Coronavirus: Mandatory MOT testing to be reintroduced from August

In March, drivers were granted a six-month exemption due to the Covid-19 outbreak

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Mandatory MOT testing is to be reintroduced from 1 August 2020 as lockdown restrictions are slowly lifted.

In March, drivers were granted a six-month exemption from MOT testing due to the coronavirus outbreak.

However, as restrictions begin to ease, all drivers whose car, motorcycle or van is due for an MOT test from 1 August will be required to get a test certificate to continue driving their vehicle.

MOT tests are important for road safety and ensure that vehicle parts, including tyres, seatbelts, brakes, lights and exhausts, are in proper working order.

Under the new guidelines, drivers with an MOT due date before 1 August will still receive a six-month exemption from testing. However, all vehicles must continue to be properly maintained and kept in a roadworthy condition.

People are permitted to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement.

“As people return to our roads, it is vital that motorists are able to keep their vehicles safe. That’s why as restrictions are eased, from 1 August MOT testing will again become mandatory,” said roads minister Baroness Vere.

“Garages across the country are open and I urge drivers who are due for their MOT to book a test as soon they can.”

While exemptions are still available for vehicle owners with an MOT due date before 1 August, the government has warned drivers that it is vital they still take their vehicle to be checked if they notice something is wrong in the same way that they usually would.

Motorists can be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle and being caught on the roads without a valid MOT certificate could mean a fine of up to £2,500.

It adds that any drivers who are self-isolating should contact their local garage if their car needs to be checked as many are offering pick-up and drop-off services.

Edmund King, president of British motoring association the AA, welcomed the move, saying: “It makes sense to reintroduce MOT testing from 1 August now that Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted and all garages and dealerships are open.

“Car traffic is on the increase already and will grow as more drivers return to the road with the reopening of hospitality and travel with their families for staycation holidays.”