Nov 23, 2020
As soon as your car reaches three years old, it becomes a legal requirement to have it tested to check if it meets all road safety and environmental standards. The MOT (Ministry of Transport) tests are carried at over 21,000 authorised test centres across the UK, all of which will display an official blue sign featuring three white triangles.
Your MOT test will not be valid if you do not have it tested at a centre that displays this sign. MOT tests check everything on your car ranging from engine to wiper blades, to brakes and lights. Without a valid MOT certificate, you can face a fine of up to £1,000.
Key rules about the MOT test
The test information is held on a central database as well as on a paper certificate, it’s the owner’s responsibility to ensure their vehicle’s certificate is valid. You will receive a letter reminding you to book your MOT test.
Timing is crucial, you want to book the test in the month before the current certificate ends and the new one will expire exactly a year from the original’s end date, the earliest date you can do this will be printed on your current test certificate.
Should your current MOT test expire, you can still drive your car to the test centre for a pre-booked appointment, or to a garage to have any necessary repairs carried out. However, if a dangerous fault is found, you cannot drive your car away regardless of whether or not the test is still valid.
Dangerous faults mean your car has failed the MOT and is deemed to be in violation of the road safety regulations or the environmental laws and must not be driven until it has been repaired.
How to check your car’s MOT in England?
Drivers from across the UK can check the status of their car’s MOT test on the gov.uk site. Here, you can access information on whether or not your car has passed or failed, where previous tests have been carried out and what parts had previously failed/parts that had problems and when the next test is going to be due.
How to find a local MOT centre in England?
As we mentioned, you need to ensure your car receives an MOT test from an accredited garage and by using MyCarNeedsA.com, we can help you find the most suitable MOT centre. Our trusted suppliers will provide a number of quotes based on your requirements, allowing you to book a test based on convenience, cost, service, or whatever is important to you! Get your Quotes!
