MOT due dates to be extended by six months

MOT extension available for cars, vans and motorcycles due from 30 March 2020

MOT due dates to be extended by six months
Image: Bigstock.

MOT due dates for cars, motorcycles and light vans are to be extended by six months in a bid to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, the DVSA has today announced.

Vehicle owners do not need to do anything to extend the MOT expiry date if it’s on or after 30 March 2020 but they must keep their vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

If a vehicle’s MOT was due to expire on 3 April 2020, this will automatically be extended to 3 October 2020 and the owner will need to get an MOT by this date.

The DVSA is not issuing paper exemption certificates.

Related: MOT extension will have “huge impact” on independent garages, warns IGA

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We must ensure those on the frontline of helping the nation combat COVID-19 are able to do so.

“Allowing this temporary exemption from vehicle testing will enable vital services such as deliveries to continue, frontline workers to get to work, and people to get essential food and medicine.

“Safety is key, which is why garages will remain open for essential repair work.”

MOTs that run-out before 30 March

If a vehicle’s first MOT was due before 30 March 2020 and it did not pass, it won’t get an extension to its MOT due date.

The DVSA advises owners of vehicles that have run out of MOT while in self-isolation to book an MOT test after their period of self-isolation is over.

Vehicle owners that are extremely vulnerable from coronavirus must not take their vehicle for its MOT.

Those who are not self-isolating may book an MOT at any test centre.

The Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure owners are not unfairly penalised for not being able to get an MOT.

“Garages are allowed to stay open”

The government is allowing MOT centres and garages to remain open for owners that use their vehicle to shop for basic necessities, for any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person and to travel to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

A spokesperson for the DVSA said: “The government has extended the requirement for certain businesses to close, but garages are allowed to stay open.

“This is to make sure that essential vehicle maintenance and repair to keep vehicles, goods and key workers moving and safe can continue.”

Related: Test centres can carry on delivering tests out of calibration, DVSA tells GW

Share your comments and experiences below.

Home Page Forums BREAKING: MOT due dates to be extended by six months

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 43 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #193231 Reply

    MOT due dates for cars, motorcycles and light vans are to be extended by six months in a bid to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, the DVSA has t
    [See the full post at: BREAKING: MOT due dates to be extended by six months]

    #193253 Reply
    Margaret Stevenson
    Guest

    My mot expires in May 7th. My garage/dealership has closed so if I cannot get out by then am I covered.

    #193254 Reply
    mr david willcocks
    Guest

    who is going to cover 6mths of lost income??

    #193255 Reply
    Bob
    Guest

    We stayed open on reduced staff to help our customers. Particularly the elderly and key workers.
    Within minutes of the announcement of a 6 month extension to Mot tests we were getting calls to cancel booked tests.
    Just going to cause a massive log jam from October onwards.

    #193256 Reply
    Adrian
    Guest

    The nail in the coffin for most small garages what dvsa joke

    #193257 Reply
    Derek Smith
    Guest

    Typical government doublespeak

    Headline MOTS extended for 6 months!!
    Below the headline… drivers of cars with faults will be fined £2500 with points/ban
    If a driver has an accident during this 6 month ext and a fault is found on the car… are they insured? NO
    How do ordinary people know if they have a fault if the car is not tested???
    This is case of government caving in to the shouty crowd but making sure they cover their own *****.
    The Gov have shifted the responsibility of keeping our cars safe, from them… TO YOU!!

    #193258 Reply
    Robert johnson
    Guest

    6 months without income??? how can you keep open with no cars on the street?? If your still trading at the end of the 6 months every man and hidog will want mots but having to wait as garages will not be able to cope

    #193259 Reply
    andy merry
    Guest

    can anyone confirm when it says ‘garages’ can stay open, does this include bodyshops, (accident repair centre) or is this just relating to mechanical garages

    #193262 Reply
    Brian Waite
    Guest

    Our bodyshop has closed as we can’t get paint as the supplier is closed.

    #193263 Reply
    Julie Pirie
    Guest

    I suggest that everyone sends a complaint to there local MP HGVs have been deferred for 3 months so why 6 months for cars

    #193266 Reply
    Jerry
    Guest

    I don’t think this has been thought through, there will be a huge demand for tests at the end of the six month extension period!
    Not to mention thousands£££ list revenue for already struggling small businesses, with climbing overheads & running costs, I’m sure it will cause many small independent garages & test centres to close!!
    Might have been more sensible, to only apply this extension to the MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE, I’m sure there will be dozens of small brained idiots rubbing their hands together, at the thought of driving their seriously dilapidated & unroadworthy vehicle’s around for six months, when they would have or should have been scrapped.
    Well done department of transport, I hope no one you’re related too has a serious accident involving one of these unroadworthy vehicles, or a key worker is seriously hurt by one either!
    This needed some conditional guidelines put into place with the extension!!
    Not all motorists are concerned about road safety or the safety of others!!
    RE THINK THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE YOU CAUSE UNNECESSARY DEATHS, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP & JOB LOSSES!!!

    #193267 Reply
    David
    Guest

    How can you get tax if you do not have an mot?
    My mot is due April 02?
    I won’t be able to tax it online as it will show mot is out?

    #193264 Reply
    Tim Williams
    Guest

    I agree with other comments above. We are told we can stay open but now with this announcement i can only imagine people will begin cancelling their MOT. How can we stay open and pay staff when our main source of income is going to be severely reduced over the next six months.Best wishes to all MOT stations and good luck staying in business.

    #193270 Reply
    Steven Hollinshead
    Guest

    I won’t be able to afford to open the doors, now I have no MOT’s. Can’t pay my staff to sit around in hope someone needs a minor repair. Would have coped otherwise. Looks like definite bankruptcy and loss of jobs here.

    #193297 Reply
    IAN JOLLEY
    Guest

    In effect now a MOT station only working six months a year from now on !!!!

    #193305 Reply
    IAN JOLLEY
    Guest

    Attention all MOT centers , i understand with current crisis but when over MOT centers now basically a 6 month business only till new cars catch up !!!! somebody not thought this through.

    #193307 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    Any chance of Government assistance if we go to a 3 day week ?
    Those who are not working have a much reduced car use but those who are working, medical staff etc. are totally reliant on their car to get there.
    The MOT extension only covers half the problem !

    #193311 Reply
    Christopher Paul James Nunn
    Guest

    Shocking and ill thought out! Well done DVSA you have provided one more nail in the coffin of small test stations already feeling the pinch from this COVID/19 pandemic which is not the faults of any of us.

    #193312 Reply
    Christian Prynne
    Guest

    My calibrations are due end of next month, due you think DVSA will give me a 6 month extension,
    I think not!!

    #193313 Reply
    Jonathan
    Guest

    Can we have a respose please from insurance companies …when a a car is “kicked in” without an mot they will pay up?

    #193314 Reply
    Tim
    Guest

    When the government declare the all clear(hopefully) all the previously closed pubs,clubs,restaurants will be rammed with people once more.
    Their business income stream will be restored(thankfully), but we as testing stations will be hung out dry for a further six months.
    Scary stuff even after 23 years in the game.
    Makes all the worry about missing stuff on the test and getting points for all these years a load of b..l..ks really.
    If your car,s a shi..er , f..k it drive it for 6 months no probs.
    Keep your chin up lads and lasses and good luck.

    #193318 Reply
    Brad
    Guest

    Terrible idea. Whoever came up with this is a complete moron.
    It would have been better to defer the road tax for 3 months (to start), so that at least the vehicles with no mot could at least be kept parked on the road with no fear of clamping. Then the mot could be done as soon as the owner is able.
    However, the mot system does not bring in anywhere near the amount of money that road tax does.
    This decision has been made with money in mind and not safety.

    #193310 Reply
    Peter Miles
    Guest

    As I see it this is a nonsense. All it means is that for six months nobody will be getting their car tested with God knows how many faults present or developing and the testing stations will have no income for that time. And yet….as the rules stand we have to keep testing regularly or lose our authorisation to test, we also have to keep unused equipment calibrated and in working order. we have to conduct quality control exercises on tests which aren’t happening and are still compelled to conduct any requested test within a reasonable time at the risk of loss of authorisation if we don’t.
    Then consider that the maximum permitted fee hasn’t gone up for 7 years and at some point we will all be required to invest over £20,000 for connected equipment. I know it’s only needed for change of ownership at present but we all know that isn’t going to last.
    In the light of all that really why bother?

    #193327 Reply
    Julia Bastin
    Guest

    We are closing on Monday as a result of this latest crazy idea!
    Most are garages bread and butter, it’s hard enough out there anyway at times without having any Mots for 6 months.
    What planet do some people live on, clearly they don’t run a garage!

    #193337 Reply
    Barry
    Guest

    Hi All
    I am faced with this situation as I run a garage and repair with mot bay. I think repair/mot businesses will qualify for a grant from our local authority under the RETAIL banner in the new help announced by the Gov
    If you have a rateable value up to 15,000 you can get £10000 Ratable values between £15000 and £51,000 its £25,000 Staff who are temp can not work as you have closed can get %80 of their pay. This is for 3 months at present. I would like to hear if anyone thinks this is not correct?? This just may be enough to get though till it all ends
    Good luck all

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 43 total)

LEAVE A REPLY:

Reply To: BREAKING: MOT due dates to be extended by six months

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Have your say!

2 1

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.