MOT test rules change from August 1: Driving without MOT will lead to £2,500 fine

LONDON July 28: A six-month exemption on MOT’s was granted in March as UK entered lockdown but is set to be removed in August. That means from Saturday, 1 August, driving with an expired MoT can result in you being pulled over and fined and possibly banned.

motorists can be hit with fines of up to £2,500 if they’re late to get an MoT.

As measures start to ease, the annual motor check for cars, motorcycles and vans will once again be made mandatory all across the UK.

There will be no exemptions or extensions and a failure to comply could result in a huge fine or even a driving ban.

The mandatory testing will return from 1st of August onwards, meaning that if your MOT is due onor after that date, you must book your vehicle to be tested as usual. Failure to do so can result in a fine up to £1000 and it can mean fines up to £2,500, 3 points on your license.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, drivers were granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing in March to help slow the spread of the virus. However, as restrictions are eased when safe to do so, all drivers whose car, motorcycle or van is due for an MOT test from 1 August will be required to get a test certificate to continue driving their vehicle.

MOT tests are important for road safety and ensure that vehicle parts, including tyres, seatbelts, brakes, lights and exhausts, are in proper working order.

Drivers with an MOT due date before 1 August will still receive a 6-month exemption from testing. However, all vehicles must continue to be properly maintained and kept in a roadworthy condition, and people are able to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement. Motorists can be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle.

Your MOT certificate will not be extended if your vehicle’s MOT expires on or after 1 August 2020. You must book an MOT as usual.

MOT centres are open now for you to get an MOT.

You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

If your MOT runs out on 2 August, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is 3 July.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “As people return to our roads, it is vital that motorists are able to keep their vehicles safe. That’s why as restrictions are eased, from 1 August MOT testing will again become mandatory.

Garages across the country are open and I urge drivers who are due for their MOT to book a test as soon they can.

Only some garages remained open to conduct essential services during the coronavirus outbreak, but now over 90% are open across the country. Testing capacity has already reached 70% of normal levels and is steadily increasing.

While exemptions are still available for vehicle owners with an MOT due date before 1 August, it is vital that drivers still take their vehicle to be checked if they notice something is wrong in the same way that they usually would.

If drivers are vulnerable or self-isolating they should contact their local garage as many are offering pick-up and drop-off services, so drivers can get their car checked without having to visit a garage.