MOT Testing
Everyone who uses a vehicle on the road is required to keep it in a roadworthy condition. The purpose of the MOT Test is to ensure that cars, other light vehicles (including some Light Goods Vehicles), private buses and motorcycles over a prescribed age are checked at least once a year to see that they comply with key roadworthiness and environmental requirements.

When your car is tested, the MOT looks at some important items to see if it meets the legal requirements. The MOT certificate is not a guarantee of the general mechanical condition of a vehicle however, and it is not a substitute for regular servicing.

When should my vehicle take an MOT Test?
Vehicles should receive their first MOT when they reach 3 years of age.

If a car is registered with no prior use on the road, the MOT will be required three years after the date of registration. For example, a car registered "from new" on 25th April 2000 will require its MOT no later than 25th April 2003. If a car is used prior to registration, as would be the case with an import, the MOT will be required three years from the end of the year of manufacture. For example a car manufactured at any time in 2000 will require an MOT no later than 31st December 2003. There is no grace period given after these dates.

How early can my car be submitted for test?
An MOT can be carried out at any time.

If the vehicle is presented for test within the calendar month prior to the date that the MOT is due, the test certificate will run from the date of the test to one year after the expiry date of the current certificate (e.g. if the current certificate was due to expire on 1/4/03, and the vehicle was presented on or after 2/3/03, the certificate would run from the test date until 1/4/04). To have this extension, the vehicle owner should present their old certificate to the Test Station to verify that the extra time is applicable. The tester would then write the serial number of the old certificate in the appropriate section of the new certificate.

The same rule would also apply if the vehicle was taken in within a calendar month of its first MOT. In this case, the vehicle owner would need to present their registration document and the serial number from this document will be entered in the "last certificate serial number" box on the MOT.

If the vehicle is tested earlier than one month before its due date, the MOT will only run for twelve months.

Car Components Tested
Below is a list of the elements that are checked during an MOT test (as of 1st June 2006):-

Vehicle Identification Number
Not more than one different identification number should be present on a vehicle first used on or after 1 August 1980. However, the same number may be displayed in more than one place. This is commonly known as the ‘Chassis Plate’.

Registration Plate
Checked for condition, security, legibility and format of letters/numbers.

Lights
Checked for condition, operation, security and correct colour. The headlamps will also be checked to see if the aim is correct.

Steering and Suspension
Checked for correct condition and operation, this is not however an alignment check.

Wipers/Washers
Check these operate to give the driver a clear view of the road

Windscreen
Check both the condition and driver’s view of the road

Horn
Check for correct operation and type.

Seatbelts
Check that all installed seatbelts are correct for type, condition, operation and security. All compulsory seatbelts must be in place.

Seats
Check that the front seats are secure. Front and rear backseats can be secured in the upright position.

Fuel System
Visually check there are no leaks, and that the fuel cap fastens correctly and seals securely. The fuel cap will need to be opened. Make sure the key is available.

Exhaust Emissions
Vehicle must meet the requirements for exhaust emission. These vary on the age and fuel type of the vehicle.

Exhaust System
Check it is complete, secure, without serious leaks and silences effectively.

Vehicle Structure
Check the vehicle is free from excessive corrosion or damage in specific areas. No sharp edges.

Doors
Check these open and close and latch securely in closed position. Front doors should open from inside and outside the vehicle. Rear doors may need to be opened to gain access to testable items.

Mirrors
Check for presence, condition and security

Wheels and Tyres
Check for condition, security, tyre size/type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.

Brakes
Check overall condition, operation and performance (efficiency test). Wheels are not removed during the test. The tester only examined what they can see, reach or feel.

All the latest information can be found on the Directgov website - this is the official government website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/index.htm

Many vehicles fail their MOT on emissions, which is often caused by a lack of use. Putting a vehicle through a sprightly road test, getting all components up to temperature and making full use of the brakes prior to the test can often free off and clear out components not fully used during the vehicle’s normal operating life. This must only be done legally and when it is safe to do so, however it may well prevent the embarrassment of a failure and the inconvenience of having to get the vehicle retested later.