Protyre News

Since 20 May 2018, the style and contents of the MOT certificate have changed significantly but a paper copy should be provided by all test garages.

In addition to insurance and road tax, the MOT is one of the most important things to consider in running a vehicle. An MOT certificate confirms that your vehicle, at the time of its test, passed the minimum legal requirements to be deemed roadworthy. The certificate does not mean that the vehicle will remain roadworthy until the expiration date of the certificate, so it is important to keep up to date with maintenance and servicing.
 
A new vehicle will require its first MOT once it reaches three years of age and after that, annually. The test is carried out at an MOT test centre where you’ll be given the test certificate if it passes the test. The MOT inspection will include testing of the steering, suspension, tyres, windscreen, brakes, exhaust emissions and other key safety items. It will not cover mechanical areas such as the gearbox or engine. The objective of the test is to ensure safety, not the well-being of the vehicle which is why servicing in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations is essential.

New test certificate

When your vehicle passes its MOT you will be issued with a new-style certificate which consists of an A4 sized piece of paper with the certificate printed on it. You should keep the certificate somewhere safe. There were isolated reports of some confusion at test garages when the new certificates were first introduced, with the result that a small number of drivers appear not to have been issued with the certificate. You shouldn't leave the centre without it.
 
Since 2018, any defects which were picked up during the test, but are not severe enough for the vehicle to fail its MOT will be highlighted on the certificate as an “advisory notice”. These defects need to be repaired as soon as possible. These changes, together with the change in the form of the certificate were introduced as part of the EU Directive 2014/45 which came into being on 20 May 2018. The purpose of the advisory notice is:

• To highlight any parts of your vehicle that could cause it to fail its MOT in the near future.

• To highlight any issues of potential concern that the MOT test uncovers.

• To highlight any defects in components which are not covered by the MOT test, such as the engine or the clutch.

Defects in components outside of the scope of the test may be discovered purely coincidentally and the test itself should not be regarded as a comprehensive mechanical assessment of the vehicle.

Do you need an MOT?

It is an offence to drive a vehicle over the age of three years without an MOT on any public road unless:

• You are in the process of taking it to the MOT test centre

• You are transferring it from the centre to a repair garage after failing the MOT test

• You are transferring the vehicle from the repair centre to the MOT centre after the repairs have been carried out

You may well be asked to prove this if you are stopped by the police on the way to the garage. The easiest way to do this is to call ahead to the garage so that they can confirm your appointment. If you don’t do this, you could be charged with driving a vehicle without an MOT certificate and you’ll be committing a criminal offence and may be liable to a fine of £2,500 in addition to three penalty points. It is also possible that you may well be awarded a driving ban as well.
 
When you purchase a vehicle it is important that the previous owner passes on the new style certificate to you. In the event that they don't, you’ll need to order a duplicate copy which will cost of £10.

Lost certificates

In the event that you lose or damage your certificate, it is advisable to get a duplicate copy as soon as possible. It’s not a cause for panic if you do lose it, as the authorities and insurance firms can check online for a valid MOT for the vehicle.

Failing an MOT test

While it’s not the best news in the world, it’s not the end of the world either. The test centre will provide you with something known as a VT30 'refusal of an MOT test certificate' which will indicate all the items that caused the test failure. After this, it is a matter of getting these items fixed so that you can retake the test as soon as possible and get back on the road. If your vehicle is repaired at the test centre and retested there within 10 days you won’t be charged for the second test.

MOTs at Protyre

Here at Protyre, we offer the MOT test at the reduced rate of £20 if you also have your car serviced prior to the test. Thisis a particularly popular option among our clients, allowing our skilled technicians to address any issues which may otherwise result in an MOT failure.

Get your next MOT at Protyre - buy online and save £££s!

 
You can retain the same MOT renewal date with a test conducted any time up to a month before the MOT falls due. So, If your vehicle is due for an MOT in the near future, why not book your MOT test (and a service) online with us today?
 
As one of the largest networks of garages and MOT test garages in the UK, there is bound to be a Protyre near you.
 
Alternatively, if you require any additional help or information about MOTs, servicing, tyres, exhausts or the overall maintenance of your vehicle, please don't hesitate to contact your local Protyre where one of our tyre professionals, service technicians or qualified fitters will be very happy to answer any questions you may have.
 
Years of experience tell us that when it comes to tyres, servicing and MOTs our expert team know precisely what you need. We are, after all, the local garage you can trust!

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