The Ministry of Transport test (usually abbreviated to MOT test) is an annual test of automobile safety, roadworthiness aspects and exhaust emissions required for most vehicles over three years old used on public roads in the United Kingdom.
The name derives from the Ministry of Transport,[1] a defunct Government department which was one of several ancestors of the current Department for Transport, but is still officially used. The MOT test certificates are currently issued in Great Britain under the auspices of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), an agency within the Department for Transport. Certificates in Northern Ireland are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). The test and the pass certificate are often referred to simply as the "MOT".
Many local car repair garages throughout Great Britain are authorised to perform testing and to issue certificates. In Northern Ireland tests are performed exclusively at the DVA's own test centres.
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When originally instituted in 1960 by the then Ministry of Transport, the test applied to vehicles over ten years old. Since April 1967[2] [3] it applies to most road vehicles over three years old, including motorcycles. ambulances, and taxis. Passenger vehicles with nine or more seats which are over one year old must be tested; some "limited use" and agricultural vehicles are exempt from the test.
The list of items tested has been continually expanded over the years. Recently a sophisticated exhaust gases emissions test has been introduced for vehicles with internal combustion engines; the required standard varies depending on the age and type of the engine. Some motorcycles and older vehicles are only required to pass a visual emissions check.
The test classes are:
All test stations are required to display a "VT9A Fees and Appeals" poster on their premises which must be available to the public. It gives information on all test types and information on what to do if a vehicle fails its MOT test.
MOT comes from the no longer existent Ministry Of Transport, but the name continues to apply to the inspection itself. The actual designation for the pass certificate is VT20, and failure is the VT30, with any advisories being the VT32. Every "MOT" Test will provide an emissions report.
It is illegal to drive a non-exempt vehicle that requires a test on public roads without a current MOT,[4] except when driving to or from (subject to insurance terms and conditions) a booked MOT Test. Possession of an up-to-date VT20 test certificate is a pre-requisite for obtaining a tax disc, and advertisements for used cars frequently say how many months are left to run on the current MOT (i.e., VT20 certificate; although the VT20 points out that it does not, in any way, guarantee road-worthiness at the time of sale). A vehicle could suffer major damage after an MOT has been carried out, but the certificate would still be valid, and obtaining a new one is not required by law (some insurance companies may require a new test, but this is their practice, not law). However, driving a vehicle which is in a dangerous condition on a public road is always illegal, irrespective of its test status.[5]
Vehicles used exclusively on certain islands or other areas mainly surrounded by water, being an island or area from which motor vehicles, unless constructed for special purposes can at no time be conveniently driven to a road in any other part of the United Kingdom by reason of the absence of any bridge, tunnel, ford or other way suitable for the passage of such motor vehicle are exempt from the requirement for a VT20 Certificate to obtain a tax disc.[6]
The Official UK MOT inspection manuals are available online.
When a vehicle fails the MOT test it can be re-tested at the same station free of charge, or at a reduced price, up to the end of the next day for minor items (see the poster displayed at the test station) provided it is returned within a specific time period. If the vehicle remains at the test station for repair after failure then it can have a free re-test up to 10 working days (i.e., two calendar weeks or more) after the original. If it is removed from the premises for repair and then returned before the end of 10 working days it can have a test at half the original fee paid. After the 10-day period a full MOT fee is charged again and a new MOT carried out. The next day free re-test for certain failure items is still in place, although some items which can be adjusted in the test if they are accessible and possible to do so with ease, such as headlamp aim, have been removed. A free re-test may be offered by the station at any point to encourage the owner of the vehicle to pay the testing garage to carry out work to make it roadworthy. Test stations and the MOT website provide full and up-to-date information regarding what is a free re-test and what is not.
The fee for testing and retesting is at the discretion of the proprietor of the test facility, subject to legal maximum prices. The number of re-tests and the time period between test and re-test is also at the proprietor's discretion.
Any vehicle can be MOT tested, even if it is unregistered at the time (e.g. kit cars or imported vehicles). Imported vehicles that are MOT tested in the United Kingdom must meet British standards, even if the importation is temporary. An example of non-compliance is the combining of stop lamps (brake lights) and indicators (signal lights) commonly found on American vehicles, which are not legal for use in the UK.
MOT testing centres are regulated and licensed by the Department and Transport and VOSA for the purpose, and the individual testers carrying out the inspections also have to be trained and certified. The decision to pass or fail comes down to the discretion of the tester following the Guidelines issued by the VOSA. Inevitably, some of these decisions can be subjective in nature (e.g. whether the extent of corrosion on a body panel renders the vehicle unsafe or not).
The MOT test covers
The inspection manual can be found here:[7] The full details must by law be provided on request by all garages licensed to perform MOT tests, and are currently published in VOSA's leaflet The MOT Test and You. An MOT pass certificate indicates that at the time of the test the vehicle met or exceeded the minimum safety standards determined by the VOSA guidelines.
Areas not tested include the clutch, gear box, and engine mountings, as the failure of these components is not a safety risk. Maintenance that is necessary for the reliable and efficient operation of the vehicle but not its safety forms part of a service inspection that is recommended by manufacturers, but is not a legal requirement for operating the vehicle on the public highway.
The MOT does not determine whether or not after market features fitted are legal for use on the public highway. Specific testing on these parts is required at designated testers, because a vehicle that passes an MOT test could still have major mechanical defects from the after market products fitted that make it unsafe on the road. For example, a spear fitted to the bonnet of a car will not cause it to fail an MOT (body modification not corroded or damaged), but could still be lethal.
Items such as the windscreen, wipers and exhaust systems are tested for condition and operation. Windscreen wipers will fail the test if they do not adequately clear the windscreen when used in conjunction with the washers. The exhaust system, in addition to checks on its condition and security, is tested to ascertain whether it is obviously louder than another vehicle of the same make and model with a standard exhaust system fitted. Dismantling of any part of the vehicle during the MOT test is strictly against test regulations, making the assessment of corrosion or worn components in certain areas on certain car models very difficult to determine accurately. As the MOT is only an inspection for road-worthiness at the time of test, the inspection of most accessories is not included. One exception is tow bars: their condition and their attachment to the vehicle is now included in the MOT.
Motorists who recently had a vehicle MOT tested and disagree with the outcome of the inspection are entitled to an appeal against the decision. The appeal must be lodged with the VOSA/DVA within 28 days of the original test date if the item(s) in question are mechanical in nature, 3 months are allowed for corrosion issues, except for corrosion of brake discs, brake lines or the exhaust system. Mileage, or the lack thereof, incurred after the inspection has no relevance to the appeal even if the vehicle has not been used for several months after the test.
If the items in question are repaired, replaced or removed from the vehicle, the right of the owner to appeal becomes null and void. Failure because of items easily replaceable, such as tyres or windscreen wiper blades, may not be appealed against, as it cannot be adequately determined if they were the ones fitted at the time of inspection.
To appeal against an MOT pass is free of charge, but appeals against a failure incur a fee whose value would amount to the normal maximum price of an MOT for that vehicle. This fee is then refunded if the appellate inspection finds in favor of the motorist lodging the appeal. If the appellate inspection finds the vehicle was incorrectly diagnosed, the VOSA/DVA takes appropriate action against the station involved. This can range from penalty points being issued for minor infringements, to the station's MOT license being rescinded for more major violations.
The VOSA/DVA has only the power to discipline the station involved and cannot pursue compensation of any kind for the complainant; that is the responsibility of Trading Standards. An MOT station cannot be held responsible for defects that occur to the vehicle several months after the test was conducted. The appeal process is outlined on the reverse of the VT20 pass certificate and the VT30 failure notice.
It is a common misconception that the MOT inspection provides an irrefutable record of a vehicle's mileage. However, although the mileage is recorded during the test, no part of the inspection requires the test station to verify that this is indeed the actual mileage. It is merely recorded, and any tampering of an odometer (or clocking) would not be discovered as part of the MOT inspection.
As of 6 April 2010, these are the maximum fees that can be charged. They are not subject to VAT.
| Class | Vehicle Type | Age first test required (years) | Price (06/04/2010 onwards)[9] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycles (up to 200cc) | 3 | £29.65 |
| 2 | Motorcycles (over 200cc) | 3 | £29.65 |
| 1 & 2 | Motorcycles with side car (any engine size) | 3 | £37.80 |
| 3 | Three wheeled vehicles | 3 | £37.80 |
| 4 | Cars & light vans | 3 | £54.85 |
| 4 | Ambulances and taxis | 1 | £54.85 |
| 4 | Private Passenger Vehicles & Ambulances (9-12 Passenger Seats) | 1 | £57.30 |
| 4a | Includes seat belt installation check | N/A | £64.00 |
| 5 | Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (13-16 passenger seats) | 1 | £59.55 |
| 5 | Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (More than 16 passenger seats) | 1 | £80.65 |
| 5a | Includes seat belt installation check (13-16 passenger seats) | N/A | £80.50 |
| 5a | Includes seat belt installation check (More than 16 passenger seats) | N/A | £124.50 |
| 7 | Goods vehicles (over 3,000 kg up to 3,500 kg DGW) | 3 | £58.60 |
| n/a | Partial retest fee | Half test fee | |
| n/a | Maximum fee for duplicate test certificate (or half the full test fee if less) | £10.00 |
From 2012 the MOT test will be radically overhauled with many items not previously included in the test now becoming standard. It will also see the introduction of plain paper certificates as VOSA moves away from the standard VT20 to a more electronic based method of test verification