A neighbour of mine has recently acquired a Y plate car (early 2001?) and asked me when she needs to get it MOT'd. She insists it hasn't been done yet and was wondering if she'll get some form of reminder when it becomes due. I think it needs to be done 3 years after first regn. but confess that until now, I've never had a car new enough to have this 'problem'.
Can anyone clarify please?
Thanks as usual from sunny Orpington!
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From the DFT wb-site:
if a car is registered with no prior use on the road, the MOT will be required three years after the date of manufacture. For example, a car registered "from new" on 25 April 2000 will require its MOT no later than 25 April 2003
So it needs to have been tested by the time it reaches 3 years old. You cannot drive a car over 3 years old without an MOT (unless it's to a pre-booked MOT test at the closest station etc etc)
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Of course that's MOT test station... not train station. That would be silly.
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Date of Manufacture?? I always thought it was date of registration?
If its the date of manufacture then seemingly I can be prosecuted for not MOT'ing the car within 3 years of a date that I didn't know!
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Date of Manufacture?? I always thought it was date of registration? If its the date of manufacture then seemingly I can be prosecuted for not MOT'ing the car within 3 years of a date that I didn't know!
Well that's the thing. It then goes on to contradict itself by talking about date of registration. My assumption would be the date of first registration on your V5. I don't think there's any way of knowing what date it rolled out of the factory is there?
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There's HJ's trick with the ashtray but that just gives you the approximate month.
Some unpopular cars sit in fields for ages - they might be due their MOT straight away!
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HJ's ash tray trick ?
Does it work for non smokers though? :)
Like you I get a reminder from the MOT place I use(d). Mind you, I may not take my new motor there - the access road to the test station is akin to an off-roader test track - I'm always pleasantly surprised that nothing's fallen off when they finally get my car up on the ramp!
They don't seem to do many Renaults for some reason :)
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VM! you bad lad - dont you start now!
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Only joking - just checking that you were paying attention in class RF :)
Incidentally her partner drives a 52 plate Laguna which has, in her words, developed "a mystifying electrical/ignition problem". Apparently the ignition light stays on when he's driving. It's still under warranty so shouldn't be too much of a problem but since electronics are your forte and you drive a Laguna I'll let you know what I find out. Should see him at the weekend if the car's OK.
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HJ's ash tray trick ?
Take out the ashtray, turn it over, look at the QC markings and they show the month of manufacture of the ashtray. This is a cheap plastic part so probably arrives for just-in-time production, thus the car was probably assembled that month (give or take).
Like you I get a reminder from the MOT place I use(d). Mind you, I may not take my new motor there - the access road to the test station is akin to an off-roader test track - I'm always pleasantly surprised that nothing's fallen off when they finally get my car up on the ramp!
Cunning sales technique? "You've failed - this bit seems to have fallen off. Do you want us to fix it?"
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Due on the third anniversary.
There won't be any official reminder. A garage might remind you if they have serviced the car, but this is a courtesy to try and get the business. It was one of these reminders that prompted me to get the 5 MOT'd - I would have forgotten otherwise.
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Thanks guys!
So it seems my neighbour needs to check quite urgently when her car was first registered and, if it was before May 2001, get her finger out!
It really wouldn't do for a fine upstanding pillar of the community to be driving a car illegally would it.
Have a nice day all!
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Don't forget that you can get the MOT done up to 1 calender month before the 3rd anniversary of the car's registration and if you take the registration document along the MOT will be dated from the registration date.
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There won't be any official reminder....
When you receive your Road Tax renewal form, it will indicate that that you need a current MOT cert before purchasing the RFL.
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Good point DD, forgot that.
Wouldn't have helped me because the car came ex-demo on 6 months tax. So the tax reminder will arrive in mid August and remind me that I needed an MOT last March.
Will help many others, though.
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If MOT and tax are due at the same time it worth taxing it for 6 months once to separate them. It saves having to panic to get the MOT done when the tax reminder comes, but of course you then have to remember when the MOT is due, as you won't get a reminder for that. I think I've just gone full circle.
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From The Bible :-
Test Certificate wanted
Vehicles first REGISTERED under Veh Excise & Registration Act 1994, not less than 3 years before that time, and
those which,having a date of manufacture not less than 3 years before that time, having been used on roads,(whether in GB or elsewhere) before being so registered the Vehicles (Excise) Act, 71,72. Sect 47 (2) RTA 88
But if passenger carrying vehicle for 8 or more, a taxi, an Ambulance, then one year.
DVD
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Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.
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Old pedant writes:
It doesn't have to be the nearest MOT testing station. It can be any one you like, even hundreds of miles away, as long as it is pre-booked.
Also, the test does not actually have to be on the day you are driving there, as long as the garage is willing to keep the car.
And it can be driven to a garage that is going to carry out repairs for the MOT, not necessarily do the MOT itself. But you probably do have to be going directly to and from the garage, not taking in shopping or a holiday on the way.
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