Finding out your car has failed its MOT is frustrating, but it is more common than most people realise. Around one in five UK cars fails every year. Here is exactly what happens next and what your options are.
What you receive after a failure
After a failure, the testing station must give you a VT30 refusal of an MOT certificate. This document lists every item that caused the failure, categorised as major or dangerous, along with any advisories. You do not receive an MOT certificate.
Can you drive the car after a failure
If the car had a valid MOT before the test (i.e. your existing MOT had not expired), your previous certificate remains valid until its original expiry date. You can drive the car under that certificate, though of course driving with known defects carries risk and a moral responsibility to fix them promptly.
If your old MOT had already expired and the car failed its new test, the vehicle does not have a valid MOT. You may drive it only directly to a pre-booked garage for repairs and directly back to the testing station for a retest.
The retest rules
If repairs are done at the same station, you have up to 10 working days for a free partial retest on the failed items only. If you take the car elsewhere for repairs, the same window applies but a retest fee may be charged. After 10 working days, a full new test is required.
Deciding whether to repair
For older cars, a major failure can raise the question of whether the repair cost is worth it against the value of the vehicle. At Steins Garage we always give you the repair cost upfront so you can make an informed decision. We will never pressure you to repair, and we will tell you plainly if we think the repair cost is disproportionate to the car value.
If your car has failed its MOT and you want a repair quote or a retest, call Steins Garage on 0131 554 3423 or book online.