It is estimated that up to 5.2m cars are being driven without valid MOT certificates on UK roads. More than 360,000 cars in the UK have also been presented for an MOT after their old test expired, according to recent surveys.
If a vehicle does not have a valid MOT inspection within three years of registration, the owner can be fined up to £1,000 or imprisoned for five years.
Based on data obtained via a freedom of information (FOI) request to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the survey found that vehicles presented for an MOT after their expiry date were shockingly high. There were 5.2m vehicles presented for an MOT at least 15 days after their previous test expired, according to FOI data.
More than 3.4 million were retested within three months of the expiration of their previous examination, with a third presented within a month.
“MOTs ensure that cars on the road are safe and roadworthy. The most common reasons for failing an MOT are issues with the lights, signals, suspension, and brakes. If a vehicle is not presented for an MOT on time, crucial safety concerns may be overlooked.”
Almost half a million of the vehicles with long gaps between tests were untaxed, despite being on SORN – which means they were legally kept off the road between inspections.
According to another study, the Renault Clio had the highest failure rate of any car presented for an MOT test in the UK, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Transit. The three models presented for testing failed almost half of the time.
This follows the DVSA’s decision to end the requirement for physical paper MOT certificates. These certificates are no longer a legal requirement and can only be obtained on request. Since 2005, MOT records are stored digitally.
If you need an MOT test because your vehicle’s MOT certificate has expired, call us on 01639 886352 to book an appointment.
