DVSA calms fears over classic MoT status
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has confirmed that owners of MoT-exempt classics need not be worried about their car’s MoT status showing as expired on its website.
Currently, owners of MoT-exempt vehicles who have not taken their cars for a voluntary MoT will receive a message saying their car’s MoT is expired when using the online MoT checker tool.
The DVSA has said that this does not mean that further notification of the car’s MoT exempt status is needed and owners are not at risk of being caught by automatic number plate recognition.
DVSA MoT Testing Service product manager, Alisdair Cameron, said: ‘The DVSA MoT checker states if and when an MoT has expired, including exempted vehicles over 40 years old as owners of classic cars can put their car through an MoT, even though it is not legally necessary, as they must make sure their vehicle is roadworthy at all times.
‘While the police do use MoT status data, they also know that vehicles over 40 years old are exempt from the MoT.’
A DVSA spokesperson says: ‘[The status] of an exempt vehicle is correctly displayed because the MoT has technically expired.’
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs has clarified with the DVLA that the police national computer will show an automatic right of MoT exemption at 40 years.