When is my MOT due?

MOTORISTS can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.

But, for those who have misplaced their certificates, here’s how to check the due date of your MOT online.

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What is an MOT?

An MOT (Ministry of Transport) is a test to make sure your vehicles, including motorbikes, meet legal safety standards.

Drivers should try to organise an MOT test with a qualified mechanic BEFORE their certificate expires.

How much your will change depending on the type and size of vehicle you drive.

Thanks to legislation, fees for cars are capped at £54.85, and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle –  but you can get your legal car check for much less.

The MOT tester will carry out a series of tests and check that the lights, steering, suspension, windscreen, horn, seat belts, tyres and brakes – among other things – are all in proper working condition.

The mechanics will also check your car’s fuel system and emissions. However, your MOT will not test the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox.

How can I check my MOT expiry date?

Motorists can  to check the MOT status of a vehicle and when that status is due to expire.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has also created a that will help make sure you never miss that important date.

Drivers can get an MOT up to a month before it expires – and still keep the same renewal date.

If you own a brand new car then you don’t have to get an MOT until the third anniversary of its registration. After that, you have to get your vehicle tested every 12 months.

What if I lose my MOT certificate?

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has a service where car owners can

Motorists can also still apply for a replacement certificate through any registered MOT centre.

This can be done by ringing the centre and providing your number plate and log book reference number.

You will be charged £10 or half the MOT test fee for a replacement.

Can I drive my car if my MOT certificate has expired?

If the MOT certificate has expired then the ONLY time you can drive your car is to an MOT test centre.

You will have to be able to prove that you’ve pre-booked an MOT appointment if you are stopped by police.

Officials at the DVSA urged drivers not to wait until the “last minute” to secure a garage check.

Motorists were told that there is “no need to wait” as MOT certificates are eligible for renewal “up to a month” before the cut-off date.

How long does aN MOT take?

According to , an average MOT test takes between 45 and 60 minutes.

However, if your vehicle fails the test requires repairs then this process will take longer.

Test centres can require you to drop your vehicle off first thing in the morning and collect it when ready – meaning you should be prepared to be without your car for the majority of the day.

What if my car fails its MOT?

When a car fails its MOT, you will be given an MOT test refusal certificate.

In the event that your original certificate has already expired, you will no longer be able to drive your car, unless you are taking it to a garage to have the failed defects fixed.

However, if you receive an MOT test refusal certificate before it expires you can still drive your car.

Motorists still have to get the defects fixed before returning it to the garage for a retest.

You can be fined up to £2,500, banned from driving and get three penalty points for driving a car deemed to be in a dangerous condition.

What is an MOT extension?

Drivers are still able to get a one-year exemption from having an MOT certificate due to ongoing delays.

In May 2024, the government announced plans to introduce one-year temporary exemption certificates for some private cars.

Temporary exemptions will be granted to private cars registered from June 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020, or from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, that have MOT certificates issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency.

Approximately 115,000 cars could qualify for a Temporary Exemption Certificate (TEC), which will take effect from June 1 and will be processed automatically by the DVA.

This exemption allows motorists to legally drive on UK roads without facing fines, provided their vehicles are roadworthy, taxed, and insured.

The Infrastructure Minister also announced plans to consider a public consultation on changing the frequency of tests to every two years for private cars, light goods vehicles under 3,500kg, and motorcycles, rather than the current annual requirement.

John O’Dowd said: “DVA staff have been working around the clock to tackle an increasingly high demand for MOT tests due to a growing population, a higher proportion of households with access to a vehicle and more older cars on the road.”

At the end of March 2020, drivers were handed a six-month MOT extension on cars, motorbikes and vans during the coronavirus outbreak.

This meant that people whose MOTs ran out would not have to seek a new one between March 30, 2020, and July 31.

Approximately 50,000 customers failed to attend a booked appointment in each of the last two years, which places additional demand on this service

John O’Dowd

The extension also applied to vehicles that were due their first MOT test on or after that date.

The restriction was announced so that fewer people went to mechanics to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

Drivers were warned in late 2021 to get their MOTs booked as soon as possible due to the extension.

There was a backlog of 12 million MOTs from September to December, 2021.

O’Dowd added: “In each of the last two years, the DVA conducted more than 1.1 million vehicle tests- the highest numbers ever recorded.

“Indeed, there were just seven days in 2023 when the DVA did not offer MOT appointments.

“A recruitment process is under way to help fill vacancies across DVA’s network of test centres and efforts have been made to reduce the number of no shows – approximately 50,000 customers failed to attend a booked appointment in each of the last two years, which places additional demand on this service.”