You may be wondering whether you can drive your car on roads without an MOT. You can not drive legally your car if you don’t have a valid MOT certificate expect if your car is MOT exempt or you are driving your car to go for a booked MOT test. If you are planning to do your car MOT Coventry then visit our garage, we have the best certified MOT testers.

Once your car MOT certificate expires, you will no longer be able to drive your car on roads legally. That means it is important that you remember your car's MOT due date. You can use an MOT reminder service to get notifications or call for your next MOT test date.  

In this article, we will discuss situations where you can drive your car without an MOT, such as going to a garage or test centre. We share information about the factors that can impact the insurance and tax if your car doesn’t have an MOT. We also discuss the penalties for driving your car without a valid MOT certificate. If you are interested to know then keep reading. 

What Happens Driving Your Car to MOT Centre without MOT?

You can drive your car to the MOT centre without valid MOT certification in some circumstances. If you have scheduled an MOT test at your local MOT centre or garage, then you must have proof of the appointment with you when you drive your car and take the most direct route possible.  

If you are pulled over by the police, they will ask you to show proof of the appointment for the MOT test. You need to be careful when choosing the route to your MOT test centre and take the shortest route possible. 

If you take a route that is not far from the test centre, you need to explain to the officer why are you taking such a route. If you don’t a valid proof to show that you are going to the MOT test then you could be prosecuted. 

Can You Drive Your Car to a Garage Without MOT?

You can drive your car without an MOT to a garage if you are going for an MOT test. However, your previous MOT certificate doesn’t show a dangerous defect. Aside from going to an MOT test centre, it is not legal to drive your car on roads without a valid MOT certificate.

The MOT test centre has no authority to stop you from driving away after your car fails the MOT test. However, if your car MOT comes under the dangerous category, it’s illegal to drive your car on the roads and if you are caught you can face several penalties from the police officer.  

Penalties for Driving a Car Without an MOT? 

Driving a car without a valid MOT certificate is illegal in the United Kingdom. As per the police, Over 11,000 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras are placed across the United Kingdom, which check over 50 million records every day. 

With the help of these cameras, the police can automatically see whether your car has a valid MOT certificate or not. If it doesn’t, you will be pulled over by the officer.   

If the police officer asks you about your car’s MOT certificate, and you don’t have one, then you can be given a £1,000 fine. If your car comes under the “dangerous” category, you can receive a maximum fine if you are driving a van or £2,500 if you are driving a car. 

That’s an add-on on top of three points on your licence and if you were convicted of driving in a dangerous condition within the past three years, you can be banned from driving for at least six months on roads. 

Can I Drive My Car to the MOT Centre Without Tax?

If your car has no valid MOT certificate and no tax, you can still drive your car to the MOT test centre because in order to renew your road tax, you need a first have a valid MOT certificate. By law, your car needs to pass the MOT test to be taxed. You need to immediately organise your car tax as you get your pass MOT certificate to drive your car on the road legally. 

Is MY Car Insurance Still Valid without an MOT?

Your car insurance will no longer be valid if your car fails on MOT test or if its get expires. This means if your car has an accident in road traffic, your car insurer will not be liable to pay out on your insurance.

In that case, if you had an accident with your car to other vehicles, then you have to pay for your car repairs out of your own pocket. Since you are driving your car without insurance, you may also receive six to eight penalty points on your license, a maximum fine or a driving ban on your car.

Conclusion 

If you are looking for an MOT Coventry then you can come to us, we have certified MOT testers who can perform MOT tests and detect any repair and service with your car. You don’t have to worry about service and repairs, we also offer the best full car service in Coventry at an affordable cost.