MOT question/rules

[splash gti]

Car had MOT until September 24, 2022.
Car was MOTed early on September 8 and it failed MOT on a numberplate bulb, split steering rack gaiter and cracked anti roll bar bracket (classed as dangerous).
I have repaired the car fully and am booked for a retest on September 20th.

My question is, am I able to drive it now or do I have to wait for the retest?
If I can drive it, does it affect my insurance in any way?

Thanks in advance.

[aceofspades1]

Straight from the GOV website

Your vehicle will fail if the test result lists ‘dangerous’ or ‘major’ problems with your vehicle. You might not be allowed to drive until you fix the problems.

You might also get a list of ‘minor’ or ‘advisory’ problems to monitor or fix in the future.

If your vehicle fails the MOT:

you’ll get a ‘refusal of an MOT test certificate’ from the test centre
it will be recorded in the MOT database

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
Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive.

If you can take your vehicle away, it must still meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times.

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle that has failed its MOT because of a ‘dangerous’ problem.

So if your old certificate is still valid and the vehicle is not roadworthy you are not allowed to drive it.

[Baldchap]

An MOT is valid until the expiry date stated.

You're fine.

[Baldchap]

aceofspades1 said:

if ... the vehicle is not roadworthy you are not allowed to drive it.

This is also the case at any point in time.

[aceofspades1]

Baldchap said:

This is also the case at any point in time.

Yes but the chance of your vehicle being pulled over randomly to check something specific (apart from obvious things like tyres) is unlikely. It's a lot more likely they'll check specifically what you failed on if you're seen driving around having failed an MOT and it's easier to prosecute as it's in clear writing that you knew your vehicle was dangerous.

[Olivergt]

Baldchap said:

An MOT is valid until the expiry date stated.

You're fine.

Your statement totally contradicts what the previous poster posted from the GOV web site!

Can you provide a source for your information please so we can figre out what is correct.

This should also be posted in the "Ask an MOT Tester anything" thread:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[twing]

Baldchap said:

An MOT is valid until the expiry date stated.

You're fine.

It's not, the old MOT is invalid as the failed one has superseded. That's why we do pre-MOT checks ( a bit of a sticky one as driver will be knowingly driving with defects but it does still have a valid MOT)

[MitchT]

I interpret it like this...

aceofspades1 said:

Straight from the GOV website...

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
Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive.

So, in the case of the OP...

1: your current MOT certificate is still valid - Condition met
2: no ‘dangerous’ problems were listed in the MOT - Condition not met, but...
3: Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive. - Car repaired so condition 2 now met.

Therefore, fine to drive.

[aceofspades1]

Providing the vehicle actually is roadworthy, Op is fine. That doesn't mean that just because a valid MOT certificate is in place you're fine. As one poster mentioned, a vehicle having to be roadworthy does actually apply at all times of course but having failed an MOT is one of the easiest times to get caught because it's recorded and written that you knew the vehicle was not roadworthy.

[_Neal_]

MitchT said:

I interpret it like this...

aceofspades1 said:

Straight from the GOV website...

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
Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive.

So, in the case of the OP...

1: your current MOT certificate is still valid - Condition met
2: no ‘dangerous’ problems were listed in the MOT - Condition not met, but...
3: Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive. - Car repaired so condition 2 now met.

Therefore, fine to drive.

Agreed. Logically that seems right too i.e. the car is now roadworthy (due to the repairs) and has a valid MOT.

[Sheepshanks]

twing said:

It's not, the old MOT is invalid as the failed one has superseded.

That's completely incorrect.

People are mixing up having a current MOT with the car being unroadworthy. The two aren't necessarily related.

[KungFuPanda]

MitchT said:

So, in the case of the OP...

1: your current MOT certificate is still valid - Condition met
2: no ‘dangerous’ problems were listed in the MOT - Condition not met, but...
3: Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive. - Car repaired so condition 2 now met.

Therefore, fine to drive.

OP states that the cracked ARB bracket was classed as dangerous though.

[Brassblaster]

KungFuPanda said:

OP states that the cracked ARB bracket was classed as dangerous though.

Looks like that's the crux of the question, doesn't it?

Does a failed MOT for a "dangerous" fault mean you can't drive it until that's repaired or does it mean you can't drive it until you have a fresh MOT?

[KungFuPanda]

Brassblaster said:

KungFuPanda said:

OP states that the cracked ARB bracket was classed as dangerous though.

Looks like that's the crux of the question, doesn't it?

Does a failed MOT for a "dangerous" fault mean you can't drive it until that's repaired or does it mean you can't drive it until you have a fresh MOT?

I suppose it’s a moot point now though given that the repairs have been made.

[Little Pete]

KungFuPanda said:

MitchT said:

So, in the case of the OP...

1: your current MOT certificate is still valid - Condition met
2: no ‘dangerous’ problems were listed in the MOT - Condition not met, but...
3: Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive. - Car repaired so condition 2 now met.

Therefore, fine to drive.

OP states that the cracked ARB bracket was classed as dangerous though.

A dangerous defect still doesn’t cancel our the current MOT, nothing does.

[MustangGT]

It really is simple. The existing MOT is valid until the date of expiry. Any dangerous faults means the car should not be driven on the road until repaired. This applies at all times.

So for the OP:

Old MOT still valid and car repaired therefore perfectly legal to drive on the road, also, no need to get your insurance company involved at all.

[Little Pete]

Olivergt said:

Baldchap said:

An MOT is valid until the expiry date stated.

You're fine.

Your statement totally contradicts what the previous poster posted from the GOV web site!

Can you provide a source for your information please so we can figre out what is correct.

This should also be posted in the "Ask an MOT Tester anything" thread:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

He isn’t contradicting anything. The website says you should not drive your vehicle with a dangerous defect but it doesn’t say the current MOT is now invalid.

[Little Pete]

MustangGT said:

It really is simple. The existing MOT is valid until the date of expiry. Any dangerous faults means the car should not be driven on the road until repaired. This applies at all times.

So for the OP:

Old MOT still valid and car repaired therefore perfectly legal to drive on the road, also, no need to get your insurance company involved at all.

Spot on.

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

Old certificate is valid until the date it expires, the car has had its defects repaired. You are perfectly okay to use it until the retest.

[GasEngineer]

As above - the car is now safe to drive. How did you get it to wherever you undertook the repairs?