MOT date

mrschaucer

Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, but I can't find it and VOSA aren't responding to my email enquiries.
We bought a low milage UK spec Ford from a dealer in 2009, which had been imported from the Channel Islands, and was new in 2008. I remember checking on the DirectGov website at the time as to when it would need its MOT - 3 years from new, 3 years from first reg in the CIs, 3 years from first reg in the UK etc. This http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022112
told me that the MOT date for a pre-used import was up to 31 Dec three years after the date of manufacture. BUT when I look at the DirectGov site now, it merely states that all cars should be MOT'd at three years old, and the above info has completely gone. Have the regs changed, does anyone know, as we were going to wait until a little later in the year and do the MOT with its service. Or should we be hotfooting to the MOT station now before its birthday? Local MOT station doesn't have a clue. Many thanks.

Hammyman

This http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...Mot/DG_4022112
told me that the MOT date for a pre-used import was up to 31 Dec three years after the date of manufacture.

The date of 31st December of a particular year is applied to imported vehicles where the date of first use cannot be established. When the date of first use can be established, that date is used.

For example, my wife has a Mitsubishi FTO which is an import model in the UK - was never sold here. Because it had a date of first use of March 1995 in the records and subsequently on the V5, it didn't have to comply with the emissions changes that happened in August that year and had it been imported at under 3 years old, its first MOT would be due from that date. If it hadn't have had that first use information, the date automatically assigned by DVLA would be 31/12/95 so it would've had to have the newer test and the first MOT on 31/12/1998.

If it says 3yrs from date of registration from the CI, that'll be the one you need to go by. But regardless, you can MOT a vehicle any time you want before its due or the old one expires, its only £50 or so and your car should be up to MOT standard at all times so to be safe, just book it in if in doubt.

mrschaucer

Thanks. Think we'll just stick it in for its test sooner rather than later.