My MOT finished in Jan. As long as I dont use my car, can I have the MOT done in Feb? Or must I do it in Jan?

Question

Even if I dont use my car, will I still need to have the MOT done in January?

Answer 1

if you aren't going to use your car, you don't need an MOT, and you can keep it off road for as long as you like, but you need to get it tested again before you use it. If you do intend to leave it for a while, make sure you book the car into a garage for the MOT before you set off to the garage, that way you're legal if you get stopped by the police.

Answer 2

Getting the MOT done in january is fine as long as you don't drive it. Book the car in to the garage before going to the garage as you are only supposed to drive a car with no MOT for the purpose of taking it to a garage for repairs or obtaining MOT. Having no MOT is not as bad as having no road tax.

If the road tax is due you will also have to declare it offroad by sending off the SORN or taking it to the post office, this is sent out with the reminder for road tax, you cannot get road tax without an MOT and insurance. Also with no road tax make sure it is completely off public roads as you can still get a ticket if it is on a public road.

Answer 3

Ideally, you will need to do an MOT as soon as possible.

If you fill in a SORN form and send to DVLA then no you won't need to MO9T but, you won't be able to drive it either. You can get your MOT done at anytime. The only problem being now, most garages do them via a computer so the DVLA know whi is and isn't MOT'd. However, if you drive you car to the garage tonattend a pre-booked MOT and you get stopped by the police, they can't punish you. Jus remebr one thing:-

While you are not MOT'd your car insurance is not valid.

Answer 4

A Car needs a current MOT to be on the highway. If the MOT has expired you will need to take it off the road. You would be well advised to look at getting a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice).

Answer 5

If its off the road you can have the MOT done whenever u feel, my cars MOT was in Sep but its been sat in the garage with no MOT. its legal not to have an MOT as long as you dont use your car on public highways

Answer 6

You do not need an MOT to keep a car, how ever the car cannot be on the road without a valid certificate, unless it is being driven to a PRE BOOKED test.

Should it fail the test it cannot be driven away from the garage

Answer 7

As long as it's off the road you should be OK. Not even parked on the street or any public access way. Strictly speaking it should be SORN but if you're only looking at a few weeks you should be OK.

Make SURE that you pre-book your test and then drive the shortest ordinarily traveled route to the test to be legal. You may only operate an untested vehicle on public roads legally enroute to a pre-booked testing appointment.

Even so, if your vehicle is found to be in unsafe operating condition (usually as a result of an accident or police stop) you could be cited for operating an unsafe vehicle. So make sure that there are no obvious faults -- burned out lamps, worn tyres, naff exhaust, etc. -- before you proceed to the test.

Answer 8

As long as the vehicle is not kept on the public highway there will be no problem. and of course you will only be able to drive it directly to the MOT station. if it fails you will not be able to drive it home. I would sugest that the garage you take it to can do any repairs necessary.

Answer 9

Hi Bob, I don't believe there is such an "average" number. I know it's not the type of answer you wanted to hear but there are so many variables that trying to assign an exact number would be virtually impossible. I'm an avid reader of everything automotive and if there was such a data point i would have certainly read about it by now.

Answer 10

You do not need an M.O.T if the vehicle is kept off road

You can only drive to a PRE-BOOKED M.O.T.

Sorn only applys to Road Tax NOT M.O.T.s.

Be aware if you are stopped on the way to a M.O.T. you are still liable for any fault on the vehicle.