The Importance of an MOT for Taxing Your Car
By Motor Match • 27/03/2024
Do I need an MOT to tax my car? In this blog post, we will answer this question ensuring your car is both roadworthy and legally compliant.
What is an MOT?
The MOT (Ministry of Transport) test is a legal requirement for cars over three years old in the UK. Instituted to ensure that all cars on the roads are safe, roadworthy, and adhere to emission norms, the DVLA mandates that drivers hold a valid MOT certificate before renewing or purchasing car tax. This is in the interest of both road safety and environmental preservation.
However, there are exceptions to this regulation. If your vehicle is under three years old or if it has an MOT exemption, then you may not need an MOT to tax your car. Additionally, cars over 40 years old that possess classic car tax exemption can be taxed without an MOT certificate.
What if my MOT runs out?
What happens if your MOT runs out while there's still car tax left? You can request a refund from the DVLA for any remaining full months of tax on your vehicle. But remember, once your MOT has expired, you cannot drive your vehicle or even park it on a public road until you have a new valid MOT certificate and have renewed your car tax.
Renewing your car tax when your MOT has expired necessitates getting an MOT certificate. This involves making a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), booking an MOT test at a local servicing center, and once the car passes the MOT test, renewing your car tax.
How do I Tax my Car?
Insurance is another aspect to consider. Despite being technically legal, insuring your car without an MOT is pointless as you won't be allowed to drive it until it has passed its MOT.
In the absence of your V5C logbook, you should still be able to tax your car, as long as you’re its registered keeper.
Driving without an MOT or car tax incurs penalties, from automatic fines to receiving a police caution, or worse, a driving disqualification. It is therefore crucial to ensure your car's MOT and tax status are in check. You can do this effortlessly by using our free Car Tax Check and MOT Check tools.
To tax your car, you need an MOT certificate that is valid either on the start date of your vehicle tax or on the date it is issued. If your current MOT is set to expire before this, you should arrange an MOT test as quickly as possible so that you can tax your car before your MOT cover lapses.
In summary, an MOT is not just a legal requirement, but a means to ensure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy. Adherence to these regulations helps maintain our roads' safety and contributes significantly to environmental preservation. Whilst every car needs to be taxed as a legal requirement, there are many cars on the roads today that are free to tax, making for a much cheaper motor!
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