Being on top of your car’s annual maintenance schedule is vital for safe and effective motoring. And this includes all those essential legal requirements such as insurance renewal and a vehicle’s annual MOT. But what can you do if your MOT renewal date clashes with your holidays or other outgoing bills?
Well, it is possible to get your MOT test done before its renewal date but there are certain things you need to know. We look at just how early you can put your vehicle in for its MOT.
When you need to have an MOT
If your car is three years old, it will need an annual MOT (Ministry of Transport) test to ensure it meets current road safety and environmental standards.
An MOT is intended to record the roadworthy condition of a vehicle at the time of the test. Provided your vehicle passes its MOT, it can then continue to be driven on the road. The owner then has the responsibility to ensure that the vehicle remains in roadworthy condition until its next annual MOT.
As a valid MOT on a vehicle lasts for one year, the test will need to be repeated on the anniversary of the previous MOT. However, it is possible to MOT your car earlier than the 12-month expiry date.
Find out more about your vehicle’s current MOT
If you are unsure when your vehicle’s next MOT is due, or you are thinking of buying a second-hand car and need more information on its history before you buy, you can find out more online. With MOT Reg Check, you can quickly and easily get the full MOT history of a vehicle using its registration number, so you know exactly when its next MOT is due. And with this information, you can plan ahead and coordinate the test.
The earliest date for an MOT
An MOT test lasts for one year and its expiry date will be printed on your car’s current MOT certificate. The date printed on the certificate is the date you need to renew its MOT as it is illegal to drive a vehicle without a valid MOT.
Go beyond that date without renewing and your vehicle will not be legally roadworthy, and you could be liable for a fine of up to £2,500. Driving without a valid and in-date MOT can also invalidate your car insurance.
However, it is possible to put your vehicle in for its MOT before the expiry date of its current test certificate.
In fact, you can put your car in for an MOT any time after its last test date. But this would mean that if the new test is carried out more than a month before the expiry date on the current MOT certificate, it will be valid for 12 months from the new test date.
Retaining your MOT expiry date
To retain your MOT expiry date while putting your car in early for its next MOT, you need to ensure the test is booked no more than one month MINUS one day before the renewal date. This means the MOT certificate will still be valid for 12 months from the renewal date.
For example, if your MOT certificate runs out on the 10th of July, the earliest you can get an MOT while keeping the same renewal date is the 11th of July.
What to do if your vehicle then fails its MOT
If your vehicle fails its MOT, then it has failed to meet the minimum safety and environmental standards to be driven on the road. And without a valid MOT, you can receive a large fine plus you could earn points on your licence.
It is also important to note that there is no ‘grace period’ for an MOT, even if you have the test done earlier than its renewal date. Which means that if your vehicle fails its MOT then it has been deemed unroadworthy and dangerous to you and other road users, even if you have some time still left before the certificate expires.
This means that you are strongly recommended to get any faults that are found during your early MOT repaired and an MOT re-test before driving the vehicle away.
