1:39 pm, April 8, 2020
Anyone with an MOT due in the next year will automatically get an extension of six months seven days before it is due, according to the latest government guidance.
The clarification from the Department for Transport – who wrote the legislation – effectively gives all car drivers an 18-month MOT if theirs falls due between March 30, 2020 and March 29, 2021.
A Department for Transport spokesperson told Car Dealer Magazine:
‘This was put in place to ensure all key workers can get to work. We do not know how long the current restrictions will be in place so this gives us leeway to allow for that.
‘This means anyone with an MOT due in the next year will get a 6 month extension. This law can be changed again, but the year gives us scope to allow for any changes.’
The clarification will come as a relief to car owners. It means garage bosses may face a 6-month hole in bookings in the next six months, however, that will be smoothed out as the changes wash through the system.
‘If there are any changes again to this in the future they won’t happen overnight, like the exemption changes were put in place, but they’ll be a lot more notice,’ added the DFT spokesperson.
Andy Entwistle, CEO of the British Motor Show uncovered the news, which Car Dealer Magazine has since had clarified by a DFT spokesperson.
Entwistle said: ‘Although this does not help the nation’s thousands of MOT centres and garages over the coming six months who rely on regular MOTs and the additional safety repair work it generates, this rolling exemption does ensure that moving forward a regular flow of work will return.’
As an example of how it will work, Entwistle said the DVSA had confirmed that the following examples were correct:
Vehicle original MOT due 1 April 2020 – New MOT due 1 Oct 2020
Vehicle original MOT due 1 Aug 2020 – New MOT due 1 Feb 2021
Vehicle original MOT due 1 Dec 2020 – New MOT due 1 Jun 2021
Vehicle original MOT due 1 Feb 2021 – New MOT due 1 Aug 2021
The extensions will be applied approximately seven days ahead of the due date, which will give the authorities the ability to change the legislation again if they need to in the future.
The legislation has been put in place for a year, said DFT spokesperson, as a back-stop just in case the lockdown continues longer than thought, or further lockdowns are needed in the future.
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Last Updated: April 9, 1815
