# Driving a car with no MOT



## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

I was borrowing a car off my old man, which I said I would clean up for him before returning it. I have almost finished doing it but he's just told me the MOT has run out! Being an old car it will most likely fail, it does need some welding done on the sills. He wants this done by the guy he normally uses near him, which is 60 miles away.

I know you can drive a car to a pre-booked MOT test and if it fails it needs to be left there. From what I've found it says you must take the most direct route but doesn't say it has to be the nearest garage. If I drive the car to get the MOT done near him and I got pulled over am I likely to get fined for it?

Do ANPR cameras pick up if a car has no MOT? I know they do for insurance and tax.

The only other thing I could think of was getting it towed back down there.


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

if it is booked in and they catch you ur covered if you supply the garage details, also you would have a MOT or fail slip with that date on.
hth


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

You are only covered if you have booked it in to garage for MOT and you are on your way there
However if the car is not road worthy and you know that and crash and kill someone then pitty help you

Dont risk it,get it up lifted there (dont even tow it)


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## Jiffy (Nov 21, 2009)

The law does not require you to use your nearest MOT station or place limits on how far you can go. I think you'd be ok with 60 miles.

If the car fails it's MOT you can still drive it home with no MOT or tax provided it's not unsafe.


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

i.e. to get it to your dads friend to fix you need to book it in. Let it fail, then take it to the mechanic to fix...and then retest.


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Thanks, I thought it would be ok, I just wasn't too sure about the distance to the MOT test station but the Directgov website just says it has to be pre-booked. The car is roadworthy, it just may need a small hole on the sill welded. I'll be giving it the once over before I drive it and sorting anything that I know will fail.

This is what the Directgov website says:



> Why you need an MOT certificate
> It is generally an offence to use on a public road, a vehicle of testable age that doesn't have a current test certificate, except when:
> taking it to a test station for an MOT test booked in advance
> bringing it away from a test station after it has failed the MOT test, to a place of repair
> ...


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## Maurice100 (Mar 2, 2012)

First you should book the MOT test should the vehicle fail and it is not considered a danger to drive on a public road you can then drive to your man for repair, you can then rebook the test and drive the vehicle back to the test station. this way you will stay within the law


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Also be aware that many private car insurers now state in their policy conditions that the vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition *and* that a valid MOT is in force.

There never used to be a requirement for a valid MOT in force, but this is increasingly becoming the norm with private car insurers. Check your policy wordings carefully (it will be in your policy booklet, not on your certificate).


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Thanks Lloyd will look into that.


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

"Your car insurance may also be invalid" thats the part that would scare me most


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