Our testing station is approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

We offer MOT class 4 for

 

• Cars, passenger vehicles, minibuses, motor caravans, Private Hire Vehicles
• Motor Tricycles, Quadricycles and dual purpose vehicles in all cases with up to eight passenger seats
• Goods vehicles not exceeding 3,000 kg Design Gross Weight (DGW)
• Taxis and ambulances in either case with up to eight passenger seats
• Passenger vehicles, ambulances, motor caravans and dual purpose
• Vehicles in all cases with nine to twelve passenger seats that
• American pickups up to 6500kg DGW

The MOT test changed on 20 May 2018, with new defect types, stricter rules for diesel car emissions, and some vehicles over 40 years old becoming exempt. The changes affect cars, vans, motorcycles and other light passenger vehicles.

There are 5 main changes you need to know.

 

1. Defects are categorised differently

• Dangerous – A direct and immediate risk to road safety or has a serious impact on the environment.Do not drive the vehicle until itís been repaired. – FAIL
• Major – It may affect the vehicleís safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately. – FAIL
• Minor – No significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment.Repair as soon as possible. – PASS
• Advisory – It could become more serious in the future. Monitor and repair it if necessary. PASS
• Pass – It meets the minimum legal standard. Make sure it continues to meet the standard. PASS

 

2. Stricter rules for diesel car emissions

• There are stricter limits for emissions from diesel cars with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).
• A DPF captures and stores exhaust soot to reduce emissions from diesel cars.
• Check your carís handbook if you donít know if your car has a DPF.
• Your vehicle will get a major fault if the MOT tester:
  -can see smoke of any colour coming from the exhaust
  -finds evidence that the DPF has been tampered with

 

3. Some new things are included in the MOT

Some new items are tested during the MOT.
They include checking:

• if tyres are obviously underinflated
• if the brake fluid has been contaminated
• for fluid leaks posing an environmental risk
• brake pad warning lights and if brake pads or discs are missing
• reversing lights on vehicles first used from 1 September 2009
• headlight washers on vehicles first used from 1 September 2009 (if they have them)
• daytime running lights on vehicles first used from 1 March 2018 (most of these vehicles will have their first MOT in 2021 when theyíre 3 years old)

There are other smaller changes to how some items are checked. Your MOT centre will be able to tell you about these.

 

4. The MOT certificate design has changed.

• It lists any defects under the new categories, so theyíre clear and easy to understand.
• The service to check the MOT history of a vehicle has been updated to reflect the changes.

 

5. Some vehicles over 40 years old wonít need an MOT

• Cars, vans, motorcycles and other light passenger vehicles wonít need to have an MOT if theyíre over 40 years old and have not been substantially changed.
• Until now, only vehicles first built before 1960 were exempt from needing an MOT.
• Now the rules have changed, vehicles wonít need an MOT from the 40th anniversary of when they were registered or manufactured. You can check the date the vehicle was registered online.

Example – If a car was first registered on 31 May 1978, it wonít need an MOT from 31 May 2018. You wonít have to apply to stop getting an MOT for your vehicle.

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

 

 

More information
The maximum fees MOT centres can charge wonít change. In January 2018, the government decided to keep the age a vehicle needs its first MOT at 3 years, rather than extend it to 4 years. You can get a free MOT reminder by text message or email a month before your MOT is due. You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.