News story

Vehicle owners to be granted MOT exemption in battle against coronavirus

Temporary exemption will enable vital services to continue, frontline workers to get to work, and people to get essential food and medicine during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From:
Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps
Published
25 March 2020
This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

This news article was withdrawn on

This news article has been withdrawn because the guidance it includes is out of date.

Check the latest information about getting an MOT.

Illustration of a car and MOT triangle symbol.
  • cars, motorcycles and vans to be granted MOT exemption
  • this will allow people to carry on with essential travel
  • vehicles must be kept in roadworthy condition

Vehicle owners will be granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing, enabling them to continue to travel to work where this absolutely cannot be done from home, or shop for necessities.

All cars, vans and motorcycles which usually would require an MOT test will be exempted from needing a test from 30 March 2020. Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition, and garages will remain open for essential repair work. Drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles.

Read advice on keeping a vehicle in a good condition.

People should stay at home and avoid travel. The only reasons people should leave their homes is set out in the government guidance.

MOT exemption: from 30 March 2020, MOT vehicle tests will not be required for 6 months.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

We must ensure those on the frontline of helping the nation combat COVID-19 are able to do so.

Allowing this temporary exemption from vehicle testing will enable vital services such as deliveries to continue, frontline workers to get to work, and people to get essential food and medicine.

Safety is key, which is why garages will remain open for essential repair work.

Legislation will be introduced on 30 March 2020 and will come into immediate effect for 12 months, following a short consultation with key organisations. Drivers will still need to get their vehicle tested until the new regulations come into place, if they need to use it.

If you can’t get an MOT that’s due because you’re in self-isolation, the Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure people will not be negatively affected as a result of things that are out of their control.

Practical driving tests and annual testing for lorries, buses and coaches have been suspended for up to 3 months.

More information

Updates to this page

Published 25 March 2020