MoT TESTS VERSUS
Article by Dave Lawrie, Director NPHTA 0161 280 2800
info@nphta.co.uk WHAT IS AN MoT?
A Ministry of Transport vehicle roadworthiness inspection of any vehicle, performed by a Ministry approved tester, in a ministry approved MoT testing station.
Each test and all results are logged online, including: braking systems, suspension system, lights, bodywork, seatbelts, windows, mirrors, indicators, ball joints, steering - in fact, every aspect of a vehicle must pass rigorous tests in order to verify that the vehicle is safe to be on the road, and poses no risk to other road users or pedestrians.
The results are automatically uploaded onto the Ministry database.
WHEN IS A VEHICLE DUE AN MoT TEST?
A standard road vehicle is not due an MoT test until it becomes three year’s old. This also applies to commercial use vehicles, such as delivery vans and those used by traders such as plumbers, electricians etc. Once the vehicle reaches its third birthday, it is then due for MoT every year and must pass this examination for it to certified as being roadworthy.
SEEMS CLEAR ENOUGH, WHAT IS A COMPLIANCE TEST?
A compliance test is performed at local authority approved testing stations, some of which may be in house (owned by the council).
For most local authorities, the test is required, even for a brand-new vehicle, although some do allow the first year from new.
This is only to verify that the vehicle satisfies the conditions set locally, these may include:
• The presence of a fire extinguisher (where required)
• The presence of a first aid kit (where required) 34
There “might” also be a condition set by some councils, but not others, that the above two items
•Must be clearly marked with the vehicle registration number, or even the council issued plate number.
NOTE: Both of the above items can be and have been used as a weapon against the driver! The driver is not qualified to make use of those items and can make things very much worse if they do try to use them. This means in reality, neither of those items have any purpose being there.
• The vehicle must be the correct colour (where there is a colour code for the vehicles)
• The vehicle must have CCTV which is fully functional (where CCTV is mandatory)
• The vehicle (hackney carriage) must be fitted with a taxi meter
• The taxi meter must be set to the fares set by the council (of course those prices are locally set)
• The vehicle must display the livery/signage (where signage is required) - some of course being on front doors, some being on back doors, some being on back windows (potentially covering the eye level brake light which is not entirely legal) some being all over the bonnet, some even being diagonally right across the length of the vehicle. (Nothing national there then)
• The vehicle must have all forward facing seats • The vehicle must have conference seating
• The vehicle must be the correct age (where there is an age limit).
As you can see, there are no national licensing or vehicle conditions which each local vehicle must “comply” with, let alone a compliance test being a nationally recognised roadworthiness test.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH NOT HAVING AN ACTUAL MoT TEST CERTIFICATE?
• The only way a vehicle that is over three years old can be taxed without an actual MoT, is by going to the local post office, with a DVLA Declaration of Exemption From MoT (V112). This means that the vehicle owner does not benefit from the same ease of taxing the vehicle online as other road users.
MAY 2023 PHTM
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