DVLA ERROR SPARKS MoT CONFUSION
Owners flag up fault with the online exemption system – leaving owners of pre-1960 classics unsure of their cars’ status
Drivers of pre-1960 classics are being left unsure whether their cars’ MoT-exempt status has been properly recognised due to a flaw in the way the website administering the system works.
The online system that allows owners of all classics more than 40 years old to declare their car as exempt from annual roadworthiness tests
currently bypasses an automatic check of a classic’s MoT history for post-1960 cars, but does not do this for earlier vehicles, which have been exempt from annual tests since 2012.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) said that it has raised the issue with the DVLA in its latest meeting with the agency.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) has assured owners of pre-1960 cars that their vehicles are still entitled to MoT exemptions – despite owners flagging up flaws on the DVLA’s website that suggest otherwise.
It said that several owners had contacted the federation, concerned that their vehicles were no longer having their MoT-exempt status officially recognised due to the way the DVLA’s online declaration system works; it currently bypasses a search of the MoT database for post-1960 cars – exempted from annual tests last year – if they are declared but not older cars, which
were automatically exempted from the tests in 2012. Legislation director, Bob Owen, said: ‘Exemption is not dependent upon declaration.
If your vehicle is entitled to be MoT exempt, it is automatically so. And if you are not presented with the requirement to declare, registration will complete without an MoT.
You do not have to declare to be exempt.
‘Law abiding, conscientious people reported to us concerns that, after having been told they must declare, the DVLA online system would not let them as they saw no “declaration” page. They were afraid their MoT exempt status was at risk. It wasn’t.’
The Federation says that the DVLA is still working on fixing the flaw in its system, which still does not recognise that pre-1960, broadly standard vehicles do not need an MoT. Owners can take their cars for checks at garages, or take them for yearly MoTs. The DVLA did not respond to CCW’s questions about MoT exemptions for pre-1960 classics before this week’s issue went to press.
Clubs spoken to by Classic Car Weekly supporting pre-1960 vehicles were aware of the issues with the DVLA’s systems, but said that in practice it hadn’t stopped them from continuing to use their vehicles.
Austin Seven Owners’ Club DVLA representative, Mike Burgess, said: ‘ We do still see the section which says the car requires an MoT on the DVLA website, but we just ignore it, and the system lets you continue having ignored it. We haven’t had any actual problems with MoT exemption.’
Similarly, The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain said that it has not come across any issues.
Catherine Lewis, Records Manager at the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club, added: ‘ We haven’t had any calls from members on the issue. This is the first we have heard of it’.
‘Law abiding were afraid their MoT exempt status was at risk. It wasn’t’ BOB OWEN, FBHVC