What you need to do if your test is cancelled, plus tax and insurance questions

THOUSANDS of MoT tests have been cancelled due to the faults with vehicle lifts, leaving many drivers unsure of what exactly is happening. Here’s a guide to the situation.

Where do you stand if your appointment has been cancelled?

The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) will automatically issue exemption certificates that extend MoT certificates for four months. Drivers who had tests booked yesterday were advised not to attend their appointment.

As soon as inspections and all necessary repairs to vehicle lifts have been carried out, appointments will be rescheduled. Due to the volume of appointments that have been cancelled (around 7,000 as of yesterday morning), however, there is expected to be a significant backlog.

What is not covered by the MoT exemptions?

Taxis and four-year-old cars are not covered by the exemptions. Taxis do not undergo an MoT test as they are covered by different legislation and require a PSV (Public Service Vehicle) test.

Four-year-old cars have never been through an MoT test before, meaning they do not have a certificate to extend.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said the DVA is contacting all taxi and four-year-old car owners to book tests in the coming days. Priority is being given to those with MoTs that have expired.

Will your vehicle tax be affected if your test has been cancelled and MoT certificate has expired?

The DVA said all those with an exemption certificate will be able to tax their vehicles as normal. The exemptions are being recorded on the DVA computer system to allow drivers to pay their tax. A hard copy exemption certificate will arrive by post in the coming days.

Will drivers receive any compensation?

At present, there are no public plans to compensate drivers who have had their appointments cancelled. Affected drivers will, however, have half of the test fee refunded and be offered a free test.

On Monday, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon was asked if compensation will be offered to drivers who had to hire a car as a result of a cancelled test and she said she was restricted in what decisions she can make around such payments.

“In terms of compensation, I have to operate within the