MOT exemption

[scott]

I'm trying to get my 40+ year old car exempt from MOT by applying to the post office with the appropriate form but they say this can only be done when I tax it  (free of course) as the new form doesn't have a bar code. The car is already taxed therefore can anyone shed any light on the process at the dLVA website is singularly unhelpful.

[Phil Hetherington]

The MOT exemption is for pre-1960 only isn’t it? Assuming your 40+ year old car is nearer to 58+ years old then it should simply let you tax it without checking for an MOT on the system, I don’t think you need to register as such.

[misterm]

It changed from pre-1960 to over 40 years old back in May, Phil.

[marshman]

Once your car is 40 years old - criteria is registered on or before 31st December 1977 (at the moment - it is a "rolling exemption") - you need do nothing as it is automatically exempt. You only need to declare the exemption to get the "free" road tax. So if you are not going to get it MoT'd (my personal view is you should still do it - £50 for peace of mind and a second pair of eyes to check it over and properly test the brakes is a small price to pay) then just keep driving it. When your need to renew the Road Tax you have to complete a declaration that the car is not "substantially modified" and declare it as exempt.

This is from the .gov website here:

www.gov.uk/government/news/m...es-20-may-2018

"You won’t have to apply to stop getting an MOT for your vehicle.

However, each time you tax your historic vehicle (even if you don’t pay a fee), you’ll have to declare it meets the rules for not needing an MOT."

Hope that helps.

Roger

[scott]

Thanks Marsh man, I have the form and been to the website but still no one can tell me how to apply for the exemption now that the vehicle is taxed. Looks like I'm just having to mot for another year. I hear where you are coming from with inspection but as the car only does about 1k miles a year and I have pit facilities and better knowledge of the car than my local test stn, so no benefit to me. (last year's jokes were failed emissions test...pre 75 so visual check only is required and no smoke, 4 wheel bearings loose.....only fronts are adjustable and I keep these slack as they bind at the next setting, rears are perfect in live axle, unable to test headlights cos the old lucas unit didn't provide a bright enough beam for the tester to see it on the screen...dunno which one was not bright enough there). A word of warning though, I checked with Adrian Flux and they well up to checking vehicles without mot in the case of a claim. That said, I'm sure they'd find some excuseexcuse to pay out even if it was.

[marshman]

Jul 26, 2018 10:45:40 GMT 1 scott said:

Thanks Marsh man, I have the form and been to the website but still no one can tell me how to apply for the exemption now that the vehicle is taxed. Looks like I'm just having to mot for another year. I hear where you are coming from with inspection but as the car only does about 1k miles a year and I have pit facilities and better knowledge of the car than my local test stn, so no benefit to me. (last year's jokes were failed emissions test...pre 75 so visual check only is required and no smoke, 4 wheel bearings loose.....only fronts are adjustable and I keep these slack as they bind at the next setting, rears are perfect in live axle, unable to test headlights cos the old lucas unit didn't provide a bright enough beam for the tester to see it on the screen...dunno which one was not bright enough there). A word of warning though, I checked with Adrian Flux and they well up to checking vehicles without mot in the case of a claim. That said, I'm sure they'd find some excuseexcuse to pay out even if it was.

You do not have to apply for the MoT exemption when your MoT expires, you can carry on using it - the DVLA website says so. You only need to apply for the exemption when you retax - until your tax is due you need not do anything.

If you really want to apply for an exemption, go online, SORN the car, wait 5 days and then re tax it. It won't cost you anything and you can apply for the exemption then rather than wait until your tax expires.

I hear where you are coming from regarding the MoT but I think your experience is down to an incompetent tester who doesn't read the testers manual/can't be bothered with old cars. I am fortunate in having a good local garage I have used for years (and that doesn't mean they let anything pass!) I too have a pit and do all my own servicing and repairs but I still choose to take my cars for an MoT.

My biggest concerns are with people who don't know about cars and don't have a pit is a) checking for corrosion and b) brake testing. The MoT test subjects the brakes to a test which stresses the brake beyond "normal" use - i.e. situations such as an emergency stop where the pedal is pressed really hard. Most people never get to that point in normal driving until the day when they really need it. Brake seals and pipes can and do "let go" under these conditions even though the brakes have apparently worked fine upto that point. The MoT is far from perfect but in my opinion it is better than nothing and it does stop a complete novice getting a car and not ever having it checked because it is exempt which they take to mean - it doesn't need checking......ever! These are usually the same sort of people who take their modern car for an MoT once a year and think that this is all the car needs. Then go and complain to the garage when the engine seizes a week later due to lack of oil saying "well it's your fault, you had it for an MoT only last week and it was OK then" - I have been at my local garage when exactly that conversation took place!

I am sure your car is fine - but then you know what you are doing and have the facilities do give the car a reasonable inspection, my fear is all the others that don't.

As always, your car your choice

Roger