MOT exemption - what if your car fails its voluntary MOT test?

smudger

Member
Has anyone yet had any personal experience, or know for sure either way, that if your MOT-exempt classic fails its MOT can it still be driven on the road - i.e. because it is MOT-exempt anyway and the test was voluntary?
Or does MOT failure on an exempt vehicle mean that the vehicle can no longer be driven legally on the road as would be normal for a testable vehicle?
The latter would seem the common sense answer, but you never know with government departments........
 
Anything that fails the test renders the car unroadworthy in the eyes of the law, so whether the car is MOT exempt, and then fails a test, or has a current MOT cerificate, yet has faults, it shouldn't be on the road.
 
Your insurance would be able to see the failure against your vehicle and could use it to refuse a claim in case of an accident or even if stolen.
 
according to my brother ( ex police traffic officer) ANY vehicle used on public roads needs to be covered by insurance and in a roadworthy condition. tax is another area. hence failing even a voluntary MOT makes it unroadworthy and should not be used ( you can if safe to do so drive it back to point of journey origin but directly only ) . in event of it being stolen an insurance company would be unlikely to prevent a claim for theft ( many cars often in a state of waiting parts or repairs but are still insured) The biggest concern that many ignore is that when one does NOT have a voluntary MOT or an MOT where needed , an insurance company can far more easily avert costs by saying after an inspection that car was NOT roadworthy Before the incident. Those of us not certified to say car IS roadworthy and DO have Mot testing. brakes.steering corrosion etc checked and pass an MOT have a far more stable platform to get an insurance payout! ( and avoid being sued personally) it is simply madness not to get MOT when used on roads and even if only used on private estates ? ( museum?) one ought to have some insurance in place .EU pushing to have insurance even when car is on SORN or not even worthy of movement ( eg no wheels) as far as I am aware! that argument still going on with UK trying to get excluded from that EU directive. ( I stand to be corrected as not checked lately )
 
HI, Yes that's the Vnuk judgement,* but like you I don't know what the latest is. EU and UK legislation grinds slowly and exceedingly small.

Colin

* A Mr Vnuk was working up a ladder on a farm, a tractor came round the corner and knocked him off the ladder. The eventual court case judge ruled that all vehicles should be insured whether they are in use or not, whether on or off road.

* A fuller account of what started it. - The Vnuk issue. An update…….
 
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As far as what I was told an mot test is the condition of the Vehicle at the time of test, So a month later your car could be in a un-roadworthy condition.
If a Vehicle is mot exempt or not any Vehicle on the public highway has to be in a roadworthy condition despite an mot or not.
 
As far as what I was told an mot test is the condition of the Vehicle at the time of test, So a month later your car could be in a un-roadworthy condition.

True but the point others were making is that an MoT, whether or not it's needed, is proof to your insurance company that you have attempted to keep the car in roadworthy condition. Not doing one is asking for the Ins Co to start looking for faults in the case of a claim.
 
The mot cert is no proof of a vehicles roadworthyness so I don’t think it would make a difference.
 
Hi, That's right it only shows that it was at least once a year. What it is is a perception to the insurance company that you're making the effort. Rather than it not being MOTed they can question it and gives them possible cause to try and wriggle out of a claim.

Colin
 
I understand but how could the insurance question a claim if the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition
in the first place.
 
Hi, An obvious thing the assessor can do, as they always have, is look at the tyres to see if they are legal and other clues. It's all part of the condition check which is used to value the vehicle.

Colin
 
I agree with getting an mot or having a yearly inspection, but my point is I don’t know how much weight it would add waving an mot certificate at a insurance company in the event that something should fail.
The insurance policy states that the vehicle is to be in a roadworthy condition so from my understanding it seems as if it doesn’t matter if you have a certificate or not the vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition.
Another interesting thing is Substantial Modifications, apparently if you make certain modifications it can revoke the Mot exemption something I was unaware of has anyone got any information on this it would be most welcome.
 
Another interesting thing is Substantial Modifications, apparently if you make certain modifications it can revoke the Mot exemption something I was unaware of has anyone got any information on this it would be most welcome.

Well, here is your Christmas reading....Historic (classic) vehicles: MOT exemption criteria
Google away, there is loads to read to help the turkey go down.

I am someone who has, well lets say 'altered' their car a little and it may surprise you to see how far you can go and still not fall foul of the substantial change criteria. My car can still be MOT exempt if I choose it to be, but I do not, and it gets a full proper MOT every year.
 
I agree with getting an mot or having a yearly inspection, but my point is I don’t know how much weight it would add waving an mot certificate at a insurance company in the event that something should fail.

Colin and I have both explained why it's worth having. Everyone accepts that it's a "snapshot" BUT the Insurance Company look at it as proof that you are looking after your car. That's the way they work. Too many people these days try to skimp when looking after their cars, old or new, so Ins Cos tend to be very wary, anything you can do which proves that you are looking after your car helps, an MOT is one of them. You highlight the MOT but in theory any work you do on your car is a "snapshot" just the same, such as a regular service. Anyhow we've answered why we think it's a good idea so time to move on...
 
Cars get examined after an accident. If car is unroadworthy at time of the accident it is irrelevant if it has an mot or not.
 
Well, here is your Christmas reading....Historic (classic) vehicles: MOT exemption criteria
Google away, there is loads to read to help the turkey go down.

I am someone who has, well lets say 'altered' their car a little and it may surprise you to see how far you can go and still not fall foul of the substantial change criteria. My car can still be MOT exempt if I choose it to be, but I do not, and it gets a full proper MOT every year.
Thanks Cobra your right it’s a bit more forgiving than I first thought I will digest it with my Christmas Turkey :D:D
 
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