Driving Without MOT

A lot of people only remember that they need to do an MOT when their tax disc needs to be renewed. So when this time approaches, off they go to a certified garage or mechanic to get their car checked and hopefully return with an MOT pass certificate. There are some people who don’t realise that their MOT is due well before that time though and that driving without an MOT can have some serious consequences.

Consequences of driving without valid MOT
Being caught driving a vehicle without an MOT is not usually seen as a big offence and most people can get away with a fine of up to £1,000. No points will be issued on the licence and no ban is likely to pursue either. There are drivers out there who don’t renew their MOT on time and sometimes they do that on purpose. Some drivers wait upto a year before renewing their MOT. This can be very dangerous as you could have a potentially a vehicle which is not roadworthy that could be a danger to others as well as yourself. If you honestly forget to have your car MOT and you have an accident, your insurer will not cover you and you can be charged for driving without insurance along with a fine for having no MOT.

The only time you can drive without having an MOT is when you have booked an appointment to have a MOT and you are driving to the appointment.

How can you get caught having no MOT?

• If you get a ticket for parking
• If you are speeding and a road traffic camera picks it up
• When involved in an accident, the insurer will make checks before paying out

There are some garages that will keep your details on their books and send out a reminder when your MOT is up for renewal. Not all places offer this service but the places that do are a god send. At the moment the DVLA have no plans to send out reminder letters for MOT’s like they do for road tax renewal. This is a shame as we all have very busy lives and the thought of more things to remember wears us down. If the DVLA can send out reminders for road tax, why can’t they do the same for MOTs?