MOT results and expiry?

diystarter7

CliveOfIndia said:

Yes, this question crops up quite frequently.  The existing MOT is still valid until its expiry date, even if it's been "superseded", as it were, by a failed MOT.  So you wouldn't be fined for having no MOT.

You could be prosecuted for driving an unroadworthy vehicle, but that's completely unrelated to the MOT status (and in your case you've said you rectified the "dangerous" items, so you're OK on that front).

A realistic example might be that you get your car MOT'd today and it passes.  In 6 months time, a tyre has worn well below the legal limit.  If you were to be stopped, you're perfectly OK on the MOT front, but you'd be prosecuted for the illegal tyre.

Hiya
Many thanks. As we rarely get any car mot'd and if/when we do around 30 days before it passes.
I'd read the new mot rules a while back and up until now had misunderstood that

So thank you on two points!!

First, for the helpful post

Secondly, for making me your second target  of a helpful, informative post

Good evening

Grey_Critic

Might be me but I would not be driving my car if it did not have an MOT Road Tax or Insurance.

Reading the comments here it looks like I am out of step.

SpudGunPaul

Grey_Critic said:

Might be me but I would not be driving my car if it did not have an MOT Road Tax or Insurance.

Reading the comments here it looks like I am out of step.

Where has anyone said they haven’t got an MOT?

diystarter7

Grey_Critic said:

Might be me but I would not be driving my car if it did not have an MOT Road Tax or Insurance.

Reading the comments here it looks like I am out of step.

Hi

Who, what and where was that said, please?

Thanks

MalMonroe

mrcactus said:

My MOT expires middle of Feb. Last week my car went in for the test, it failed on bald tyres (dangerous) and a linkage ball joint (minor). I had the tyres replaced but not the linkage as didn't have money for it just yet.

I am still driving the car about until it goes in next week for the repair and re-mot. Am I still ok to drive it? I read that you can still drive if failed an mot but as long as the certificate is still in date.

Hi, you might be interested in this article - 

https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/valid-mot-not-valid-mot-question/

and this one -

https://www.tyrepress.com/2017/05/dvla-warns-against-early-mot-testing/

Both of which say "Many drivers put their car in for an MOT early in order to find out if any faults need repairing, in the belief they can still use the vehicle until the old test runs out despite any discovered issues. However, if their car fails the MOT, it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining."

As a driver, I personally wouldn't chance it. 

Three points on a licence and up to £2.5k fine. 

You can check your MOT history online. If your most recent MOT says 'fail' that's what the cops will see if/when they stop you. Sadly the law doesn't care whether or not you can afford all the repairs. 

jimjames

35har1old said:

mrcactus said:

My MOT expires middle of Feb. Last week my car went in for the test, it failed on bald tyres (dangerous) and a linkage ball joint (minor). I had the tyres replaced but not the linkage as didn't have money for it just yet.

I am still driving the car about until it goes in next week for the repair and re-mot. Am I still ok to drive it? I read that you can still drive if failed an mot but as long as the certificate is still in date.

I think you can only drive it when you take it to the garage for repairs and MOT. Once it has failed the certificate is in valid so you are driving it with no insurance either.

As already mentioned this is not correct, how do you think anyone can drive to an MOT if their lack of MOT supposedly makes their insurance invalid?

Grey_Critic said:

Might be me but I would not be driving my car if it did not have an MOT Road Tax or Insurance.

Who said anything about driving without insurance? It's nonsense to suggest that insurance is not valid without an MOT.

MalMonroe

SpudGunPaul said:

Grey_Critic said:

Might be me but I would not be driving my car if it did not have an MOT Road Tax or Insurance.

Reading the comments here it looks like I am out of step.

Where has anyone said they haven’t got an MOT?

The car has failed its MOT. So it doesn't have one now.

facade

MalMonroe said:

 if their car fails the MOT, it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining."

This is correct, because a failed MOT means it is unroadworthy at the time of test. e.g. it has a bald tyre or a headlight doesn't work

However

Once you rectify the defect then it becomes road legal again. e.g fit a new tyre or a new bulb.

And you carry on with the previously valid MOT until it's expiry date, or more sensibly, get a retest done

Roadworthyness is to do with the state of the car, having a valid MOT is nothing to do with it, except at the instant in time that the MOT test was carried out.

Belenus

MalMonroe said:

Hi, you might be interested in this article - 

https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/valid-mot-not-valid-mot-question/

and this one -

https://www.tyrepress.com/2017/05/dvla-warns-against-early-mot-testing/

Both of which say "Many drivers put their car in for an MOT early in order to find out if any faults need repairing, in the belief they can still use the vehicle until the old test runs out despite any discovered issues. However, if their car fails the MOT, it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining."

As a driver, I personally wouldn't chance it. 

Three points on a licence and up to £2.5k fine. 

You can check your MOT history online. If your most recent MOT says 'fail' that's what the cops will see if/when they stop you. Sadly the law doesn't care whether or not you can afford all the repairs. 

Yesterday I took my 8 year old car in for an MOT even though the previous MOT does not run out until mid February.

I was well aware that, if it failed, I would not be able to legally drive it. 

That did not worry me as, if there were a fault on the car that made it unsafe I would prefer to know rather than continue to drive a potentially unsafe car. I took my bus pass with me in case I had to leave the car with the garage to be repaired. 

It passed with no advisories.

Aretnap

MalMonroe said:

mrcactus said:

My MOT expires middle of Feb. Last week my car went in for the test, it failed on bald tyres (dangerous) and a linkage ball joint (minor). I had the tyres replaced but not the linkage as didn't have money for it just yet.

I am still driving the car about until it goes in next week for the repair and re-mot. Am I still ok to drive it? I read that you can still drive if failed an mot but as long as the certificate is still in date.

Hi, you might be interested in this article - 

https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/valid-mot-not-valid-mot-question/

and this one -

https://www.tyrepress.com/2017/05/dvla-warns-against-early-mot-testing/

Both of which say "Many drivers put their car in for an MOT early in order to find out if any faults need repairing, in the belief they can still use the vehicle until the old test runs out despite any discovered issues. However, if their car fails the MOT, it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining."

As a driver, I personally wouldn't chance it. 

Three points on a licence and up to £2.5k fine. 

You can check your MOT history online. If your most recent MOT says 'fail' that's what the cops will see if/when they stop you. Sadly the law doesn't care whether or not you can afford all the repairs. 

The articles are scaremongering nonsense, written solely to drive search engine traffic to dubious websites selling tyres or buying scrap cars, and hence increase the Google rankings of those sites. By linking to them, you've increased their Google rankings further. Well done.

In reality there is no provision for an MOT certificate to be rescinded. The OP still has a valid certificate until the old one expires, and he does not commit any offence by driving after the failure. He DOES commit an offence if he drives with bald tyres - whether he has an MOT or not. However, he has had his tyres replaced, so he:s no longer committing any offence by driving.

At worst the record of the failure might alert the police to the fact that his car had bald tyres a few days ago. If he does got stopped he can prove that he isn't driving with bald tyres now simply by... pointing to them. No risk. No points. No fine.