What if my car’s MOT certi cate expires?
GARAGES AND SERVICE departments weren’t ordered to close as part of the 23 March lockdown in the UK, but many decided to shut to protect staff and customers. In light of the difficulty people were having in finding garages to do MOT tests, and worries about staying safe while getting the test carried out, the Government granted a six-month rolling exemption period. That means anyone whose MOT expired at the end of March doesn’t have to get it renewed until 30 September, while MOTS that ran out in April now aren’t due for renewal until the end of November. You must still keep your car in a roadworthy condition and pay for road tax, though. You can’t get an exemption if your MOT ran out before 30 March; you’ll need to renew it straight away.
Around 40% of garages have remained open in order to help maintain the cars and vans being used by key workers, such as NHS staff. If you’re a key worker and are planning on taking your car to a local garage for an MOT test, we would advise you to discuss and agree the protocols for how you’ll interact with garage staff prior to dropping it off.
A growing number of businesses, big and small, are offering a mobile MOT service. And many garages and car dealerships are offering free collection and delivery services to customers, in order to keep cars roadworthy and stem the slump in business that’s been caused by the coronavirus. So, if you’re in a high-risk group and are self-isolating, either get someone else to drop off and pick up the car for you or use a mobile mechanic who can carry out the test at your home.
It’s easy to book your car in for an MOT test, either online or over the phone, and most businesses can take payment remotely. You can get a new MOT test done up to 28 days before your current one expires, so you can get in early if you’re concerned about getting ill.
To avoid contact with garage staff, you can leave the car keys in a secure place to be collected. As we said earlier, garages are ensuring that collection and delivery staff wear gloves and other protective clothing and are wiping down all frequently touched surfaces prior to handing a car back. As a precaution, we’d advise you to wipe down the key fob, door handles, steering wheel, gearlever and other controls with disinfectant, too.
If your car’s MOT certificate runs out and you aren’t able to get it renewed due to illness or any other reason, you can keep the car off the road and tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that it’s not being used. This is done by completing a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), which can be done online at gov.uk/make-a-sorn or by calling the DVLA on 0300 123 4321. To do this with immediate effect, you’ll need the 11-digit number from your car’s V5 registration document.
When you’re feeling better, you can take the
car to a garage for a new MOT test as long as you’ve pre-booked the test; if you’re stopped by the police on the way to the garage, you’ll have to prove you have an appointment or you might get a £1000 fine.