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AIBU?

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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:
TolkiensFallow · 03/10/2023 11:10

Have you tried places like Halfords and quick fit? They tend to have availability quickly.

You can’t drive without an mot, I got pulled over for this once even though I’d had it mot’d, because the system hadn’t updated.

OldTinHat · 03/10/2023 11:13

You can set up text alerts from gov.uk which reminds you a month before your MOT is due so you can book it in. Obviously too late now but may be handy for next year.

Bit no, you can't drive your car. Your insurance will also be invalid without an MOT.

B1993 · 03/10/2023 11:13

As PPs have said, it's not worth the risk. I'd travel further afield if you have too. To save time calling, Halfords and Kwik Fit (and I'm sure many others) do online booking for appointments.

lostinlego · 03/10/2023 11:15

Have you looked to see if there are any places that just do mots they tend to have more availability.

Cotswoldbee · 03/10/2023 11:44

As already stated, there is no period of grace and you can only drive it to a pre-booked MOT appointment.

OH deals with all car related things and he always has the MOT done 4-week prior to the expiry date (thus preserving the original date) and books several weeks before that.

Some people argue that if it fails big time then you can get a ""not to be driven" notice and are then stranded several weeks before the MOT was originally due to expire.
If however it is going to fail due to something catastrophic we would rather know sooner than later but as he keeps on top of all servicing & maintenance schedules we have not had a failure in our 32yrs together.

TenderDandelions · 03/10/2023 11:48

I wasn't able to drive for a while and my MOT expired during that time. My usual garage (friends) is 30 miles away, but even though they'd have booked me in, I wasn't comfortable driving 30 miles to a test centre with an expired MOT. I booked with a local "Just MOTs" place and got in within a couple of days to get me back on the road.

You really will just have to try lots of other places and find anywhere that can get you in, and pray that they pass it!

There is a shortage of MOT testers at the moment, so it doesn't surprise me none that they're booked up.

Rtc12 · 03/10/2023 11:51

You could try a mobile mechanic?

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 11:52

WereYouListeningToTheDudesStory · 03/10/2023 11:04

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.

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Insurance isn’t invalidated by not having an MOT.

Mountaineer0009 · 03/10/2023 11:54

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Overthebow · 03/10/2023 11:54

no you can’t drive it, apart from going to the mot test. Why did you leave it so late to book?

Mountaineer0009 · 03/10/2023 11:55

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Ijustdontcare · 03/10/2023 11:57

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 11:52

Insurance isn’t invalidated by not having an MOT.

Edited
Show quote history

Yes it is in 99% of cases.

CaineRaine · 03/10/2023 11:59

As someone else said, try Halfords, Kwikfit or similar outfits that offer more immediate appointments usually. And insurance is almost always invalidated in these situations, insurers will use any means possible to avoid or minimize paying claims and it’s usually set out as a condition of your insurance to have a valid / current MOT.

HollaHolla · 03/10/2023 12:00

I've had to beg and plead to get mine into our regular place for next week. I tried 3.5 weeks ago; they are so busy. Like others say, only driveable to the test centre.
However.... the ANPR thing might be a red herring (not that I'm suggesting you should be driving it), as four years ago, I got the date completely wrong, and confused it with the Road Tax date in my head. Drove it for almost 6 weeks with no MOT. Was VERY lucky not to be caught/nothing happened.

Cheeesus · 03/10/2023 12:00

The AA says most insurers will require a valid MOT. So while it’s not a sweeping law, in practice, it will invalidate your insurance and also your tax.

Is car insurance valid without an MOT?Insurers usually require that your vehicle is roadworthy or safe to drive, and it has a valid MOT test certificate.
So if you drive without an MOT, this would likely invalidate your car insurance.
The penalties for driving while uninsured include a £300 fine and up to 6 points on your licence.
The police also have the power to seize, and in some cases destroy, a vehicle that's being driven uninsured. And if the case goes to court you could get an unlimited fine and also be disqualified from driving.
Back to top
Can a car be taxed without an MOT?No, which means that you could get an additional fine for having an untaxed vehicle.

Driving without an MOT | The AA

We explain the risks and penalties of driving without an MOT, and what you're allowed to do if your car fails its MOT.

https://www.theaa.com/mot/advice/driving-without-an-mot#faqtop

1month · 03/10/2023 12:21

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.

This.

londonrach · 03/10/2023 12:24

No you can't. Your insurance is invalid if you don't have a valid MOT. That means if you have an accident you don't get anything for your car if damaged or anything towards any damage etc another car etc. Also same if someone goes into you. You also risk massive fine and your car reg will ping up on any police cars are any of the mobile cameras around. You can only drive your car to a garage to be have MOT and if stopped by the police need to prove it. If you can not mot your car by tomorrow you need to put it on a driveway....not a public road and sorn it. Look further away for a mot garage

londonrach · 03/10/2023 12:24

Look for any mot garage further away

NeedToChangeName · 03/10/2023 12:31

HongKongGarden · 03/10/2023 11:52

Insurance isn’t invalidated by not having an MOT.

Edited
Show quote history

I'm sure it's a standard condition of insurance that the car must have a valid MOT

So, no MOT = no insurance

Shade17 · 03/10/2023 12:34

I'm sure it's a standard condition of insurance that the car must have a valid MOT

So, no MOT = no insurance

It’s not a hard and fast rule. No MOT doesn’t automatically invalidate insurance.

wobytide · 03/10/2023 12:37

Not all MOT centres are garages so can you see if they have space at ones that deal with Public Service vehicles and stuff like a Council Centre maybe

BCCoach · 03/10/2023 12:37

Although many insurers claim that having no MOT will result in your insurance being voided, the reality is rather more complicated. An insurer refusing to pay out on a 3rd party claim due to the lack of MOT on the insured vehicle is likely to run foul of the Road Traffic Act which requires insurers to indemnify drivers under a policy regardless of the condition of the vehicle. This has been upheld by the Financial Ombudsman.

So in reality, you might not be insured fully comp or against fire and theft, but the insurer will still pay out for a 3rd party claim.

IroningThrone · 03/10/2023 12:41

viques · 03/10/2023 10:57

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

That depends where you live, surely. The village where I work is very rural and four garages would cover a large area. Probably different in a town or city though.

tanstaafl · 03/10/2023 12:42

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.)

Is this still true?

I thought the new MOT starts from the date of the test now.

Shade17 · 03/10/2023 12:42

Just checked the T&Cs of one of my polices, the car is required to be roadworthy, no mention of MOT status. The MOT has no bearing on the roadworthiness of a car once it’s been driven out of the test centre, it could become unroadworthy 100m down the road. A car with an expired MOT isn’t necessarily unroadworthy.