Your vehicles should remain street-worthy at all times and it’s a collective responsibility of the citizens and the government to make sure they remain intact at all times. That’s the reason the UK government undertakes a test every year which checks the credibility of your vehicles. It’s imperative to take this test, as this ensures that your vehicles are in good working condition and they aren’t a threat to you or others on the road. For this, the UK government conducts a test called the MOT.

MOT stands for Ministry of Transport. Though this government department is defunct now, the test has a lot of relevance till today. This test is conducted every year for vehicles that are three years old. That means, in the initial three years, you don’t need to take your vehicle for MOT Birmingham. After three years it’s mandatory to get this test done, else you’d be inviting some kind of legal action against you. Failing to get this test done can cost you 3 penalty points. What’s more, is that you could be asked to pay a hefty fine of £2500. If that’s not enough, you can face some prosecution charges against you depending on the condition of your vehicle.

A vehicle like this, which hasn’t undergone an MOT test can be really difficult to resell. That’s because the potential buyer would like to see the paperwork intact and MOT is a part of it. So you see, how important MOT is. Let’s get to know more about this test.

Parts checked in MOT

MOT is a comprehensive test that checks most parts of your vehicle. Some of the parts checked are –

Brakes, suspension, steering of your vehicle, mirrors, all the lights, exhaust emissions, horns, windscreen wiper, battery and the electrical wiring of the car, washers, body, seat belts, doors, tyres and wheels, TPMS( Tyre pressure monitoring system), fuel system and vehicle registration number are some of the parts checked in MOT.

Parts not checked in MOT

Engine, clutch and gearbox are some of the parts not checked during MOT.

How much time does the MOT test take and who can conduct it?

If all’s well with your vehicle, then this test generally takes forty-five minutes to one hour. During this time, you need to leave the vehicle at the testing centre. Anyone with the logo of three blue triangles can conduct this test. Such centres are authorised by the government.

What’s the cost of an MOT test?

The UK government has fixed a maximum amount that the testing stations can charge from the citizens. For a car, the fee is £54.85 and for a motorcycle, this fee amounts to £29.65. There’s no VAT on this fee.

What happens when your vehicle clears the test?

It’s a piece of good news for you and you get an ‘MOT certificate’ from the testing centre. The same gets recorded in the database of the MOT. This certificate is known by the name of VT 20. This certificate is valid for a year and you can show it as proof in case you are stopped for inspection.

What happens if your vehicle flunks the test?

Well, in that case, you are given an ‘MOT refusal certificate’. It is known by the name VT 30. This is also recorded in the database. You will be given the list of the problems in your vehicle and you need to get them fixed, else you won’t be able to drive your vehicle anywhere. You need to go for a retest of your vehicle once all the problems are fixed. If you take your vehicle for a retest within ten working days to the same testing centre, then you’d be charged a partial MOT Birmingham fee. However, after ten days, the full fee would be charged.

If you feel there isn’t any issue with your vehicle, you can challenge the decision of the centre that tested your vehicle for MOT. So, we see MOT is for everyone’s safety on the road and one should not see it as a hassle.