What CAN you do without an MOT?
Discussion
I've just purchased a car that's been off the road for a couple of years, but is basically in roadworthy condition. It has a few electrical problems (the indicators only work if the headlights are off, etc...) and no exhaust from the manifold back, but it starts, stop and turns as it should.
Obviously, it has no MOT.
According to this:
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test
...you can legally drive an un-MOT'd car to and from a place of repair. How far can you push this? It wouldn't be that wise, but could I drive to an exhaust shop with only a manifold on the car (a distance of about 10 miles - the car requires an exhaust to be fabricated) and bring it home afterwards? And could I then I take the car to the specialist I need 100 miles away, and bring it home again, all legally, before actually taking it to an MOT station?
The car would obviously have no tax, but would be insured.
So, who knows the answer? If this is possible, it could save me a bomb in transport costs.
Obviously, it has no MOT.
According to this:
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test
...you can legally drive an un-MOT'd car to and from a place of repair. How far can you push this? It wouldn't be that wise, but could I drive to an exhaust shop with only a manifold on the car (a distance of about 10 miles - the car requires an exhaust to be fabricated) and bring it home afterwards? And could I then I take the car to the specialist I need 100 miles away, and bring it home again, all legally, before actually taking it to an MOT station?
The car would obviously have no tax, but would be insured.
So, who knows the answer? If this is possible, it could save me a bomb in transport costs.
you'll be taking the piss going from 1 place home then to another home then to the MOT.
it's interoperated that you go to a place for repairs and get them all done in one go at the nearest place with a booking.
if you have to do more than 1 trip or do a big distance get a trailer and do it legally.
it's interoperated that you go to a place for repairs and get them all done in one go at the nearest place with a booking.
if you have to do more than 1 trip or do a big distance get a trailer and do it legally.
Edited by colinjy on Friday 5th June 13:27
It states you can only drive somewhere to "have the failed defects fixed"
If you are going to get work done that isn't on the defect list then you're playing a tricky game. If pushing your luck too hard you car will be seized (for no tax).
Also driving back home after the repair isn't an exemption, you can drive somewhere to have the work done but must go to a pre-booked MOT after.
Unless going somewhere local for a small repair job, don't risk it or tow the car there.
If you are going to get work done that isn't on the defect list then you're playing a tricky game. If pushing your luck too hard you car will be seized (for no tax).
Also driving back home after the repair isn't an exemption, you can drive somewhere to have the work done but must go to a pre-booked MOT after.
Unless going somewhere local for a small repair job, don't risk it or tow the car there.
It still needs to be roadworthy, even if you're taking it for a pre arranged MOT
Alternatively
Paint it green, register it as a tractor and fill this in
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/declara...
Alternatively
Paint it green, register it as a tractor and fill this in
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/declara...
In the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests
it states 'You can only take your vehicle to or from somewhere to be repaired if your MOT has run out.'
- no mention of the defects for which the vehicle has failed. I appreciate I'm playing with semantics here, but if someone does have the answer and not a 'best guess' (even I can do that!) I'd appreciate it.
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests
it states 'You can only take your vehicle to or from somewhere to be repaired if your MOT has run out.'
- no mention of the defects for which the vehicle has failed. I appreciate I'm playing with semantics here, but if someone does have the answer and not a 'best guess' (even I can do that!) I'd appreciate it.
speedking31 said:
A car which only has a manifold and no exhaust is not "basically roadworthy". HTH. Driving to an MOT place for a pre-booked MOT is OK so long as the car is roadworthy. All C&U regulations still apply. Distance no object, but driving elsewhere for repairs is not permitted.
Incorrect. You can drive a vehicle to ANY location to have repair made, however this can only take place AFTER the vehicle has taken a test and been refused.http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1981/1694/regul...
(2) Pursuant to section 44(6) the Secretary of State hereby exempts from section 44(1) the use of a vehicle—
(a)(i)for the purpose of submitting it by previous arrangement for, or bringing it away from, an examination, or
(ii)in the course of an examination, for the purpose of taking it to, or bringing it away from, any place where a part of the examination is to be or, as the case may be, has been, carried out, or of carrying out any part of the examination, the person so using it being either—
(A)an examiner, or a Ministry Inspector or an inspector appointed by a designated council, or
(B)a person acting under the personal direction of an examiner, a Ministry Inspector or a designated Council, or
(iii)where a test certificate is refused on an examination—
(A)for the purpose of delivering it by previous arrangement at, or bringing it away from, a place where work is to be or has been done on it to remedy for a further examination the defects on the ground of which the test certificate was refused; or
(B)for the purpose of delivering it, by towing it, to a place where the vehicle is to be broken up;
Edited by shakotan on Friday 5th June 13:45
Ah, that seems to be my answer - it can only be driven to repair defects specifically identified in an MOT. Which I guess means I can't drive it as the flaws are of the previous owner's making!
Many thanks Shakotan!
Of course I could take it to an MOT station to have it refused a certificate, which would bizarrely allow me to drive it... Could still be cheaper than getting it hauled 100 miles!
Many thanks Shakotan!
Of course I could take it to an MOT station to have it refused a certificate, which would bizarrely allow me to drive it... Could still be cheaper than getting it hauled 100 miles!
NDNDNDND said:
...you can legally drive an un-MOT'd car to and from a place of repair. How far can you push this? It wouldn't be that wise, but could I drive to an exhaust shop with only a manifold on the car (a distance of about 10 miles - the car requires an exhaust to be fabricated) and bring it home afterwards? And could I then I take the car to the specialist I need 100 miles away, and bring it home again, all legally, before actually taking it to an MOT station?
Plod may try to tell you otherwise but there is nothing in the relevant legislation which prescribes the distance you can travel to a MOT test.See Regulation 6(2) of the The Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1981/1694/regul...
What you need to do each time is book a test close to where you want to drive to and make sure you have the relevant info with you in case you are stopped by plod (they WILL check this).
Of course the car shouldn't have any obvious defects (e.g. a dodgy tyre etc) which will clearly make it unroadworthy before you even set off. C&U regs still apply. In the first instance with only a manifold and no pipe/silencer you're taking a risk. The second time you should be fine. I have done this myself as there are only a handful of specialists I would trust to do any spannering on my car. The nearest one to me is 50 miles away.
The furthest I have driven without a MOT is 250 miles: bought a car with an expired certificate, booked a test close to home and drove it back.
Thanks for your concern, but it's a 5 litre V8 and sounds fricking awesome. Frankly I should drive it around on open exhausts as a service to wider society! However I'll probably bodge an exhaust using flexi pipe (the catback is still in place) just to keep it at least a little under the radar.
So, is that a viable plan? Drive it to an MOT station to obtain a fail certificate to allow me to drive it to get it fixed?
So, is that a viable plan? Drive it to an MOT station to obtain a fail certificate to allow me to drive it to get it fixed?
Unlikely as it might be, You would still be running the risk of the Police stopping you for driving an unroadworthy vehicle and having it seized.
(Mind you saying that, I watched an episode of Police Interceptors the other day and they seized an Audi TT that appeared to be in perfectly good roadworthy condition because it was being driven with no insurance on it.
Then, later in the same programme a guy in a white van was pulled over for having various lights not working [an Earth fault on the rear lights meant that when the indicator was used, all of the rear lights turned into a mobile disco display!], and when they checked the vehicle over, three of the tyres had no tread left - one of them had the steel belts showing!
The driver promised to get the faults rectified the next day [having been booked for the relevant offences], and appeared to be allowed to continue his journey with a van that was blatantly a death-trap!)
(Mind you saying that, I watched an episode of Police Interceptors the other day and they seized an Audi TT that appeared to be in perfectly good roadworthy condition because it was being driven with no insurance on it.
Then, later in the same programme a guy in a white van was pulled over for having various lights not working [an Earth fault on the rear lights meant that when the indicator was used, all of the rear lights turned into a mobile disco display!], and when they checked the vehicle over, three of the tyres had no tread left - one of them had the steel belts showing!
The driver promised to get the faults rectified the next day [having been booked for the relevant offences], and appeared to be allowed to continue his journey with a van that was blatantly a death-trap!)Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff