Your car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date will be extended by 6 months if it’s due between 30 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 - but you must keep your vehicle safe to drive.
Stay up to date
This page tells you about the extension of MOT expiry dates because of coronavirus.
It will be updated as the Government inform us of any changes.
Contents
- Stay up to date
- Eligibility
- MOT due on or after 1 August 2020
- How the 6-month extension works
- What you need to do
- If you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails
- If your vehicle tax and MOT run out in May
- Keep your vehicle safe to drive
MOT expiry dates are being extended by 6 months to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Eligibility
Your MOT certificate will be extended by 6 months if it expires between 30 March 2020 and 31 July 2020, and your vehicle is a:
- car
- motorcycle
- light van
- other light vehicle
There are different rules if your MOT expiry date was on or before 29 March 2020.
First MOT due
The extension also applies to these types of vehicles that are due their first MOT test on or after 30 March 2020.
MOT due on or after 1 August 2020
Your MOT certificate will not be extended if your vehicle’s MOT expires on or after 1 August 2020. You must book an MOT as usual.
MOT centres are open now for you to get an MOT.
You can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
Example
If your MOT runs out on 2 August, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is 3 July.
When you should not take your vehicle for its MOT
You should not take your vehicle for its MOT if either:
- you’re self-isolating as you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms
- you’re being advised to shield as you are extremely vulnerable from coronavirus - there’s different guidance for shielding for England, Scotland and Wales
Some MOT centres will collect your vehicle, carry out an MOT, and return it if you’re being shielded. Contact your local MOT centres to find out if they offer this service.
You can register your vehicle as off the road (SORN) if you cannot take your vehicle for its MOT and your vehicle tax is due to run out.
You need to do this because you need a valid MOT (unless your vehicle is exempt) to renew your vehicle tax.
The Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to make sure you are not unfairly penalised for not being able to get an MOT.
When you’re no longer self-isolating or being shielded
You must not drive your vehicle before you take it to its MOT.
-
Tax your vehicle when it has passed its MOT. Only do this if you had to register it as off the road.
How the 6-month extension works
Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be automatically extended by 6 months if it’s eligible. This will be done about 7 days before it’s due to expire.
This means that:
- your vehicle will still have a valid MOT certificate for an extra 6 months
- you can still tax your vehicle - you might need to wait to do this until later in the month if both your MOT and vehicle tax run out this month
- your insurance will still be valid
- your vehicle’s record will be updated so the police can see you have a valid MOT
You will not get a new paper MOT certificate with the new expiry date on it.
You must still keep your vehicle safe to drive.
Example
Your vehicle’s MOT was due to expire on 3 May 2020.
This will automatically be extended to 3 November 2020. You will need to get your MOT by this date.
What you need to do
Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be updated about 7 days before it was originally due to expire.
-
Three days before your MOT was originally due to expire, check the expiry date has been extended.
-
If the expiry date has not been extended 3 days before it was due to expire, email [email protected].
You need to include these details in the email:
- the date your MOT expired
- your vehicle registration number (number plate)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will then:
- update your vehicle’s record
- email you to tell you this has been done
If you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails
Your MOT extension will no longer apply if you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails.
Your vehicle will need to be fixed and pass its MOT before you can use it again.
Example
Your vehicle’s MOT was originally due to expire on 3 May 2020, but has been extended to 3 November 2020.
You take your vehicle for its MOT in August and it fails. You must stop using the vehicle until it’s fixed and passes another MOT test.
If your vehicle tax and MOT run out in June
You cannot renew your vehicle tax until your MOT expiry date has been extended. It will be extended a few days before it was originally due to expire.
This means you might need to wait until later in June to tax your vehicle.
Check that the MOT expiry date has been extended before you tax your vehicle.
Keep your vehicle safe to drive
You must make sure your vehicle is safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if your MOT expiry date has been extended.
Find out:
- how to check your vehicle is safe
- what rules you need to follow to maintain your vehicle
Get unsafe vehicles repaired
Take your vehicle to be repaired at the nearest open garage if it’s unsafe. These are allowed to stay open during the coronavirus outbreak.
You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
Published 25 March 2020
Last updated 29 June 2020
Added information that MOT extensions will only be applied for MOTs due between 30 March 2020 and 31 July 2020. Added information on what to do if your MOT is due on or after 1 August 2020.
Added information about what happens if you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails when the extension has been applied.
Updated to explain that your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be updated about 7 days before it was originally due to expire.
Added information about what to do if both your vehicle tax and MOT run out in the current month.
Added information about what to do if your vehicle's MOT expired on or after 30 March 2020 and its expiry date has not been automatically extended.
First published.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
