MOT rules - cars where MOT failure but not expired

[Nova00]

Could someone in the MOT trade please clarify

My Mazda was in for a tyre (not an MOT) but i noticed National have got a notice up to say that cars cannot be driven after failing MOT except to MOT station/ repairs - informed changed October 2015 ?. I thought you could drive as long as previous MOT not expired (provided roadworthy)

DVLA website appears to confirm can be driven where MOT failed (but not expired)-Driving a vehicle that’s failedYou can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid.
If your MOT has run out you can take your vehicle to:


have the failed defects fixed
a pre-arranged MOT test appointment

In both cases, your vehicle still needs to meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-drivers-and-motorcyclists-89-to-102) or you can be fined.

[meritlover]

The national sign is misleading and not entirely true. VOSA huidance is correct.

If you failed for a bald tyre you can fit the spare and drive home, trailer it away or chance your luck at driving it home for repair withiut getting caught with a bald tyre.

Suggesting they can some how impound your car on failure is wrong.

[Stuart]

Probably their ploy to keep your car there to do the repairs at hugely inflated cost

[pete17]

It really depends on what it fails on and if they deem it dangerous to drive away, if they do deem it dangerous to drive away it will say so on your fail cert, as tester can issue a proabition notice on the vehicle stating it cannot be removed unless on a recovery truck.

i am a mot tester and when you fill out the fail the computer asks you if you think this fault is dangerous or not .

[Stuart]

Isn't the very premise of an mot fail, that it's unsafe, otherwise it's not a fail surely lol

[pete17]

a number plate bulb out is a fail but not really unsafe to drive:p

[conza123]

If u fail a mot and still have a current mot then u are still able to drive it

[pete17]

If u fail a mot and still have a current mot then u are still able to drive it

not anymore if it fails then the current mot becomes void

it did used to be like that but they changed it

[Nova00]

Thanks for the replies, but I am still no the wiser !
Pete's latest comment consistent with National notice (recent changes from October 2015 ??)........... but I read the DVLA website (and other replies) appear to contradict.


not anymore if it fails then the current mot becomes void

it did used to be like that but they changed it

[meritlover]

A garage cant 'impound' your car then hold you to ransom i.e force you to pay them to repair the defect.

[Stuart]

The idea looks to be to keep "dangerous" (as in failed an MOT) cars off the road, if you failed but take it away, it must be on a recovery vehicle or trailer as opposed to simply driven off for repairs then back.

[Jack]

I think this link explains it best:

http://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/can-you-drive-your-car-after-an-mot-fail-if-the-old-test-hasnt-expired (http://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/can-you-drive-your-car-after-an-mot-fail-if-the-old-test-hasnt-expired)

Looks like DVSA decided a fail is a fail, updated their website, but then changed their minds and backtracked everything. Which is why the gov.uk website (currently) says you can drive if your old MOT is still valid.

That said, even if they do go ahead with the "fail nullifies an existing MOT" stance, you can drive it to a place of repair - which could be your garage at home. But beware of this point:


if you do drive your car away [after an MOT failure] it is technically unroadworthy. If you were to be caught driving a dangerous vehicle, you could be prosecuted – and you definitely can’t plead ignorance if you have an MoT fail sheet informing you of this.

Definition of 'dangerous' is open to interpretation though

[Stuart]

I'd imagine a blanket "if its failed the MOT then its dangerous" stance would be taken... obviously as above, where a number plate light out would be a fail, then thats the interpretation but the point does kinda stand that the MOT is supposed to determine safe roadworthyness, so anything failing that isnt safe.