The Great MoT Confusion

[BRM]

Morning all,

I have just been reading the latest Austin Healey Club magazine, which always has a report from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs, about the only page I find of much interest if I'm honest ! Obviously a lot of it recently has been about the new MoT regulations which is equally relevant to owners of E types or any other classics so thought I'd share the latest one with you.

After all the discussion I thought they'd finally come up with a system which was straightforward and sensible. I should have known better !

You can only declare your car MoT exempt when the "tax" is next due for renewal. In my case this is several months off and as the MoT was due I decided to get it done, at least for the time being. I took it in yesterday and am pleased to say it passed ok. However it now appears that as my car will still have a current MoT at next tax renewal the online system will not give me the option to exempt it. It will only give you this option if the car has no MoT already.

If you have no MoT and go through the online tax renewal, apparently the system tells you according to the records your car is eligible for exemption if it is not substantially changed. You then have two tick boxes to state that either the information is correct, in which case you are automatically exempted or incorrect, which is effectively stating that the car is substantially changed, which in most cases is inappropriate. It seems there is no option to say " yes the information is correct but I wish to stay in the MoT system "

So, in a nutshell, if you tax your car with no MoT you will be automatically exempted with no option to get back into the system later if you wish. Or if you keep your MoT current you will never be offered the option to exempt it without letting it lapse and driving without on MoT until tax renewal, when you would join the first category.

The FBHVC believes that the police database will only show that your car is over 40 years old and eligible for MoT exemption and no action would be taken if you drive without one before becoming officially exempt but there appears to be no official confirmation of this.

I have obviously not been through the online procedure yet myself, just passing on the report from the FBHVC, which I assume is correct.

Clear as mud . . . . . ?

[mgcjag]

Hi Brian.....my car had a valid mot when the tax was due for renewal.....the online form gave me the opt out option which i took....so am now mot exempt.......there is no opt back in feature but nothing stoping me getting an mot.when ever i want......nothing complicated..easy to do....One thing that may cause problems was that under the old system you couldnt renew your road tax on line if you had less than a months valid mot remaining...you then had to mot befor you could do online tax.I dont know if this is still the same if you havent opted out....Steve

[BRM]

Thanks Steve, that's interesting to hear. Just shows how you don't necessarily get the full story, even from organisations who should have all the facts.

[christopher storey]

AFAIK, all you have to do when the MOT has run out but there is still a period of "Tax" extant, is to declare the car SORN , and then next day tax it again. You should then get the option to declare the car exempt from MOT

[dal2.0litrefrogeye]

Still MOT ing all our excempt classics ..... just saying

[BRM]

I shall continue too. No matter how well you maintain your car it is possible to miss something. Two pairs of eyes are better than one and at least you have written proof that the car has been formally checked for roadworthiness at least once a year, which could be valuable in the event of an insurance claim. I am surprised that, so far, there have not been any reactions to cars being untested from the insurance industry.

[cactusman]

Think there have Brian. There was a post somewhere from someone saying that they had spotted a new clause in their policy voiding agreed values if there was no MOT present. Be worth examining the extremely small print....

[mgcjag]

If you want your E type or other classic checked over properly then take it somewhere that understands the cars they are checking......if you just want the piece of paper (mot certicicate) then any mot station will do...I know of quite a few old classics taken for an mot that passed becaus the tester did not really understand the car he was looking at..one E type with a cracked frame....another with delaminated steering mounts...one that failed for loose wheel bearings (there is supposed to be movement)....if you really want belt and braces then have your mot...but go and get the car checked over properly.... Steve

[cactusman]

Exactly Steve. Although as with any inspectors there are good ones and bad ones and no matter how good it is its only as good as the day it was done. A frame could crack on the way home from the test. My trusty tester spotted a split nut on my freshly rebuilt MGB years ago. Would I have spotted it....Probably not....which is why I think even a basic independent inspection is a good idea if it only gets you an MOT.....some examination is better than no examination IMO.

[H7OB]

I have just tried to declare SORN then re-tax online to declare the car MOT exempt. It took a couple of days to update on the system but will not yet now allow me to re-apply for the tax etc, stating @successful application already completed'. I called the DVLA and they told me it takes 5 working days before you can re - do this online. The only alternative is to go into a Post Office with a V112 declaration of Exemption from MOT form.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... n-from-mot

[mgcjag]

Trying to buck the system never works...over 40 years old your car is mot exempt...you do not need to get an mot no one has to be notified until the next time you renew your tax when you then tick a box to say that you want to be mot exempt.....when you SORN a vehicle online just befor you finnish it tells you that for 5 days no record of the vehicle will appear on line untill DVLA records have been updated....if your ok with that you then press the finnish button (i did one today).......the road tax for the car will also be canceled and full months refunded (we get free tax anyway).....but befor you can un SORN you will need to re tax..... Steve

[cactusman]

Well I received the reminder letter today. So I logged on, entered my 16 digit no and it came up with my car. It has an MOT. No box appeared to exempt. I clicked OK and the tax was instantly renewed so it seems if you have an MOT you do not get an option to exempt if you are just renewing the tax....

[mgcjag]

Hi Julian....thats different to my experiance....a second online page appeared befor completion with a very small box to tick for the mot exemption......have you had a new mot since the exemption came into effect in April....my mot was done prior to the start of exemption and i re taxed a couple of months ago.... Steve

[cactusman]

Yes. Got a new MOT last week...no option to exempt appeared...no issue really as I shall continue to have mine checked......

[BRM]

Julian, I'm glad, in a way, that you've had that experience - it indicates that there is truth in my original post. I was beginning to think I was passing on duff information.

As Steve asked, have you renewed your MoT since the exemption came into force - perhaps that is the difference. I renewed my tax just before, and the MoT only a few days ago so I have a long time to wait to see what happens in my case.

I know the DVLA said unofficially that no action would be taken if you let the MoT expire and continue to drive until you can officially claim exemption at next tax renewal. But once you have renewed the MoT after exemption maybe it assumes you are continuing in the old system and do not require the option. It begs the question if you subsequently decide to exempt and allow your MoT to expire and drive until tax renewal, where do you stand legally ?

I can't believe you have to go through the rigmarole of SORNing the car and then retaxing.

PS you replied while I was typing so that appears to be the case. Likewise, it won't bother me as I will continue testing it but it does seem to be an unforeseen anomaly.

[driver]

Hi everyone,Rob Gill here.
Had mine MOT,d the weekend it passed no problems.
Personally i think it makes good sense to have a critical eye look over your car at least every 12 months.
Lets be honest they are masterpieces so why not?

[BRM]

As a further PS to the above, maybe the fact that the car is eligible for exemption is all that matters as far as the police are concerned, and having a voluntary MoT is purely a matter of personal preference which carries no legal weight at all. That would certainly make sense of the wording mentioned in my first post, that you do not have to actually declare your car exempt, just that the facts are correct.

It would just be nice if the DVLA spelled it out clearly in black and white.

I agree Rob, I think it's worth it for your peace of mind and the insurance point of view.

[cactusman]

Hi Brian. MOT expired on July 29th and passed a new one on 30th. Tax expires on 30th Aug. Got the letter yesterday so renewed as per usual. No box appeared as far as I could see. Tax now runs out 30th Aug 2019 and the MOT 29th July 2019
Will see what happens when the MG is due. It's MOT expires on 29th Sept and the tax on the 30th Sept. Plan to renew the tax on Oct 1st and leave the MOT till the 2nd so it won't have an MOT when I renew the tax

[mark10337]

I too waited for the Tax renewal notice from the DVLA (for my GT6), and then couldn't sort out this MOT exemption business. Ended up calling them and they fixed it all straightaway in a couple of minutes. Sometimes it's just simpler to speak to someone. I know the online system should work correctly and allow you to do what should be done. If they get enough calls to do it and end up having to pay for extra call centre staff, they will soon have an incentive to get it fixed.

[andyf]

My Existing MOT expires during October and I got the usual letter from DVLA stating that my zero tax requires renewing from 1st October. I ticked the right boxes, no mention of MOT being less than 1 month, and the computer said yes, your car is now taxed for another 12 months. I no longer require MOT by law although as previously suggested I will ask local garage to give it a ghost MOT!