If your vehicle has failed its MOT or your current MOT has expired, then you may not know whether you can continue to drive or park your car.
In this article, we cover some of the most common questions people ask regarding driving and parking without an MOT.
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Can I Drive My Car on the Road Without an MOT?
It is illegal to drive a vehicle without a valid MOT on the road, and you could be fined up to £1000 for doing so - and possibly receive a driving ban.
You may only drive your car without an MOT under very specific circumstances.
When Is It Legal to Drive Without an MOT Certificate?
Without a valid MOT, you may only drive the car if you are heading directly to a garage for a pre-booked MOT test or a pre-arranged repair designed to fix any defects found during a previous MOT test.
You can drive the vehicle on a road without road tax if the above circumstances apply, but your vehicle must be insured.
Not having an MOT can have an impact on the validity of your insurance, so you should check this with your insurance provider if you are at all concerned.
As insurers require that vehicles are safe to drive and have valid MOT test certificates, driving without an MOT could invalidate your car insurance and land you a £300 fine and 6 points on your licence.
You could even be issued with an unlimited fine and a driving ban if you are found driving an uninsured vehicle.
The police may also choose to seize and destroy the vehicle.
The only other lawful way to move a vehicle which does not have a valid MOT would be via a trailer or recovery vehicle where all four of the vehicle’s wheels are off the ground.
Police cars and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras can recognise your vehicle’s MOT status, meaning you could be caught driving without an MOT.
Can I Drive My Car Without an MOT If It Is Booked In?
You can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT test even if it does not have a valid MOT certificate, is on SORN or doesn't have car tax.
To do so, your vehicle must have insurance and you should check that the policy is valid for driving without an MOT.
However, if your vehicle failed the MOT test due to a dangerous defect, you should not use it on the road and should have it transported by trailer or recovery vehicle with all four wheels off the road instead.
Whilst there is no set law regarding how far you can drive without a valid MOT to a pre-booked MOT appointment, you could still be stopped by the police or find that you are involved in an accident during the journey.
If you are involved in an accident, you will be asked to produce an up-to-date MOT certificate - failure to do so could affect any insurance claims that need to be made.
You will likewise be asked to show proof of your MOT test appointment if you are stopped by the police.
Can I Park My Car on the Road Without an MOT?
Likewise, it is an offence to park a vehicle without a valid MOT on a public road.
You should book an MOT test immediately, as the vehicle could be reported to the police, earning you a fine or leading to the car being seized.
If you do not think you will drive the car for some time, you should make a SORN declaration and keep the car on a driveway or private land.
Can I Drive My Car Away From the Garage After a Failed MOT Test?
If your vehicle fails its MOT test on a major defect, you can technically continue to drive the vehicle until the current MOT certificate expires.
That being said, the vehicle must meet a minimum standard of roadworthiness, meaning that amongst other things the tyres must have at least 1.6mm of tread, and the lights and brakes must be working properly.
However, you cannot drive the vehicle away from the garage if any of the defects found were classed as dangerous.
A dangerous defect could pose serious safety or environmental risks, so you should not drive the vehicle until these faults have been addressed and repaired.
If you do drive the vehicle in this state, you could be fined up to £2,500 and receive a driving ban and 3 penalty points on your licence.
Aside from the potential fines you could incur, an MOT test is designed to keep yourself and others safe, and you cannot drive or park your car without a valid MOT certificate.
If your MOT is due to expire, be sure to book an MOT test near you, so that you always have a valid certificate to hand.
