MOT Rules and Test Requirements

An MOT certificate is legally required for most vehicles over 3 years old that are used on public roads in Great Britain. The rules apply to:

• Cars, motorcycles, and light goods vehicles (up to 3,000kg)
• Motor homes and campervans
• Taxis and private hire vehicles (which require annual testing from the point of first use)

Exemptions from the standard 3-year rule include:

• Vehicles registered as historic vehicles (pre-1960 and exempt since 2018 for those made before 1 January 1960)
• Electric bikes and most agricultural vehicles
• Vehicles with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)

Your MOT expiry date is shown on your V5C logbook, your current MOT certificate, and the MOT history tool at gov.uk/check-mot-history. You can have your MOT done up to a month (minus a day) before the expiry date without losing the remaining time on your current certificate.

Since 2018, MOT results are categorised into five grades, replacing the previous pass/fail/advisory system:

• Dangerous: A significant, immediate risk to road safety or the environment. The vehicle must not be driven until repaired. The vehicle automatically fails.
• Major: A defect that may affect the vehicle's safety, put others at risk, or have an impact on the environment. The vehicle fails and must be repaired before it can be driven legally.
• Minor: A defect that has no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment. The vehicle passes but the defect should be repaired as soon as possible.
• Advisory: Something that is not currently a defect but could become one. Noted on the certificate for the driver's information.
• Pass: No defects identified.

If your vehicle receives a Dangerous or Major finding, it fails the MOT. You should not drive it away — arrange collection by a transporter or repair on-site.

The government sets a maximum fee that MOT testers can charge. Current (2024) maximum fees:

• Car: £54.85
• Motorcycle (up to 200cc): £29.65
• Motorcycle (over 200cc): £29.65
• Motor home/campervan (up to 3,000kg): £54.85

Garages can and often do charge less than the maximum. If your vehicle fails, you have the right to a free partial retest on the items that failed if the vehicle is returned to the same garage within 10 working days. If you take the vehicle to a different garage for the retest, or wait longer than 10 working days, you will be charged a full test fee again.

If you believe your vehicle was failed incorrectly, you can appeal to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA):

1. Contact DVSA within 14 working days of the test (earlier if possible, so the vehicle can be inspected without being repaired first).
2. DVSA will arrange for the vehicle to be examined at a DVSA vehicle testing station by an independent inspector.
3. If the appeal is upheld (i.e., the original fail was wrong), you will receive a refund of your MOT fee and any costs incurred by the appeal.
4. If the appeal is not upheld, you may be charged for the appeal test (currently £54.85).

To start an appeal, call DVSA on 0300 123 9000 or use the online complaint form at gov.uk/complain-about-mot. Note: do not repair the failed items before the appeal inspection or the appeal cannot proceed.

Not every vehicle requires an annual MOT. Several categories are wholly or partially exempt:

Historic vehicle exemption

Vehicles that were manufactured or first registered more than 40 years ago and have not been substantially changed are exempt from the annual MOT requirement. This exemption was extended in 2018 from vehicles made before 1960 to a rolling 40-year threshold. DVSA defines "substantially changed" as alterations to the chassis, axles, steering, braking, or engine that materially affect the vehicle's historic character — cosmetic restorations do not disqualify a vehicle from exemption. You do not need to apply for the exemption; it is automatic once the 40-year threshold is passed.

Important caveats: even exempt vehicles must still be in a roadworthy condition under Section 40A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Driving an unroadworthy historic vehicle on a public road is an offence regardless of MOT exemption. Many owners of historic vehicles choose to have voluntary periodic inspections for safety reasons.

Other exempt vehicles

• SORN vehicles: Any vehicle declared off the road via a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) does not require an MOT until it is returned to use.
• New vehicles: Vehicles are exempt from their first MOT until they are 3 years old from first registration. The MOT is due on the anniversary of the 3-year mark, not on the registration date each year.
• Electric bikes (pedal cycles with electric assist): Not subject to the standard MOT requirement.
• Agricultural tractors and most agricultural vehicles: Exempt from the standard MOT framework (though commercial goods vehicle rules may apply in some cases).
• Vehicles used for trials or exhibitions off the road: Not required to be road-legal and therefore not subject to MOT requirements when not on a public road.

Vehicles with special testing arrangements

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are often subject to more frequent inspections than the annual MOT — typically six-monthly or annually from the point of licensing, arranged by the local licensing authority rather than through the standard DVSA system. Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses have their own annual test regime administered by DVSA, separate from the standard MOT.

If you are unsure whether your vehicle requires an MOT, check the MOT history tool at gov.uk/check-mot-history or contact DVSA directly.