Vehicle owners to be get MOT exemption in battle against Coronavirus

VEHICLE owners will be granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing, enabling them to continue to travel to work where this absolutely cannot be done from home, or shop for necessities.

All cars, vans, and motorcycles which usually would require an MOT test will be exempted from needing a test from 30 March 2020. Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition, and garages will remain open for essential repair work. Drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“We must ensure those on the frontline of helping the nation combat COVID-19 are able to do so. Allowing this temporary exemption from vehicle testing will enable vital services such as deliveries to continue, frontline workers to get to work, and people to get essential food and medicine. Safety is key, which is why garages will remain open for essential repair work.”

The legislation will be introduced on March 30 and will come into immediate effect for 12 months, following a short consultation with key organisations. Drivers will still need to get their vehicle tested until the new regulations come into place if they need to use it.

If you cannot get an MOT that’s due, because you’re in self-isolation, the Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure people are not unfairly penalised for things out of their control. So as long as the vehicle you drive is of sound condition and safe to be on the road, you should be able to continue using it.

Practical driving tests and annual testing for lorries, buses and coaches have been suspended for up to 3 months.