A six-month MOT test exemption was introduced on March 30, to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. In April and May, MOT test volumes fell to just 2.2 million – down from 7.2 million in 2019
Every car in the UK is required to have an MOT each year if it is over three-years-old.
Due to garages being closed throughout the coronavirus lockdown, the Government extended the deadline for those with vehicles due an MOT.
If your vehicle was due an MOT during the coronavirus lockdown, the Government has extended the period in which you can get an MOT done by six months.
However, this means you should keep your car roadworthy and safe to drive even if it has passed its expiry date, and should still head to the garage for any repairs that need doing.
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When is my MOT due?
Mandatory MOTs are to be reintroduced from August 1, cutting short the six-month test exemption introduced on 30 March in response to the coronavirus lockdown.
Roads minister Baroness Vere announced the changes earlier this month.
She said: “As people return to our roads, it is vital that motorists are able to keep their vehicles safe.
“That’s why as restrictions are eased, from August 1 MOT testing will again become mandatory.
“Garages across the country are open and I urge drivers who are due for their MOT to book a test as soon they can.”
This means that if your vehicle was due an MOT between March 30 and August 1, the six-month extension still applies to you.
For example, if your car’s MOT was due to expire on May 3, 2020, it will automatically be extended to November 3, 2020, meaning you will need to get your MOT done by this date.
Originally the measure was introduced for anyone who’s MOT runs out between March 30, 2020 and March 29, 2021.
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This has since been shortened as life begins to return to normal.
Since lockdown has been eased and more motorists are back on the roads, motor industry bodies have called for the MOT extension to be axed to ensure the safety of drivers, and to help garages recover from a significant drop in business.
At the beginning of May, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Independent Garage Association and Institute of the Motor Industry rallied together to pressure the Government to change the temporary MOT rules.
With the test exemption in place, MOT volumes fell from 7.2 million in April and May a year ago to just 2.2 million in the same months of 2020 – a decline of 70 percent.
According to the MailOnline, and with one in three cars failing their MOT on average, it means there could be 1.6 million cars being driven that would have been deemed unroadworthy if tested over the previous two months.
With many drivers also likely taking advantage of the extension in June, garages have been given the green light to clear some of the backlog of tests the exemption is likely to cause from September.
More than 90 percent of garages are open across the country, with testing capacity already at 70 percent of normal levels, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency confirmed.
Vehicle owners who are eligible for the extension can voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement.
You can check when your vehicle is due for an MOT using the free Government service by clicking here.
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