MOT out of date and can't renew road tax

banginghats

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

shaun_from_Africa

banginghats said:

Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Providing that it's a pre-booked MOT test and the car is safe to drive then yes, you are legally allowed to drive to the test centre.

As to driving it back afterwards following a fail. This depends on the reason for the fail. If it's something that doesn't affect the roadworthiness of the car then you can drive it home again.
I believe that the failure certificate will show a "dangerous"  fault if you can't legally drive the car.
Just make sure that your insurance is still valid before you drive the car.

banginghats

Thanks for the advice.

Hasbeen

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

Car_54

Hasbeen said:

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

That's a bit alarmist - it's hardly the crime of the century. £100 fine and no points.

Hasbeen

Car_54 said:

Hasbeen said:

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

That's a bit alarmist - it's hardly the crime of the century. £100 fine and no points.

Car_54 said:

Hasbeen said:

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

That's a bit alarmist - it's hardly the crime of the century. £100 fine and no points.

Or up to a £1000? would think a few days a week, minimum fine. But perhaps "months out of date" a bit more? Would you take a chance? https://www.gov.uk/report-no-mot  "The police will investigate your report and the driver may get a fine. The maximum fine is £1,000."

The_Rainmaker

The bonus for the OP is next year the tax will be due before the MOT. 

Aretnap

Hasbeen said:

Car_54 said:

Hasbeen said:

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

That's a bit alarmist - it's hardly the crime of the century. £100 fine and no points.

Car_54 said:

Hasbeen said:

banginghats said:

I was a carer for my mum until she passed away few months ago. Because of the situation I didn't have time to get an MOT done on the car and it's months out of date. My road tax ran out today and I tried to pay it, but I couldn't because the MOT wasn't up to date. Can I drive to an MOT garage without an MOT and road tax? Also, what happens if it fails the MOT and the garage can't fix it there? Can I drive it back home and arrange repairs later, then drive it to be fixed?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

So you have been driving your car without a current MOT, which is months out of date?
Good job you have been lucky and not been stopped by police for any reason.

That's a bit alarmist - it's hardly the crime of the century. £100 fine and no points.

Or up to a £1000? would think a few days a week, minimum fine. But perhaps "months out of date" a bit more? Would you take a chance? https://www.gov.uk/report-no-mot  "The police will investigate your report and the driver may get a fine. The maximum fine is £1,000."

In practice it is nearly airways deadly with as a £100 fixed penalty offence. In the unlikely event that it did result in a court hearing the main factor in deciding the size of the fine would be the OP's income, not the length of time the car had been without an MOT. 

roddydogs

Its a farce then as obviously it could cost a lot more than £100 to get a car thru mot.

Aretnap

roddydogs said:

Its a farce then as obviously it could cost a lot more than £100 to get a car thru mot.

No it couldn't; the maximum fee for an MOT is £54.85.

(Obviously if the car is in a dangerous condition it could cost more than that to repair it; but if the car is in a dangerous condition there are more serious offences than lack of an MOT in play, which can lead to larger fines, points bans and even imprisonment.)

EdGasketTheSecond

So if you go through ANPR on the way to the MoT and get a fine for no tax, you can explain about going to/from MoT and they just let you off? You have no proof of it being pre-booked either unless the garage gets involved.