MOT Test Exemptions

[terryfrombury]

As I`m just about finally to put the Special Sports on the road (famous last blinking words!!!) I went to have a chat with my friendly neighbourhood MOT Station. Obviously the car is exempt, but I would like someone independent to go over the machine just to double check my work. The two questions which they raised (and to which they didn`t know the answers) were;
- if you take an exempt car for an MOT and it fails, is it then illegal to take it back home to work on it
- if you submit an exempt car for MOT, does that effectively nullify the exemption, meaning it has to be tested annually in future?

Any legal experts out there?????

Terry

[Vortex O'Plinth]

I'm no legal expert but I believe that if you submit a MoT exempt vehicle for test, it cannot be failed. The tester can only issue a list of advisories on any faults found. Being exempt from MoT does not absolve the driver from the overriding requirements that the car must be fit for purpose and complying with legislation. These apply whether a car is exempt or not.

If you do receive a fault advisory it may well be that the vehicle is not fit for the road, but you are not legally precluded from driving it just as a result of the test; if however you are subsequently stopped by the police or involved in an accident, the condition of the car may lead to prosecution.

[theoldman]

Easiest way round this one Terry is to forget all about the "actual" MoT and ask your garage man to do what we used to call a "Safety Check and Report", where the car's roadworthiness was checked prior to deciding whether to put it on sale or sell it to the trade!!

It included checks on brakes, lights, wipers, steering joints, holes in the floor etc....................

Cheers

Neil

[Sydsmith]

The MOT garage I use offer a pre MOT check, which enables one to find any advisory or fail points without the mechanic logging on to the DVLA computer.

Have not done it for a couple of years but it's a useful service when you have done major work on a car.

[Phillmore]

I'm not sure they can log it onto the computer being exempt but as Vortex says it can't 'officially' fail.

[Bonzodog]

In answer to your second question - there isn't anything you can do in terms of having the car tested (whether one calls it an MoT or safety check or whatever) which will cause the car to lose its exempt status.

[terryfrombury]

Thanks for the advice, guys!