MARTIN Lewis has urged millions of drivers to book their MOTs now, in his latest MoneySavingExpert newsletter.
The consumer guru explained how leaving it too late will mean you could miss your MOT deadline as it gets caught up in the current testing backlog – and that could mean a £1,000 fine.
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The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) told MoneySavingExpert that “seven million tests” are due in the next two months.
During lockdown, the government suspended the requirement for drivers to get an MOT for six months, but that has since expired.
It’s now important to get your test completed before your current MOT certificate runs out.
A spokesperson for the DVSA told The Sun: “As with last year, we expect demand for MOTs to be high from September to December, due to the moving of MOT dates as a result of the MOT exemption.
“We are confident that garages will be able to cope with the increase in demand, but we suggest that motorists book an earlier MOT to avoid this peak.”
In September and October this year there are 1.3 million more tests due than in the same period two years ago, because of the delay from the pandemic.
But test centres are already strained according to the AA, which is why it’s a good idea to get booked in early.
Your car will need an MOT test annually if it’s over three years old, and if not you’ll need one done on the third anniversary of its registration.
It’s always due at around the same time and you’ll need to get it tested before the current certificate expires or face the costly £1,000 fine.
The most a garage can charge you for the test is £54.85, so you shouldn’t ever have to pay any more than this, but it could be a good idea to shop around to find a good price.
But watch you don’t end up driving further for an appointment as this could send you over-budget in petrol costs.
You might also have to factor in extra repair costs on top of this if your MOT fails.
Do I need an MOT?
You’re not allowed to drive or park your vehicle on the road if its MOT has run out, unless you are driving it to an MOT test centre appointment, and if you’re pulled over the police can check this by ringing up the garage.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.
The test is important as it checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards, and it’s a legal requirement to have one done.
You can check when your MOT is due with the government’s MOT checker tool online, all you need to enter is the vehicle’s registration number.
When does my MOT run out and how do I book a test?
You can get an MOT up to a month before it runs out and keep the same renewal date – that means in the long run you won’t end up paying more, or earlier than you have to for the test.
So for example, if your MOT runs out on October 15, the earliest you can get an MOT to keep the same renewal date for next year is September 16.
If your car has had an MOT before, the renewal date will be printed on the last certificate you received.
You can get a free MOT reminder from Gov.uk too, by entering your email address or phone number and car registration, this will be sent a month before the test is due.
The AA also offers a similar online service called Automyze to check the due date, as well as providing a list of nearby MOT garages.
Once you know when it’s up for renewal, contact your local MOT test centre to get booked in.
In the tips email, Martin also urges motorists to check if their cars are taxed too, otherwise it could incur another £1,000 fine.
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