Understanding The MOT Regulations

MOT test or Ministry of Transport test is conducted in the UK for vehicle that are three years or older. In general, the test is conducted to assure that every car in the UK is roadworthy, so it is able to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers at all times.

As a car owner, you must have a valid MOT certificate, once your vehicle turns three years old. The certificate has an equal significance like a tax certificate or the driving license. Therefore make sure to carry it while driving and present it if the authorities ask you to.

However, a lot of times people tend to fail the MOT tests because of some small faults which could have been easily fixed before the exam.

Some of the common reasons are as below:

1. The screen is not maintained. This process takes very little time, so one should not miss doing it.
2. The car is not maintained. It is important to clean the dirt from inside and out. It is important to give the mirrors and the windows a quick cleaning.
3. The number plate is missing or mistyped. That plate may be using the wrong type of spacing or might be dirty. If one wishes to take a personalized plate, then it must follow the DVLA rules.
4. Any stickers on the windscreen should not hinder the view of the driver. Also, ensure nothing is stuck to the screen and if you find anything, it should not block the driver’s view.
5. The alert signal on the dashboard should be working properly. These alert signals must be working properly and should be fixed as soon as possible if it has any problem.

Once a driver has completed three years of ownership of a car, he has to take an MOT test. Following the first test, one needs to get the car retested annually on the same date as the last MOT test. Upon passing the first test, the driver is given an MOT test certificate with the date on which the test was conducted and the date of expiry highlighted. The date of expiry signifies when the driver would need a new mot Finchley test.

Mot test needs at least 60 minutes to be completed. There are many other things which are taken into consideration. In case a vehicle does not pass the test, repairs need to be made which takes quite long. The test centre won’t allow the driver to take the car back with him if that particular car has failed an MOT. This is done till the problems are fixed or unless the existing MOT certificate is valid, or if the car has major faults that need to be fixed. MOT tests are carried at around 21,000 authorized test centres.

Taking care of certain areas in your vehicle helps to pass the test without any hassle. However, if your vehicle is older than 40 years , you will be exempted from the MOT test category as per the DVLA norms.

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