MOT runs out when away.

Killerseven

We are going away for about 6 weeks, the MOT runs out a couple of weeks into it.

the car has insurance and tax, is it a legal requirment to have MOT if kept off the road and not driven? Do I have to declare sorn or something?

Strider590

Get it MOT'd before you go, sure you may lose a month, but what's £4 on top of the cost of your holiday?????

Having the MOT come up earlier than the VED and other costs is also a very nice side bonus.

andy111

You can MOT up to 4 weeks before expiry and still have the 12 months from expiry date.


Take it in 4w before date, that gives you two weeks to rectify before hols.

wongataa

Get the MOT done before you go away. You can present the car for an MOT up to 4 weeks before the expiry date and keep the expiry date of the new one 1 year from the date of the old one. As yours expires two weeks after you go away you should have about two weeks before you go away to sort everything out with no issues.

You can get a MOT done at any time but outside of the 4 weeks before the current one expires the new one will expire on the first anniversary of the test.

If you don't get it done before you go away you don't need to declare SORN, just make sure the car is off the road somewhere.

Ebe_Scrooge

If the MOT is due 2 weeks into your holiday, MOT it before you go, present the existing certificate to the tester and the new MOT can be post-dated to begin from the expiry of the old one - it can only be post-dated a maximum of one month :

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/the-mot-test

Del_Astra

You can present the car 1 month prior to expiry and still preserve date. So you get it mot'd after 11 months the new mot is valid for 13 months if you follow. so depending on dates you might be able to do this.

Otherwise it is probably easier just to get it done before you go.

Marktheshark

Know of someone who was stopped by police and Ticketed on the way to a pre-booked MOT and now has to go back to to court next week with the evidence.
The Cops answer was, I don't care, no MOT, you get a ticket, argue at court.

Probably will be found not guilty, but it is two days off work without pay to save £100 ticket.

force_ten

you can get the MOT done up to one month before due date and still maintain the original MOT expiry date

so if the mot expires a couple of weeks into your holiday then you could do it before you go

if you go away and the car is in your garage or on your drive then no problem with the mot expiring while you are away but when you get back you will not be able to drive the car until it is mot,d

you can drive a car with no mot to and from a pre booked MOT but nowhere else

Ebe_Scrooge

Marktheshark wrote: »

Know of someone who was stopped by police and Ticketed on the way to a pre-booked MOT and now has to go back to to court next week with the evidence.
The Cops answer was, I don't care, no MOT, you get a ticket, argue at court.

Probably will be found not guilty, but it is two days off work without pay to save £100 ticket.

That's got to be an urban myth, surely ? The law is quite clear that you can drive without an MOT to a pre-booked test. Was his test definitely pre-booked ? If this story is true, I'd be claiming compensation for the loss of earnings for what was quite clearly an incorrectly-issued ticket.

Marktheshark

I wish it was, he is at Leeds magistrates Thursday 23rd for Trial.

I also thought the Cops would make enquiries but from what I was told the attitude was no MOT, is an offence and if you have a defence then the Magistrates are their to decide upon that, the cops job is writing tickets not riding around MOT stations.
And away they went.

Retrogamer

As others have mentioned, you can get the MOT done before it's due and essentially have a 13 month MOT.

But to answer your question, if the car is on private land and it is taxed and insured the lack of MOT isn't a problem. It won't invalidate the tax or insurance and no need to declare SORN. You can get it MOT'd when you return as long as you are taking it to a pre-booked MOT