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Original poster

Can't get MOT booked in for a whole month. Can I drive my car?

129 replies

F0Xintherainbow · 03/10/2023 10:47

MOT runs out tomorrow. Can't get it in anywhere for at least three weeks. Anyone know if I can still drive it if it's booked in somewhere? This didn't used to happen! Is it just my area? I've called four garages and all booked up

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 03/10/2023 10:48

No. You really should have booked it in weeks ago.

I think you can drive it to an MOT, but not for personal use.

WereYouListeningToTheDudesStory · 03/10/2023 10:49

You can drive it if it's booked in, but only directly to the test centre.

Ihatewinding · 03/10/2023 10:49

No, the only time you can drive a car with no valid MOT is when driving it to the MOT service centre to get the new MOT. I would look further afield tbh.

Ijustdontcare · 03/10/2023 10:50

Once it expires, you are only allowed to drive it to a pre-booked MOT appointment. You would ping every police ANPR and are likely to get stopped. Fine is £1000 plus potential of losing your licence. Also, your insurance would be invalid, and you would have to pay for any damage/injuries you are involved in

PenhillDarkMonarch · 03/10/2023 10:50

As above, once the MOT has expired it can only be driven directly to the garage for a test. It cannot be driven elsewhere.

Beamur · 03/10/2023 10:51

Nope. You can get fined for not having a MOT.
Big fine potentially if you were unlucky enough to be stopped for speeding.
Long waits where I live too - ours had run out and we were lucky enough to get squeezed in a week later. 4 weeks is tough!

AllAnusMorisette · 03/10/2023 10:51

You can get an MOT done at any time, if you do it within 4 weeks of the expiration date it preserves that date so you don't lose time, so leaving it so late is foolhardy.

After it expires you can only drive it direct to the test centre for a confirmed appointment, no going via the shops or school run.

You will just have to try more garages

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 10:51

F0Xintherainbow · 03/10/2023 10:47

MOT runs out tomorrow. Can't get it in anywhere for at least three weeks. Anyone know if I can still drive it if it's booked in somewhere? This didn't used to happen! Is it just my area? I've called four garages and all booked up

It didn’t used to happen. You have always been allowed to drive it to a pre-booked MOT appointment but nowhere else.

AllAnusMorisette · 03/10/2023 10:52

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 10:51

It didn’t used to happen. You have always been allowed to drive it to a pre-booked MOT appointment but nowhere else.

Show quote history

Think Op means the garage being fully booked didn't use to happen

Cheeesus · 03/10/2023 10:54

If you got caught, it’s not just a big fine, but wouldn’t your insurance be invalid?

Thewizardbinbag · 03/10/2023 10:54

Why have you left it so late?

And no, obviously you cannot drive your car. You can only drive it directly the the garage doing the MOT for a pre-booked appointment.

Pugfin · 03/10/2023 10:55

Set up a free text alert next year, and no you can't unless it's to the MOT.

TastyLikeARaindrop · 03/10/2023 10:55

It's always booked up in advance in my area so we ring around at least 6 weeks in advance to get booked in.
I would keep ringing around and ask them to consider you if there's a cancellation and also be prepared to go further away.

Thebigblueballoon · 03/10/2023 10:57

Nope. Repeat of the above, and also be aware it invalidates your insurance. Also, if you were to break down, you’d struggle to find a garage to tow your car and deal with it.
A friend of mine got stopped by police for an MOT lapse, and luckily they gave him a warning and told him to drive straight to a test centre. But there’s no guarantee you wouldn’t get a whopping fine if caught.

viques · 03/10/2023 10:57

Only trying four garages is not really making much of an effort is it?

RoseAndRose · 03/10/2023 10:58

No.

Once MOT has lapsed, the only place it is legal to drive it is from the place where it is kept directly to the garage where the test has been booked. As well as committing an offence, you will not be covered by insurance if you drive it other than that.

You'll have to keep ringing round and begging all other nearby testing garages for an earlier date. And get round by lifts/public transport/taxi/bike as best you can

And put a reminder in your phone now so you book in time in future years.

Sanch1 · 03/10/2023 10:59

Its like this everywhere at the moment. I think its because during COVID they all got 6 months grace in April, so now due october/november. Just booked ours and earliest was next Thursday, so cutting it fine for 15th.

Supernova23 · 03/10/2023 11:00

You should have booked it in a month before it was due. Your fault so no, you can’t drive it.

ohtowinthelottery · 03/10/2023 11:02

There was a 2 week wait at our local garage last month. Fortunately our car is signed up to get notifications when mot is due. The reminder comes 1 month before and again 2 weeks before. Garages being booked up is not a valid excuse for you to drive your car with no MOT. Try some more garages or be prepared to walk/take public transport for the next 3 weeks.

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 11:03

For future reference you can get the MOT done up to a month before it’s due and still get the full year from the due date (13 months from the test date.)

WereYouListeningToTheDudesStory · 03/10/2023 11:04

Cheeesus · 03/10/2023 10:54

If you got caught, it’s not just a big fine, but wouldn’t your insurance be invalid?

It would and you wouldn't get any breakdown cover either - but you could pay them for a tow and get them to refund it if you could prove it was on the journey to the test centre.

itsnothingoriginal · 03/10/2023 11:06

That makes sense @Sanch1 I've just had to wait over a month for an MOT which is really unusual.

I couldn't drive it for a few days as garage couldn't get car in before the date was up. Mine parked on private drive which I think is ok, not sure if you can leave it parked on the road if its out of MOT?

RudsyFarmer · 03/10/2023 11:07

Just keep ringing around, further and further away until you find someone to do it.

Shopper727 · 03/10/2023 11:08

I booked mine in when I got my reminder, you can do that online for next time. All garages seem to be very busy just now so hopefully it doesn’t need any work too, mine thankfully only needed tyres, however friends car needed nearly 600 worth of repairs and it took 3 weeks to get a space to do it. Hope you find somewhere - I am miss leave till the last minute normally too but I had an issue with the car in may and found it really hard to get it in anywhere so made sure for mot I’d booked it in. Good luck

maddening · 03/10/2023 11:09

There must be more than 4 garages doing mot - keep calling imo as you can't drive