What Happens if you’re Accidentally Driving Without MOT?
When you’re rushing around from day to day juggling everything that life throws at you, it can be easy to forget to book your car in for an MOT. But what happens if you’re accidentally caught driving without an MOT? Is there a grace period? Or are you fined automatically?
What Happens if You Are Caught Accidentally Driving Without an MOT in the UK?
Let’s not sugarcoat things here. Driving without a valid MOT certificate is illegal, whether you’re doing it accidentally or not.
If you are caught driving without an MOT, there are a few things that could happen:
- Fine up to £1,000
- If the condition of the vehicle is thought to be dangerous, the fine for driving a car without an MOT is up to £2,500 and it’s uncapped for driving a van
- Up to three points on your driving license
- Police caution
- Vehicle impoundment
- Driving ban
What is the fine for driving without an MOT?
The fine for driving a car without an MOT can be up to £2,500. If the car looks to be roadworthy but doesn’t have a valid MOT certificate, then you can be fined up to £1,000. However, if the car is in poor condition or appears to be unsafe, then you could be fined up to £2,500.
The fine for driving a van without an up-to-date MOT certificate is uncapped.
Does not having an MOT affect my car insurance?
If you are involved in a road traffic collision, you will be asked to provide your MOT certificate. If you don’t have a valid certificate, then this could invalidate your insurance leaving you unable to make a claim.
Every car insurance policy is different, so you will need to check your own policy documents to clarify whether you are covered if you drive without an MOT. Most insurance providers will not cover a car being driven without an MOT.
How does having an MOT affect your car tax?
Most vehicles in the UK need to pay road tax. You need to provide a current certificate in order to pay car tax. It is illegal to tax your car without an MOT.
What is an MOT?
The acronym MOT stands for Ministry of Transport which was the government department responsible for ensuring vehicles were roadworthy when tests were first introduced in the UK back in the 1960s.
The MOT test is an annual assessment of your car to ensure that it is safe to drive and that it meets various standards set by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
During the test, your car is checked for various things:
- Body and vehicle structure
- Fuel system
- Seatbelts
- Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) – airbags, etc
- Steering and suspension
- Wipers
- Washers
- Windscreen
- Electrical wiring
- Battery
- Lights
- Registration plates
- Bonnet
- Tyres and wheels
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Brakes
- Horn
- Exhaust System
- Mirrors
- Doors
- Exhaust emissions
- Towbar
- Tailgate
- Seats
Each part of the car will be tested to ensure it meets the required standards in order to pass the MOT. Depending on the results, the car will either pass the MOT, or you may receive some advisories which aren’t a fail but are advised to be looked at, or the car will fail.
How do I know when my MOT is due?
It’s really easy to check online if you’re not sure when your MOT is due. You can check here on the gov.uk website by just inputting your car registration number.
You will then be able to see the current tax and MOT status of your vehicle.
What happens if your car fails an MOT test?
If your car fails the MOT, you will be given a Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate. This will tell you the reasons for the failure.
The result will also be recorded on the national MOT database which can be accessed by the police and local authorities.
Many test centres will also send you a reminder in the weeks before your MOT expires.
The best thing to do is to set yourself a reminder on your phone, or write a note on your calendar so that you don’t forget when your MOT expires.
Is there a grace period for MOT?
There is no grace period. If your car has failed its MOT then you need to get it fixed before you can continue to drive it as normal.
Do ANPR cameras check MOTs?
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, check whether your car is taxed, insured and has an MOT. If the camera flags up a vehicle that doesn’t have any of these, then the police will be alerted.
When is it ok to drive a car without an MOT?
There are only two occasions where it is ok to drive a car without an MOT.
- To or from somewhere to get the vehicle repaired
- To a pre-booked MOT test.
Do all cars need an MOT certificate?
Most cars do need an annual MOT test, but there are two main exemptions:
- Cars less than three years old
- Cars registered as a classic car
Can I drive my car home if it fails the MOT?
There is often confusion around whether you’re allowed to drive your vehicle home if it fails the MOT. You can book your MOT up to one month before it expires, so you could argue that as long as your car isn’t in a dangerous condition then it’s ok to drive home on your old certificate.
This is all a bit of a grey area though. If the police pull you over and see that your car has failed its MOT, then you could be in trouble for this.
The best option if your car fails is to arrange repairs immediately and then only drive the vehicle to a pre-booked appointment to get it repaired.
So, whether you’re accidentally driving without an MOT because you’ve not realised your MOT has expired, or you’re intentionally driving without an MOT, the consequences can be severe. Make sure you set a reminder for a few weeks before your MOT expires so that you give yourself enough time to book in with a testing centre. And if your car does fail, don’t be tempted to drive it until it’s repaired and has a new, valid MOT certificate, it’s just not worth the risk.
