In the early years of British motoring you could go out in a car with brakes that would stop you after a mile or two, and show other drivers which way you were going to turn by putting your arm out of the window…Not today!

Origins of the MOT

Since the 1950s, the roads have got busier, and it has become more and more important for cars to be in good condition. So to avoid major disasters caused by cars that were already due for the scrapheap, the British Government brought in a yearly MOT test for all cars over three years old.

It was named the MOT test because the Ministry of Transport (MOT) was the section of national Government in charge of everything to do with travel in the 1960s. Although this has now been replaced by the Department for Transport (DfT) the test still keeps its original name.

Necessary Testing

If you have bought a second-hand (not new) car in the UK, check when the MOT is due and make a note in your diary – the expiry date will be printed on the VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) test certificate that came with the car’s documents.

The MOT checks that all vehicles on British roads come up to a specific standard and is carried out by nearly 19,000 garages all around the UK. You can easily recognise the ones that do the test because they display a blue logo with the three triangles.

If you haven’t noticed any of these in your area, you could ask a friend or neighbour which garage they use, or check on the internet to see where you can find your nearest MOT stations are. Alternatively you can look in our "Find a..." section first. 

Some testing stations require you to make an appointment to take your car along at an agreed time, whereas others you can just go along to and wait for the next free space. Make sure you phone the garage first so you know what to do.

Standard Checks

Since it was introduced in 1960, the MOT has become much more difficult. The test that originally checked only brakes, lights and steering, now includes complicated computerised emissions readings, to make sure your car isn’t too harmful to the environment! And it’s gone up a lot in price too - a test on a car in 2010 costs £54.85. This does not include any work that may need doing to the vehicle to bring it up to the standard required to pass the MOT.

So, when you take your car to the garage for its test, expect the examiner to go through a series of standard tests, ticking boxes and making notes as they go. There will be checks made for the brakes, lights, steering, exhaust emissions, suspension, the tread on your tyres, the condition of the structure of the car underneath, the fuel system, the horn, not forgetting the window wipers!

Don’t worry if your car doesn’t pass the test the first time. The garage may fail it on a very simple problem.

Repairing your car

If this does happen, you can have the car fixed by anyone, including yourself if you are capable! You can leave it at the MOT station for them to carry out the work, or find a mechanic of your own. You must then return the car to the testing station within ten working days (i.e. Monday to Friday) so they can check the work has been done correctly. You can search for garages in our "Find a..." section here.

Once your car has passed the MOT, you will be issued with a certificate, which is logged into a central computer system, so that authorities can quickly find out if your car has an MOT. Keep this certificate safe as you will need it to get insurance and car tax, as well as to prove your car is roadworthy in the event that you are stopped by police. You might be charged for a duplicate if you lose it, so keep this with your other car documents to avoid problems.

If for any reason you are not happy with the MOT – for example, if you think your car failed the test unfairly, first talk to the staff at the testing station about your concerns. If they are unwilling to change their decision and you still think you are right, ask them for a VT17 form. If they refuse to give you a form, or do not have any, you can contact VOSA on 0845 600 5977, who will supply you with one.

You need to complete the VT17 and send it to VOSA with the full test fee and they will arrange to re-test your car. If they find that it has been unfairly failed, they will usually refund the original test fee and issue a certificate.

Buy a car with an MOT! 

If you don’t have a car yet but are thinking of buying one in the UK, you should always try to get one with a full 12-month MOT to avoid the chance of a big bill to get the car road-legal.

If you take the risk of buying a car that has no MOT, you could be in for a big shock when you take it for a test - cars can have faults that only an expert and a full inspection will reveal.

By Matt Taylor

USEFUL WORDS

MOT = Ministry of Transport Test
testing centre = the place where you can take your car for the test

roadworthiness = the car is in a safe condition to drive
test certificate = statement of results of the MOT test
to pass / fail the test
spare parts = a new part that you buy to replace an old or broken part of a car

GRAMMAR SPOT

Question Tags

Use question tags to check information or ask someone to agree with you:

The test costs £50, doesn’t it?

The car’s in good condition, isn’t it?

The difference between checking and asking is conveyed by intonation.

To Form Question Tags:

If the first part of the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative:

It’s a great car, isn’t it?

If the first part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive:
You don’t do tests on Sundays, do you?

If the main part of the sentence contains an auxiliary verb (e.g. have, can, would) or the verb be, repeat it in the question tag:
He hasn’t paid yet, has he?

You don’t sell spare parts, do you?

You can fix it for me, can’t you?

She’d like to have it replaced, wouldn’t she?
We’re ready to go, aren’t we?

If the main part of the sentence doesn’t contain an auxiliary or the verb be, use do in the question tag:

Tom did all the work himself, didn’t he?

You close at 5pm, don’t you?

After a positive imperative in the main part of the sentence, use will, would, can or could in the question tag:

Pass me the keys, will you?

Help me to move the car, would you?

After a negative imperative, use will you:

Don’t forget to pay the bill, will you?

After let’s, use shall we:

Let’s take the car for its MOT next Tuesday, shall we?