Getting an MOT early - do you lose the month if over?
Discussion
Got the car booked in for a service and the MOT is due a month later. Having checked the MOT it says I can get the MOT up to a month earlier without changing the date. Sods law, the car is booked in for the day before the earliest date I can get it tested.
If I get it tested anyway, do I just lose one day (ie the annual MOT due date will move forward a day) or does it take me outside of that grace period in which case the MOT would be due exactly 12 months later, rather than just losing a day.
I'm not sure I've explained that terribly well but hopefully it is clear enough?
Basically, if I get an MOT a day before the earliest day I can have it tested without changing the current annual date, does it move back one day or do I lose the whole month?
I've checked the government web site but whilst it mentions the facility for getting an MOT early by up to a month without moving the current MOT date, it doesn't say what happens if it is more than that.
Earliest date you can get an MOT
An MOT lasts for a year. The date it runs out is printed on the last pass certificate.
You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
Example
If your MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is 16 April.
You can get an MOT earlier, but the MOT renewal date for the following year will be different.
If I get it tested anyway, do I just lose one day (ie the annual MOT due date will move forward a day) or does it take me outside of that grace period in which case the MOT would be due exactly 12 months later, rather than just losing a day.
I'm not sure I've explained that terribly well but hopefully it is clear enough?
Basically, if I get an MOT a day before the earliest day I can have it tested without changing the current annual date, does it move back one day or do I lose the whole month?
I've checked the government web site but whilst it mentions the facility for getting an MOT early by up to a month without moving the current MOT date, it doesn't say what happens if it is more than that.
Earliest date you can get an MOT
An MOT lasts for a year. The date it runs out is printed on the last pass certificate.
You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
Example
If your MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is 16 April.
You can get an MOT earlier, but the MOT renewal date for the following year will be different.
PaulJC84 said:
I had this MOT due the 6th and and booked the car for the 6th the month before. I asked them to fail it on something trivial and I would take the car back when siuited a few days later so they could pass it then so I did not lose the month.
This is the way round your issue.Fail on a side light bulb on day of your service & MOT, then either pick the car up 1st thing following day after they've done the retest or a few days later if you can't do the following day.
E30M3SE said:
Still doesn't say what the offence is.In fact, it's an oversimplification that borders on misleading.
The car still has an MoT, and if it is safe and legal, in that it complies with the Construction & Use regulations as well as having a current certificate it is legal to use it.
However if your car fails and it hasn't been repaired, it's probably in a dangerous condition. Note that the threat is for the offence of using in a dangerous condition, not without an MoT - they are different offences with different punishments.
LeeThr said:
Mave said:
Why not? What's the offence?
Well if it's failed, it means it's not worthy to be on the road no matter how small a failure. Common sense & all that....And if you fix the problem before the retest is it unroadworthy until you take the test? Common sense says it's the act of fixing the brakes or changing the tyres that makes it roadworthy, not the act of inspecting it at an MOT.
E30M3SE said:
...and if you look at section 6 (the next page) it says something different...Mave said:
...and if you look at section 6 (the next page) it says something different...
You referring to,"Taking your vehicle away for repairs
You can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid."
You can take your car away even if the MOT has expired and it has failed.
As already posted by someone else, common sense prevails.
You can carry on driving the car but it's not hard to find out it has been presented for a MOT test and failed, what 'one' would or could be prosecuted for depends on what it failed on. If it's got cords hanging out of all 4 tyres pleading ignorance won't wash.
E30M3SE said:
Mave said:
...and if you look at section 6 (the next page) it says something different...
You referring to,"Taking your vehicle away for repairs
You can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid."
You can take your car away even if the MOT has expired and it has failed.
As already posted by someone else, common sense prevails.
You can carry on driving the car but it's not hard to find out it has been presented for a MOT test and failed, what 'one' would or could be prosecuted for depends on what it failed on. If it's got cords hanging out of all 4 tyres pleading ignorance won't wash.
The poster you refer to who mentioned common sense also referred even the most minor failure item as making the car not worthy for the road, so we're not talking about cords hanging out of four tyres; and if we were I would expect to get prosecuted for having an unroadworthy vehicle, NOT for not having a valid MOT certificate.
Driving on the road - Requirements
To drive on the road you need MOT VED (Road Tax) and Insurance to cover driver and vehicle (MOT is provided an MOT is required - ie car younger than 3 years old or registered before 1960 can be a reason for not requiring one)
AND
The car is in a roadworthy condition
The MOT failure is a refusal to issue a pass certificate, not the issuing of a fail certificate or the revoking of a previously issued certificate.
The only data stored on the Database is if a Pass certificate is in force and they run for up to 13 months. It is still valid regardless until the end date of the certificate
So if you put it in early and it fails the MOT original pass certificate remains in force.
However this does not exempt you from "con and use" requirements ie a vehicle in roadworthy condition
4 bald tyres and a MOT certificate in force would mean you would be just prosecuted for 4 bald tyres
4 bald tyres and no MOT certificate in force would mean you would be prosecuted for 4 bald tyres and no valid MOT - they may even use the reasons for the failure against the driver if they were 4 bald tyres.....
An MOT can be passed yesterday and a car can be un-roadworthy the next day quite easily
An MOT fail doesn't automatically make a car un-roadworthy there are reasons for failure that are not covered by "con and use" legislation
To drive on the road you need MOT VED (Road Tax) and Insurance to cover driver and vehicle (MOT is provided an MOT is required - ie car younger than 3 years old or registered before 1960 can be a reason for not requiring one)
AND
The car is in a roadworthy condition
The MOT failure is a refusal to issue a pass certificate, not the issuing of a fail certificate or the revoking of a previously issued certificate.
The only data stored on the Database is if a Pass certificate is in force and they run for up to 13 months. It is still valid regardless until the end date of the certificate
So if you put it in early and it fails the MOT original pass certificate remains in force.
However this does not exempt you from "con and use" requirements ie a vehicle in roadworthy condition
4 bald tyres and a MOT certificate in force would mean you would be just prosecuted for 4 bald tyres
4 bald tyres and no MOT certificate in force would mean you would be prosecuted for 4 bald tyres and no valid MOT - they may even use the reasons for the failure against the driver if they were 4 bald tyres.....
An MOT can be passed yesterday and a car can be un-roadworthy the next day quite easily
An MOT fail doesn't automatically make a car un-roadworthy there are reasons for failure that are not covered by "con and use" legislation
In a nutshell
You have a MOT pass you get a VT20 MOT Certificate and it covers you for up to 13 months
You have an MOT fail you get a VT30 (Refusal of an MOT test certificate)
NOTE - Refusal = Didn't issue
This is not a revoked VT20 - if you have "time left on the clock" so to speak on your VT20 it still remains in force.
None of the above is any defence to driving a car in an un-roadworthy condition.
You have a MOT pass you get a VT20 MOT Certificate and it covers you for up to 13 months
You have an MOT fail you get a VT30 (Refusal of an MOT test certificate)
NOTE - Refusal = Didn't issue
This is not a revoked VT20 - if you have "time left on the clock" so to speak on your VT20 it still remains in force.
None of the above is any defence to driving a car in an un-roadworthy condition.
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