Driving an untaxed/unMOT vehicle.

Orionaut

Orionaut

Orionaut

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Now, AIUI,

A car sans MOT/TAX may be driven to (and from) an MOT test station for the purposes of having an MOT test provided there is insurance cover.

It can also be driven to and from somewhere where required MOT repairs are being performed.

Are there any other circumstances?

EG, If a repair is known to be required before taking it for an MOT test, can it be driven to and from the place of repair or does it have to "fail" an MOT test first?
 
Orionaut said:
EG, If a repair is known to be required before taking it for an MOT test, can it be driven to and from the place of repair or does it have to "fail" an MOT test first?
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Vehicle needs to fail the MOT first, then you have 2 weeks to carry out repairs and get it re-MOT. The vehicle can be driven to the garage for the repairs and upon leaving the garage, can be driven to the test centre (if in a different location) to complete the MOT.
 
You absolutely sure about that? Seems to be fairly odd that you would be given carte blanche to drive a car proven to be unroadworthy, on the road?
 
Clarkey said:
You absolutely sure about that? Seems to be fairly odd that you would be given carte blanche to drive a car proven to be unroadworthy, on the road?
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Way I understand it, it is a bit of a grey area. You can drive a car to and from an MOT with a fail, and also to and from home (Directly, do not pass Tescos/whatever) and a place of repair for the purposes of repair after having failed.

But, if you are stopped and the car is found to be "unroadworthy" you can still face prosecution.

However, it is perfectly possible to fail an MOT without the car actually being unroadworthy (EG failed number plate light)

IE MOT fail <Doesn't necessarily equal> Unroadworthy/Unsafe, just legally non-complient.

Of course, my original question is about whether or not it was permissible to take un-MOT'd /Un-taxed cars to garages for the required work to be done without having to go through the nonsense of having an MOT test that you knew you were going to fail being done first?

(EG a car that has been SORN'ed for a while and it is known that work needs to be carried out in order to make it MOT compliant)
 
Orionaut said:
Of course, my original question is about whether or not it was permissible to take un-MOT'd /Un-taxed cars to garages for the required work to be done without having to go through the nonsense of having an MOT test that you knew you were going to fail being done first?

(EG a car that has been SORN'ed for a while and it is known that work needs to be carried out in order to make it MOT compliant)
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The answer is on the gov website

If the MOT has run out

You can’t drive your vehicle on the road if the MOT has run out. You can be prosecuted if caught.​

The only exceptions are to drive it:
  • to or from somewhere to be repaired
  • to a pre-arranged MOT test
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https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/when-to-get-an-mot

Short answer is yes. You can only take an un-MOTd car to a garage for repairs OR to a pre-arranged MOT test.
 
I always thought that once it's failed you could then drive to a garage to be fixed, and then to the MOT center (and back to the garage if needed). I got the impression that once it's left home and found its way to a garage or mot center it cant be used to go back home again, as it's easily open to abuse. But, saying that, unless police ask for the address and proof of booking at the garage/mot center you claim you're going to, then it's pretty open to abuse anyway, as there's always garages and mot centers in all directions.
 
DereksDontRun said:
I always thought that once it's failed you could then drive to a garage to be fixed, and then to the MOT center (and back to the garage if needed). I got the impression that once it's left home and found its way to a garage or mot center it cant be used to go back home again, as it's easily open to abuse.
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At no point do the rules state "a garage". Your home is just as much a "place of repair" as any garage.

So your car needs some work doing, some of which you have the tools and parts for, some of which you need a garage. You can quite happily take the car to a garage to get some bits done, then take it home to do the bits you can do.
 
I've been wondering about this as i have an old Impreza sat on the drive at my old house about 15 miles away from new house. I know it'll fail its MOT on emissions but it isn't unroadworthy in a safety sense. Could i insure it and drive it to my new house as that'll be where it'll be repaired and then onto a local garage for MOT in the weeks after... all seems a bit grey and dodgy really.
 
sovietspybob said:
I've been wondering about this as i have an old Impreza sat on the drive at my old house about 15 miles away from new house. I know it'll fail its MOT on emissions but it isn't unroadworthy in a safety sense. Could i insure it and drive it to my new house as that'll be where it'll be repaired and then onto a local garage for MOT in the weeks after... all seems a bit grey and dodgy really.
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My reading of the above, Technically taking it to your new home is probably ok, it would just be rather hard to prove if you were stopped, Taking the car to a "Garage" especially if the appointment is pre booked and the garage can confirm your story is somewhat safer.

Do you have a friendly local garage that you can arrange an appointment with (Even if you do not actually go there and go straight to your home)
 
paradigm said:
At no point do the rules state "a garage". Your home is just as much a "place of repair" as any garage.

So your car needs some work doing, some of which you have the tools and parts for, some of which you need a garage. You can quite happily take the car to a garage to get some bits done, then take it home to do the bits you can do.
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Stretch that argument a little and can't someone try to blag that an old banger that needs some regular tlc/work is always travelling to somewhere to have work done? thus, never needing a mot?
 
You can drive any un-MOTed car to be MOTed. Otherwise how would you get it MOTed? :P

If you get pulled over (unlikely these days with the lack of traffic cops). They will call the garage your taking it to, to make sure you actually are on the way to get it done.
 
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In my opinion, they should get rid of these rules.

You can take the MOT up to a month before the existing one expires. T
hat's long enough to get any repairs and an MOT pass.
If you can't manage that, then folks should have to get it trailered.
 
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