how to check brake pads guide. At your vehicle's MOT, they will inspect the brakes' pedals, levers and general condition, and carry out an efficiency test to assess their performance.
Is oil checked on MOT? Your steering oil level will be checked as part of the MOT. Your vehicle will need enough oil and fuel levels to carry out emission checks. So it will be worth checking this before taking your car to your MOT appointment.
An eSafety inspection report (commonly called a pink slip) is needed to renew the registration on any vehicle more than five years old as well as on vehicles previously registered in a different state or territory.
Dependent on the type of vehicle you drive there are two choices of MOT either a Class 4 or Class 7 MOT Test. A class 4 MOT is the most common one and the MOT required on all passenger cars, whilst a class 7 MOT is usually carried out on commercial goods vehicles that carry between 3,000 kg and 3,500 kg in weight.
Blown bulbs are the single biggest cause of failures, and are one of the simplest and cheapest to fix. Before the test, enroll a friend to help you check all of the lights are working – front, rear, indicators (including side repeaters), brake lights (including central repeaters), and fog lights front and back.
You'll only need a partial retest if you take the vehicle from the test centre for repairs and take it back within 10 working days. You can be charged a partial retest fee for this. In all other cases, you'll need to get a full retest and pay the full MOT test fee again.