Posted on 25 March 2020 by CarTakeBack UK

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the government has now confirmed MOT’s will be extended by 6 months from the end of March 2020.

You can find the full guidance on the government website.

But here’s our quick review summary:

If your vehicle’s MOT expiry date is on or after 30 March 2020 you do not need to do anything - your vehicle will automatically be given a 6-month MOT exemption (extending your current MOT expiry date by 6 months).

If your vehicle’s first MOT is due it will automatically be given a 6-month MOT exemption from the date its first MOT was due.

If your first MOT was due before 30 March 2020 and your vehicle did not pass, will not get an extension. Your vehicle will need to pass an MOT before you can drive it again. The government is allowing MOT centres and garages to remain open. So you can still get an MOT if you need your vehicle:

• to shop for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
• for any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
• to travel to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home

In all cases, it’s still important to keep your vehicle safe to drive - you can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition. Here are the guidelines to find out how to check your vehicle is safe and the rules about vehicle maintenance, safety and security. The government is allowing garages to remain open for repairs and it’s suggested you use the nearest open garage.

We will continue to keep you updated with any important vehicle-related news.

Our own update on the CarTakeBack service available during the Coronavirus can be reviewed here. 

Stay safe everyone.