Each year, every car on the road over three years old has to undergo a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test to ensure that it meets the minimum road safety and environmental standards. This is a legal requirement that has to be carried out at an MOT approved garage, by a trained professional. Every new car must have an MOT test within 3 years if its registration, before this point, new cars are exempt.

It is vital that all car owners and drivers ensure that their vehicle has an up to date MOT certificate as there are rather hefty penalties if caught without one. Driving a vehicle without a valid certificate carries a penalty of £1,000 however if the car is adapted to carry more than 8 people then this fine is increased to £2,500. You do not incur any penalty points on your license but these fines should be more than enough of a risk for you not to break the rules.

An average MOT costs £50 for cars and around £30 for a motorbike. MOT's are useful as they may show you a problem with your car that you would not have noticed before and whether this is a small or large problem it may risk the health and safety of you and others.

The only other time you would be pardoned for not having a valid certificate, is if you are on your way to or from a MOT test. Every other time you have to present evidence of a valid MOT if requested by the police and failure to do so can lead to you receiving a penalty.

All results of MOT tests are now held on a central database so as soon as your car passes or fails its tests the results will be uploaded to this database. The certificate you receive if your car passes acts as a receipt but only this database shows the results from the MOT and the certificate does not act as proof.

If you are not satisfied with the MOT test and how it was performed then you can complain to your local VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) who can follow the matter up. If you feel the wrong decision was made then it is advisable to speak to the testing station first to find out the finer details. The important thing is not to let anyone else work on your car in between this as your car needs to be in the same condition as it was during the MOT test.

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Author: Phil Adams-Wright