MOT, made easy
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MOT certificate for passing the legally required 20 points
Reminder when your car is due for it's next MOT
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Everything in a standard MOT plus:
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An MOT test is an annual inspection required by UK law for vehicles over three years old to ensure they meet minimum road safety and environmental standards. It covers aspects like brakes, lights, emissions, and overall vehicle safety. Driving a vehicle without a valid MOT could mean a fine of up to £1,000.
MOT time can feel nerve-racking, especially if you rely on your vehicle heavily for work or family reasons. But it doesn’t have to be. At Fixter, we make the process hassle-free with our straightforward, no-nonsense UK-wide service.
The most common reasons for failing your MOT include issues with lights, brakes, tires, suspension, and emissions. Keeping these components in good condition helps increase the chances of passing the MOT. Nearly a quarter of diesel vehicles reportedly fail their MOTs due to the stricter guidelines on diesel emissions.
Your car is first tested three years post-registration, then annually, and be aware that driving a vehicle without a valid MOT could mean a fine of up to £1,000.
Typically, you don’t need to bring any documents if the vehicle is already in the system. However, bringing the vehicle logbook (V5C) may help if it’s your first MOT or there’s an issue with the records.
You can't. Driving without a valid MOT is illegal, and you may face fines, penalty points, and potentially void insurance. The only exception is driving to a pre-booked MOT test.
You can book your MOT test up to a month (minus a day) before it expires to keep the same renewal date. Booking early gives you time to address any issues before the expiry date.
An MOT test usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour. However, if repairs are needed, it may take longer depending on the extent of the issues
There is no grace period for a valid MOT certificate. The confusion in this matter is that you can apply for your MOT certificate a month before the existing certificate runs out. Any time left on the existing certificate is added to the 12-month period earned by the new certificate.
Yes. The police can make a simple check against your registration number using the information held by the DVSA. Checks are often carried out automatically when the police use a mobile ANPR camera to scan registration plates. This information provides up-to-the-minute details about your road tax, vehicle insurance and MOT.
If you forget to MOT your car, you will be given a £100 on-the-spot fine. Penalties for driving without an MOT can reach as high as £1,000. If your car is not considered roadworthy or it would fail an MOT on a dangerous defect issue, you could be fined up to £2,500.
If you have forgotten to MOT your car, you must secure one as soon as possible.
Yes. Your MOT certificate expires at midnight of its expiry date. However, it's not advised to leave your MOT test until the last minute. Where further work is required to pass the test, you may be left without a valid MOT and unable to drive your car.
The test checks numerous components, including lights, brakes, tires, seat belts, emissions, and more. It’s a comprehensive inspection to ensure the vehicle meets safety and environmental standards.
Yes. You must have a minimum of 1.5mm of brake pad material; otherwise, you will receive a fail. If you are close to the 1.5mm limit, you may receive an advisory warning. Most mechanics will consider a brake pad with less than 3mm of material to warrant replacement. Your brakes play a crucial part in your driving safety, so it's imperative that they are operating to the highest standard.
If your car fails the MOT, you’ll receive a “refusal of an MOT test certificate.” You must have the issues fixed and retested before you can legally drive it. At Fixter, one of our in-house mechanics will call you straight away to explain why your MOT has failed. They'll also tell you what needs to be done so your car passes. It's not the news you wanted to hear, but since we've already negotiated the best possible price on your behalf, you'll receive an upfront, competitive quote for the additional work. As always, you'll have the final say before any additional work is carried out, and will never be charged for any unauthorised operations. Find out more about what happens at Fixter when you fail your MOT here.
Indirectly, yes you can—but you won't fail the test for failing to have the minimum level of oil in your engine. Engine oil plays a critical part in your emissions testing, and this can cause your car to fail its MOT if it isn't possible to take readings, or they fail to provide the required readings. It's a simple check and should be part of your pre-MOT process.
If your boot doesn't open, this isn't classed as a direct MOT failure. However, a test centre or MOT garage may refuse to carry out a test where access isn't available to all relevant areas or components that require checking.
However, all doors, including the bonnet and boot, must close securely to pass the MOT test.
Only in certain cases. If your existing MOT certificate is still valid at the time your car fails its latest test, then you are still legally entitled to drive it. However, if your car has failed on a dangerous defect, then you are not permitted to drive it again before the fault is repaired.
The fines for driving any car with a dangerous defect can be as much as £2,500 and add penalty points to your licence. It could even result in a driving ban.
Only in very specific circumstances. The only time you are permitted to drive a car without a valid MOT certificate is to a pre-arranged MOT test. However, if your car is known to have a dangerous defect or is unsafe to drive, you must have it delivered to the test centre. Driving an unsafe or un-roadworthy vehicle can result in fines of up to £2,500, penalty points, or even a driving ban.
Yes. Under Section 47 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, driving without a valid MOT is a criminal offence. A genuine mistake may incur an on-the-spot fine of £100, but cases that progress to court can be fined up to £1,000. Higher penalties are made for driving a dangerous or unfit-for-use vehicle.
The abbreviation MOT stands for Ministry of Transport. This was the government department responsible for roads and road safety when the test was first introduced in 1960. In its early years, only cars over 10 years old required the certificate; the age of cars requiring the certificate is down to only 3, under the current system. The MOT certificate is now monitored and regulated by the Driving and Vehicle Standards Authority (DVSA).
Yes, it is. Whether you are driving your car or it's parked on the street, it is against the law for a car to not have a valid MOT certificate. Even if it's not being driven, you could be fined up to £1,000 for failing to have the correct paperwork. You may even have your car seized.
No, new cars don’t require an MOT until they are three years old. After that, they need an annual MOT test to ensure they continue to meet safety standards.
The Department of Transport currently allows cars over 40 years old to be driven on the road without an MOT certificate. This is because the risk of vintage or collector's cars being un-roadworthy is considered small. These older cars still need to be road-safe, and are, of course, still responsible for the same fines if their cars fall below the legal standards.
Current MOT testing requires that each centre check vehicles for outstanding defect recalls. Where a recall has not been remedied, the vehicle will fail the MOT, even if there are no other defects.
By not attending to the defect, the vehicle is considered unsafe or will become unsafe in the future. Vehicle recalls are highlighted for each vehicle within its MOT history on the DVSA MOT database.
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