When driving your new car off the forecourt, its road-worthiness isn’t (and shouldn’t be) at the forefront of your mind. We all assume a new car’s safety – it’s a good reason to buy a new car.
Your car is obliged to have its first MOT after three years. Before then, there is no legal obligation to undergo testing. Check when your vehicle was registered for the exact date you’ll be due a test. If your car is imported and you therefore don’t know the registration date, you’ll have to work from the manufacture date – counting three years forward to get your MOT due date.
Alternatively, you can find out your MOT due date by looking at your car’s V5C form, usually known as the ‘logbook’, which always includes the car’s registration date. This is a reliable (and legally valid) way to determine the car’s registration date and therefore when it’s due its first test.
It can be easy to forget to book a first test when you are not used to getting your car tested every year. You can set up FREE reminders via AA Automyze to ensure you never miss a test.
Does my new car need an MOT test every year?
Yes. After the first test, schedule a test every year.After the first MOT, you’ll need a further MOT to check your car’s roadworthiness every 12 months. You won’t have to go back to the original registration date again – just work 12 months from the last MOT date. You can get an MOT within a month of it running out and keep the same renewal date (rather than losing a month).
Can I drive a car without a valid MOT?
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT – and the financial costs are nothing compared to the cost of the safety of you, your passengers and other drivers.
The only exceptions to this are;
• if you are driving the car to a garage to be repaired.
• if you are driving the car to a pre-arranged MOT test.
The future of the MOT
The MOT is set to change. New cars may not have to have an MOT until they are four years old, saving the driver one year’s MOT fee. After four years, though, the test will still need to be taken annually. Keep up-to-date, to make sure you have the right knowledge to keep you and your car safe and roadworthy.
Contact us if you have any questions about your cars MOT on 01207 560274
