Mot

henry24

I work with someone who's mot runs out on 31st January so he's taken it for testing on the 19th but it failed, Can he still use it until the 31st?

daveyjp

Depends what it failed on.

Could be a blown bulb, could be tyres with less tread than an F1 car, or serious structural problems.  Blown bulb low risk, dangerous faults, probably not a good idea.

MX5huggy

If he’s fixed the fault then yes without doubt. 

henry24

I've just checked online and it says major defects repair immediately.
He's not fixed it yet as he's been at work 

Ebe_Scrooge

This old chestnut.  He can drive the car, and he won't be fined for "Having no current MOT".  But he could very well be fined for "Driving an unroadworthy vehicle" - that particular offence is completely unrelated to the MOT status.

But, strict letter of the law aside, it would be foolhardy in the extreme to drive a car that you know has "major defects".

Grey_Critic

Your problem is that when a vehicle fails the MOT then there is an official record.

Any vehicle which fails the MOT is deemed unroadworthy – because of faulty brakes or lights not working, for example – and must not be driven on the roads.

Should you be stopped then the system would impart that information. On the way back from a test then it is legal to drive if being taken for repair but that is all.

scrappy_returns

Failed on emissions, probably don't worry too much. Failed cos it has no working lights/wipers/mirrors etc, don't chance it.

Car_54

Grey_Critic said:

Your problem is that when a vehicle fails the MOT then there is an official record.

Any vehicle which fails the MOT is deemed unroadworthy – because of faulty brakes or lights not working, for example – and must not be driven on the roads.

Should you be stopped then the system would impart that information. On the way back from a test then it is legal to drive if being taken for repair but that is all.

Deemed by whom? 

If the fail was for a dangerous fault, then driving such a vehicle is indeed an offence.

But otherwise there is no definition of "unroadworthy" and no such offence, only specific C & U offences. 

Merlin139

If your car has failed its MOT, you can only continue to drive it if the previous year's MOT is still valid. This could happen if you take your car in for a test a few weeks early, for example. You can still drive it away from the testing centre or garage if no dangerous problems were identified during the MOT.

DB1904

Merlin139 said:

If your car has failed its MOT, you can only continue to drive it if the previous year's MOT is still valid. This could happen if you take your car in for a test a few weeks early, for example. You can still drive it away from the testing centre or garage if no dangerous problems were identified during the MOT.

If your mot has expired and they find a dangerous fault what's stopping you driving it away?

DB1904

Grey_Critic said:

Your problem is that when a vehicle fails the MOT then there is an official record.

Any vehicle which fails the MOT is deemed unroadworthy – because of faulty brakes or lights not working, for example – and must not be driven on the roads.

Should you be stopped then the system would impart that information. On the way back from a test then it is legal to drive if being taken for repair but that is all.

So no working fog light on a sunny August morning is unroadworthy?