MOT expiry dates are being extended by 6 months to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your MOT certificate will be extended by 6 months if it was due to expire on or after 30 March 2020 and your vehicles first MOT is due. The extension also applies to vehicles that are due their first MOT test on or after 30 March 2020. There are different rules if your MOT expiry date was on or before 29 March 2020.

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 about 7 days 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 - you might need to wait to do this until later in the month if both your MOT and vehicle tax run out this month
• 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. You must still keep your vehicle safe to drive.

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.

MOT What you need to do

Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be updated about 7 days before it was originally due to expire.

• Three days before your MOT was originally due to expire, check the expiry date has been extended.
• If the expiry date has not been extended 3 days before it was due to expire, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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 you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails

Your MOT extension will no longer apply if you take your vehicle for its MOT and it fails.

Your vehicle will need to be fixed and pass its MOT before you can use it again.

Example, Your vehicle’s MOT was originally due to expire on 3 May 2020, but has been extended to 3 November 2020. You take your vehicle for its MOT in August and it fails. You must stop using the vehicle until it’s fixed and passes another MOT test.

If your vehicle tax and MOT run out in May

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

Keep your vehicle safe to drive

You must make sure your vehicle is safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if your MOT expiry date has been extended. You must Get unsafe vehicles repaired. Take your vehicle to be repaired at the nearest open garage if it’s unsafe. These are allowed to stay open during the coronavirus outbreak.

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.