Due to COVID-19, cars, vans and motorcycles will have their MOT extended by 6 months

Due to the unfolding COVID-19 situation, cars and vans and motorcycles due their MOT from 30 March 2020 will have their MOT extended by 6 months.

This will allow vehicle owners to continue to be able to get to work where this absolutely cannot be done from home or do essential shopping.

Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition and drivers can be prosecuted if they drive an unsafe vehicle.

The government have published the following guidelines for the public:

Coronavirus: MOTs due up to 29 March 2020

What to do if your car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date was on or before 29 March 2020

If your vehicle’s MOT expired on or before 29 March 2020, you must book an MOT as usual unless either:

you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms

you’re extremely vulnerable from coronavirus

You must stay at home (self-isolate) if either of these situations apply - do not take your vehicle for its MOT.

Coronavirus: MOTs due from 30 March 2020

Your car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date will be extended by 6 months if it’s due on or after 30 March 2020 - but you must keep your vehicle safe to drive.

Eligibility

Your MOT certificate will be extended by 6 months if it was due to expire on or after 30 March 2020 and your vehicle is a:

car
motorcycle
light van
other light vehicle

This includes these types of vehicles that are due their first ever MOT test.

How the 6-month extension works

Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be automatically extended by 6 months if it’s eligible. This will be done just before it’s due to expire.

This means that:

Your vehicle will still have a valid MOT certificate for an extra 6 months
You can still tax your vehicle
Your insurance will still be valid
Your vehicle’s record will be updated so the police can see you have a valid MOT
You will not get a new paper MOT certificate with the new expiry date on it.

Example

Your vehicle’s MOT was due to expire on 3 May 2020.

This will automatically be extended to 3 November 2020. You will need to get your MOT by this date.

What you need to do

Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will only be updated a few days before it was originally due to expire.

1.Three days before your MOT was originally due to expire, check the expiry date has been extended.

2.If the expiry date has not been extended 3 days before it was due to expire, email covid19mot@dvsa.gov.uk.

You need to include these details in the email:

The date your MOT expired
Your vehicle registration number (number plate)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will then:
Update your vehicle’s record
Email you to tell you this has been done

If your vehicle tax and MOT run out in April

You cannot renew your vehicle tax until your MOT expiry date has been extended. It will be extended a few days before it was originally due to expire.

This means you might need to wait until later in April to tax your vehicle.

Check that the MOT expiry date has been extended before you tax your vehicle.