Can I drive my un-MOTed car home after having repairs?
Discussion
I'm a vehicle technician, I've had my car at work putting a new clutch in it in my free time as frankly it's a lot easier on a ramp! During that time, my MOT expired. I've given it a pre-MOT and found some things which I've also changed and it's now all ready.
We don't do on-site MOT's so I can't test it here but it is booked in for a test tomorrow. The plan was to come to work in my other car, swap the cars around and drive to the MOT test tomorrow. Sadly, someone ploughed into the back of my other car this morning so I can't drive that! I'm currently stuck at the garage where I work 30 miles away from home!
The Direct Gov website states:
You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.
The only exceptions are to drive it:
to or from somewhere to be repaired
to a pre-arranged MOT test
I'll obviously be driving it FROM somewhere that has been repairing it and the MOT place it's going to is only 2 minutes from my house.
However, I've seen some websites that say you can only drive it to or from a place of repair after it has failed an MOT test (which it hasn't, it's just expired) which the Direct Gov website doesn't seem to mention.
Anyone have the definitive answer to this one?
Thanks in advance!
We don't do on-site MOT's so I can't test it here but it is booked in for a test tomorrow. The plan was to come to work in my other car, swap the cars around and drive to the MOT test tomorrow. Sadly, someone ploughed into the back of my other car this morning so I can't drive that! I'm currently stuck at the garage where I work 30 miles away from home!
The Direct Gov website states:
You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.
The only exceptions are to drive it:
to or from somewhere to be repaired
to a pre-arranged MOT test
I'll obviously be driving it FROM somewhere that has been repairing it and the MOT place it's going to is only 2 minutes from my house.
However, I've seen some websites that say you can only drive it to or from a place of repair after it has failed an MOT test (which it hasn't, it's just expired) which the Direct Gov website doesn't seem to mention.
Anyone have the definitive answer to this one?
Thanks in advance!
CarMad12 said:
However, I've seen some websites that say you can only drive it to or from a place of repair after it has failed an MOT test (which it hasn't, it's just expired) which the Direct Gov website doesn't seem to mention.
Anyone have the definitive answer to this one?
As above, it needs to have failed a test before you can rely on the exemption of driving without an MOT to / from a place for [pre-arranged] repairs.Anyone have the definitive answer to this one?
Oceanrower said:
Just do it. The odds of getting caught are so near to zero as to be unidentifiable!
This would be my outlook on it as well. If you know the car is roadworthy and it's a short journey home, don't over think it, just get it home and then get it sorted.
I knew someone who'd totally forgotten about their MOT, went about their business as normal for 3 months without one. Nothing came of it fortunately, despite being far from recommended haha.
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot
Quote.
You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.
The only exceptions are to drive it:
to or from somewhere to be repaired
to a pre-arranged MOT test
I had to get a new subframe fitted to my SLK (it failed the MOT due to corrosion)
I drove it without an MOT to the nearest Mercedes dealership (to a place of repair)
When they repaired it I collected it on a Saturday afternoon and drove it home (From a place of repair)
I took it for an MOT test on the Monday (To a pre arranged MOT test)
At all times I was complaint from an insurance perspective (vehicle was SORN'd because the tax ran out after it failed the first MOT)
The gov site is really clear - print it out the page and take it with you - in the incredibly slim chance that you are stopped just hand over the print out.
This does not mean you can't be prosecuted for any vehicle defects - if you have 4 tyres that are below min tread or lights that don't work then it doesn't absolve you of the requirements of con and use regs
Insurance invalid not this s
t again (c JAYB)
Quote.
You cannot drive or park your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.
The only exceptions are to drive it:
to or from somewhere to be repaired
to a pre-arranged MOT test
I had to get a new subframe fitted to my SLK (it failed the MOT due to corrosion)
I drove it without an MOT to the nearest Mercedes dealership (to a place of repair)
When they repaired it I collected it on a Saturday afternoon and drove it home (From a place of repair)
I took it for an MOT test on the Monday (To a pre arranged MOT test)
At all times I was complaint from an insurance perspective (vehicle was SORN'd because the tax ran out after it failed the first MOT)
The gov site is really clear - print it out the page and take it with you - in the incredibly slim chance that you are stopped just hand over the print out.
This does not mean you can't be prosecuted for any vehicle defects - if you have 4 tyres that are below min tread or lights that don't work then it doesn't absolve you of the requirements of con and use regs
Insurance invalid
not this st again (c JAYB)Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff