How long after your MOT expires Can you drive?

You can not drive with an expired MOT. There are some exceptions.

What are the exceptions?

You can drive if

• Your current MOT certificate is still valid
• No dangerous problems were identified and you are driving to get the fault fixed.
• Your MOT expired and you are driving to an MOT test centre.

What to do if you can't drive?

You should consider fixing the issue at the location where the test was carried out.

If your vehicle has no major or dangerous problems, you can drive to a repair shop.

You can get the vehicle towed to a repair centre if the vehicle is not safe to drive.

You can book a mobile repair to get the problem fixed.

Which problems you can fix yourself?

There are a few faults that are relatively easy to fix yourself if you are a hands-on type of person.

• Smearing windscreen wipers

  As windscreen wipers age, the rubber becomes hard and brittle. You can easily find the matching windscreen wipers online at Euro Car Parts, Halfords or Amazon by entering your reg number.

• Replacement lightbulbs

  This is a common fail and one that you can fix yourself by getting a replacement bulb. Note that changing the headlights on some cars can get a bit dirty as the access is often via the wheel arch.

  Numberplate bulbs should be easy enough to access and change yourself.

• Empty windscreen washer tank

  The tester will want to check your wipers so its a good idea to top the tank up before your test. If you forgot, it should be a simple enough fix to get an immediate retest.

• Hidden seat belt anchors

  When you fold your car seats, the anchor points for the seatbelts at the back can get behind the upholstery. It is important that these are present and visible for your MOT.

• Low fuel

  Fuel is required to run the car for the emissions test so its another one of the things that should really be checked before taking your test.

• Low engine oil

  The dealership may turn you away because of low engine oil. This is also needed to run the car for the emissions check.

To find out more information about the MOT test failures please refer to Failing the MOT page on the UK Government website.