Covid-19 MOT exemption to come into legislation

The Department for Transport this morning has announced a 6 month exemption of MOT testing from the 30th March 2020 in an effort to allow keyworkers to be able to get to work and people to get food and essential medicines.

All cars, vans and motorcycles which usually would require an MOT test will be exempted from needing a test from 30 March 2020. Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition, and garages will remain open for essential repair work. Drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles. People should stay at home and avoid travel. The only reasons people should leave their homes is set out in the government guidance. 

However if your car is due an MOT before this date, then fines may still apply, with entry levels being £100 and ranging all the way up to £1000. However the Department for Transport have issued these guidelines; 

‘If you cannot get an MOT that’s due because you’re in self-isolation, the Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure people are not unfairly penalised for things out of their control.’ 

Garages and MOT test centres were not on Monday’s (23/03/2020) mandatory shut down list and were to remain open for essential repair work. Remember drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles which could cause injury to other road users and pedestrians. 

Also in the announcement, practical driving tests and annual tests for lorries have been suspended for up to three months. More information can be found on the GOV website or here