Everybody knows that car tax, MOT, and insurance are legal requirements for car owners, but can you tax a car without MOT and still drive it on public roads in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland?

In this guide, we will find out and help you understand what happens if you forget to MOT your car or if you can tax a vehicle without an MOT. It can be pretty confusing. In this article, we will explain what to do if your MOT runs out, explore the insurance implications of your MOT expiring, whether you can tax your car without a valid MOT certificate, and what happens if you get caught without an MOT.

Why do you need a valid MOT?

A valid MOT is needed to ensure that your car meets the minimum safety standards required to make it road-worthy. A valid MOT is required by law for most cars to enable them to have valid insurance and to be able to purchase vehicle tax, but there are a few exceptions to this rule. If you buy a brand-new car, in most cases, it will not require an MOT until it is three years old. Some older vehicles are also exempt from needing an annual MOT test. If you have a classic car more than 40 years old, this may not require either an MOT test or annual road tax- or vehicle excise duty.

If you have a vehicle approaching 40 years old and are unsure if it will need to be taken to an MOT test centre, you can check on the Government website for further details of which historical and classic vehicles are exempt from tax and are not required to have an MOT appointment for example.

Do I need to MOT my car before taxing it?

Do I need to MOT my car before taxing it? A valid MOT is required to tax your vehicle. When you purchase your vehicle tax online, the system will automatically check that there is a valid MOT for your car before allowing you to purchase your tax. If you prefer to purchase your vehicle tax in person, you may be wondering can I tax my car with an MOT certificate? It is possible to take your MOT certificate and your V11 reminder and tax your vehicle at some Post Offices, but you will require an up-to-date MOT certificate to be able to do this. 

Do Electric Cars need an MOT?

Electric cars still need a vehicle’s MOT certificate and still require this yearly certification test required by law to ensure vehicles still provide excellent road safety and remain fully roadworthy.

This is because the test checks for things like brakes, lights, and tyres and doesn't have dangerous faults. Even though electric cars don't have traditional engines, they still need to be tested to make sure they are still road-compliant.

For electric cars, the MOT tester will still consider things such as:

• Is the braking system working correctly
• Do the lights function properly, including indicators and headlights
• The tyres must be in good condition and have enough tread for the tyre size fitted
• Is the suspension system in good shape
• How is the car's structure, and is this from serious damage or corrosion

Consequently, the MOT test checks are more or less the same for petrol / diesel and electric cars - except electric cars don't have an emissions test, and petrol / diesel cars' MOT certificate will factor in their engine and exhaust system, for instance.

Can I tax my car if the MOT has expired?

If your MOT has expired, you will not be able to tax your car. Having proof of a passed MOT that is in-date is required to purchase vehicle tax regardless of whether you choose to buy it online or in-person at a Post Office. When you receive your V11 vehicle tax reminder through the post, it is helpful to check when your car’s next MOT is due. This will enable you to ensure you have a current MOT when the time comes to renew your vehicle tax.

Is car tax void if there is no MOT?

If your car does not have an MOT, you may be wondering if the car tax is void if there is no MOT. A valid MOT is a legal requirement unless your vehicle is exempt and you have a valid Vehicle Tax Exemption. Without a valid MOT or Exemption, it will be impossible for you to purchase vehicle tax when it expires so that means you would be driving without valid car tax. To drive your car, you will require an in-date MOT or Exemption, a minimum of third-party motor insurance cover, and car tax; if you do not have a valid proof of each of these, you will be driving illegally.

How much MOT do I need to be left to tax my car?

Before you tax your car, it is helpful to check that your MOT is valid so you have plenty of time to get an MOT before purchasing vehicle tax if necessary. To tax your car, you will need an MOT that is valid from the start date of your vehicle tax or the date it is issued. If your MOT expires before either of these dates, you will not be able to use it to tax your vehicle. You will then need to arrange an MOT as soon as possible to ensure you can tax your car before the MOT runs out. 

When Is My MOT due?

Knowing when your MOT is due is important to keep your car legal and safe on the road. Here are a few ways to check:

How Will Cars Be Found To Not have a Valid MOT / Tax?

These days, the Police can check cars automatically with an automatic number plate recognition system, as their ANPR cameras will automatically scan your number plate and check their database to make sure that both are in place and that you have a current certificate. If the are found not to be, then fines can be given to you as a result.

These fines can be in the realm of £2,500 and 3 penalty points will be added to your license for no MOT. Alternatively, if you continue to drive an untaxed vehicle, you can then be given a fine of either £1,000 or 5 times the amount of tax you should have paid - whichever is higher. Which, in turn, can easily push up your premiums as you will then need to let your insurance provider know that you have been found to be driving with an MOT and, as a result, have been accused of driving a car with an expired MOT.

The only exceptions are if you are driving to a pre-approved test appointment at an MOT test centre for a new MOT or to a garage where you are getting repair work done.

How to check when your MOT is due

Making a note of when your MOT is due is helpful to prevent any delays in obtaining car tax and to ensure you do not run the risk of your tax expiring before you have a valid MOT certificate. There are a couple of methods to find out when your car is due for its next MOT. If you have last year’s MOT certificate, it will provide both the date that your vehicle passed the MOT, as well as the date it is due. If you cannot find your MOT certificate, you can look up your MOT expiry date online. The Government website has a tool that enables you to check the gov.uk website MOT status of a vehicle and when the MOT is due to expire. To use this tool, all that is needed is the vehicle’s registration number. 

If you are concerned about forgetting your MOT expiry date, you can also sign up for MOT reminders on the MOT section of the Government website. This service provides you with free alerts one month before your MOT expires. You can choose to receive MOT reminders by either email or text message.

What happens to your remaining tax if you run out of an MOT?

If your MOT has now run out, you may be concerned about the vehicle tax you have paid for and what happens to the remaining car tax before it expires. Well, if your vehicle has failed the MOT and is not in a road-worthy state, you may choose to get it repaired immediately and get an MOT retest. If your car then passes the MOT and your tax is still valid, you will not need to do anything at all until the time comes to renew them both once again. If you decide not to get the necessary repairs made to your car to pass the MOT test, you will not be able to drive it legally. 

If you plan to keep your car off the road and not have an MOT retest, for the time being, you can declare your vehicle as ‘off the road.’ Declaring your car as ‘off the road’ is sometimes referred to as SORN or Statutory Off Road Notification. You cannot drive your vehicle while it is declared ‘off the road,’ and you will be unable to keep it parked on a public highway as it will not have a valid car tax. When you declare your vehicle ‘off the road’, you will be able to claim back a refund for any full months of car tax you have left before it expires. You will not receive a refund for any partial months of vehicle tax that you have left before it runs out.

Is your insurance invalid without MOT?

If your car does not have an MOT, you will not be able to drive it legally. This means that if you do drive your vehicle, your insurance is likely to be invalid. If your vehicle is involved in a collision or other incident and does not have a valid MOT, you will be unlikely to claim your insurance. 

Driving without an MOT is illegal, but you could be breaking the law twice if you do so. As your insurance will be invalidated by the lack of an MOT, you will be driving both without an MOT and insurance. So, this is definitely a situation to avoid.

Can I tax my car while waiting for the logbook?

If you have recently bought a new pre-owned vehicle, you may be wondering how to tax your car while waiting to receive the logbook (known as the V5C). It is still possible to tax your vehicle before you receive the logbook. Instead of using the logbook or V11 reminder letter to tax your vehicle, you can use the green ‘New Keeper’ slip, which you will receive when you purchase the car. 

What to do if your MOT has expired?

If your MOT has expired, you may be concerned about your next steps and what you should do. Booking in for an MOT test as soon as possible is crucial, and in the meantime, you cannot drive the car legally. Driving without an MOT could result in you being prosecuted and issued a penalty notice of up to £1,000. The only time you can drive your vehicle when your MOT has expired is to take it to be repaired or to a pre-booked MOT test.

What to do if your MOT has expired?

If your MOT has expired, you may be concerned about your next steps and what you should do. Booking in for an MOT test as soon as possible is crucial, and in the meantime, you cannot drive the car legally. Driving without an MOT could result in you being prosecuted and issued a penalty notice of up to £1,000. The only time you can drive your vehicle when your MOT has expired is to take it to be repaired or to a pre-booked MOT test.

Book Your MOT Today

At Chippenham Motor Company, we don’t just sell high-quality new cars and used cars; we also offer MOTs and servicing to ensure your car stays running at its best. If your MOT or annual service is due soon, why not get in touch and find out how we can help? Contacting our friendly team is easy; you can call us or use our contact form, and we will get back to you.