MOT query...

[jmurray01]

I don't often ask questions here, but I am looking for clarification on this and suspect one (or more) of you may know the answer!

The Mercedes' MOT expires this coming Thursday (15th), and it will be at least Wednesday next week before I can put it in for a test.  Given that the house we now live in has no official off-road parking (there is a car park further down the road but that is council property and thereby a "public highway"), the only option is to have the car parked on the road whilst it has no valid MOT.

Of course I won't be driving it anywhere, and ordinarily waiting a week or two without an MOT wouldn't be a big issue, but we have a lot of tension with the neighbours and they look for every opportunity to make life difficult, including calling the police for trivial matters that don't concern them.

Basically, if a car still has valid tax and insurance, but the MOT has expired, is it still legal to be parked on the road?

If not, then I'm screwed!  But, I'd like to know either way.

Thanks!

[simcor]

A car needs tax mot and insurance to be parked on a road legally. any of those expired and it can't be left on the road. as to whether or not you would get away with a week or not is another matter.

This is the exact reason you can stick a car in for MOT a month before it is due so you don't have to leave it til it's due date.

[Ken.K]

I don't often ask questions here, but I am looking for clarification on this and suspect one (or more) of you may know the answer!

The Mercedes' MOT expires this coming Thursday (15th), and it will be at least Wednesday next week before I can put it in for a test.  Given that the house we now live in has no official off-road parking (there is a car park further down the road but that is council property and thereby a "public highway"), the only option is to have the car parked on the road whilst it has no valid MOT.

Of course I won't be driving it anywhere, and ordinarily waiting a week or two without an MOT wouldn't be a big issue, but we have a lot of tension with the neighbours and they look for every opportunity to make life difficult, including calling the police for trivial matters that don't concern them.

Basically, if a car still has valid tax and insurance, but the MOT has expired, is it still legal to be parked on the road?

If not, then I'm screwed!  But, I'd like to know either way.

Thanks!

MOT should not matter for parking on the road. As long as you are not driving it.

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[Turvey]

I would have thought any off road parking, official or otherwise, would be better than chancing leaving it on the road. 

[jmurray01]

17 minutes ago, Ken.K said:

MOT should not matter for parking on the road. As long as you are not driving it.

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That were my thoughts on it.  MOT is for driveability, Tax is for being on the road.  But, I could very well be wrong.

[pragmatix]

To be legal on a puplc road, you need MOT, VED and Insurance.

[Ken.K]

It is illegally to drive without MOT not park. If you only had off street parking where do they expect you to keep it till your appointment.

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[TomsFocus]

Technically it's not legal to park on a public road without MOT, the insurance may also be void if anything happened to it.  However are you suggesting the neighbours know the expiry of your MOT and are waiting for it to run out?  I've known plenty of people drive around without MOT for months because 'they don't send you a reminder' lol.  Don't even get points for no MOT, it's tax and insurance you'll usually get pulled for.  Personally I'd stick it in the car park out of the way but I really doubt you'd have any issues with it.

[GMX]

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Technically it's not legal to park on a public road without MOT, the insurance may also be void if anything happened to it.  However are you suggesting the neighbours know the expiry of your MOT and are waiting for it to run out?  I've known plenty of people drive around without MOT for months because 'they don't send you a reminder' lol.  Don't even get points for no MOT, it's tax and insurance you'll usually get pulled for.  Personally I'd stick it in the car park out of the way but I really doubt you'd have any issues with it.

If Jamie's neighbours are vindictive petty types, there are plenty of free online resources for them (or indeed anyone) to check the MOT and also tax status of any car.  They probably don't know the expiry date, but they can look it up.

My late uncle was one of those who drove around for months with no MOT, it only seemed to dawn on him to get one, when he went to renew his tax disc and of course need the certificate.  But of course that was in days before the police had PNC and ANPR and the internet didn't exist.

@jmurray01

You haven't got a work colleague, friend or relative with an off road parking space you could borrow until you get your MOT?

[Ken.K]

I have been searching online and there is no straight forward answer with lots of assumptions. You can drive a car to an MOT centre with no MOT even drive to get issues fixed if it fails and back to the centre. So do not see why you cannot park it and just have the appointment confirmed.

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[GMX]

9 minutes ago, Ken.K said:

I have been searching online and there is no straight forward answer with lots of assumptions. You can drive a car to an MOT centre with no MOT even drive to get issues fixed if it fails and back to the centre. So do not see why you cannot park it and just have the appointment confirmed.

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That's a good point

[TomsFocus]

10 minutes ago, GMX said:

If Jamie's neighbours are vindictive petty types, there are plenty of free online resources for them (or indeed anyone) to check the MOT and also tax status of any car.  They probably don't know the expiry date, but they can look it up.

My late uncle was one of those who drove around for months with no MOT, it only seemed to dawn on him to get one, when he went to renew his tax disc and of course need the certificate.  But of course that was in days before the police had PNC and ANPR and the internet didn't exist.

Whilst that's true, it'd have to be a pretty big coincidence for them to check just as it runs out?  Admittedly I have checked the MOT history of half the cars in our car park through boredom.  

Even with ANPR no one seems bothered by MOT, I've driven quite a few cars to and from MOT stations without it and never been pulled so far, of course it was legal to do but the ANPR wouldn't have known where I was going, even been followed by and passed police cars and they haven't bat an eyelid.

 

The problem with leaving it parked isn't that it's going to get towed away and crushed, even if you were 'caught', you'd probably just be asked to move it or MOT it, but even if not its just a small fine...might even be cheaper than fixing the fails in Jamie's case.   But it's more the fact the insurance often states you need to have MOT to be covered, so although you can drive to an MOT centre without, if you crash the insurance may be void.  The same could happen if it was burnt for example, the insurance may not pay if it was found to have loose wiring that would fail an MOT for example... 

[jmurray01]

7 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Whilst that's true, it'd have to be a pretty big coincidence for them to check just as it runs out?  Admittedly I have checked the MOT history of half the cars in our car park through boredom.  

Even with ANPR no one seems bothered by MOT, I've driven quite a few cars to and from MOT stations without it and never been pulled so far, of course it was legal to do but the ANPR wouldn't have known where I was going, even been followed by and passed police cars and they haven't bat an eyelid.

 

The problem with leaving it parked isn't that it's going to get towed away and crushed, even if you were 'caught', you'd probably just be asked to move it or MOT it, but even if not its just a small fine...might even be cheaper than fixing the fails in Jamie's case.   But it's more the fact the insurance often states you need to have MOT to be covered, so although you can drive to an MOT centre without, if you crash the insurance may be void.  The same could happen if it was burnt for example, the insurance may not pay if it was found to have loose wiring that would fail an MOT for example... 

Oh don't worry, I'm sure they checked as soon as I bought it and have marked the date on their calendar!  They have a history of doing this twice with two separate cars when the MOTs lapsed for a few days, prior to testing/selling them.

That said, it is true that the worst they could do is ask me to move it and give me a fine, as having no MOT is a non-endorsable offence. 

[jmurray01]

7 hours ago, GMX said:

If Jamie's neighbours are vindictive petty types, there are plenty of free online resources for them (or indeed anyone) to check the MOT and also tax status of any car.  They probably don't know the expiry date, but they can look it up.

My late uncle was one of those who drove around for months with no MOT, it only seemed to dawn on him to get one, when he went to renew his tax disc and of course need the certificate.  But of course that was in days before the police had PNC and ANPR and the internet didn't exist.

@jmurray01

You haven't got a work colleague, friend or relative with an off road parking space you could borrow until you get your MOT?

Hit the nail on the head, Ghana.

[TomsFocus]

Have they really got nothing better to do!?   

Even I'm not that petty! . 

I'll bet they're part of the neighbourhood watch lol...

 

I must admit though, not that it's any help now, I don't see why you didn't just MOT it earlier to save the stress of worrying about the neighbours etc.

[jmurray01]

47 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Have they really got nothing better to do!?   

Even I'm not that petty! . 

I'll bet they're part of the neighbourhood watch lol...

 

I must admit though, not that it's any help now, I don't see why you didn't just MOT it earlier to save the stress of worrying about the neighbours etc.

Because I know it will likely need £200-300 of work and didn't have that money on my last pay cheque, thanks to all the bills I have to pay because my mother yet again jeapordised the house-hold finances by leaving her job.  So yes, doing it a few weeks ago was the original intention, but selfish people seem to have a habit of being selfish and leaving everybody else to take up the slack.

[Ken.K]

Have they really got nothing better to do!?   
Even I'm not that petty! [emoji38]. 
I'll bet they're part of the neighbourhood watch lol...

Just seen this link

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1216233


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[Ken.K]

Also after some digging and asking a driving instructor just cos I was bored. I found that MOT only affects driveability on the roads, you can park your car cos like I said earlier what if you do not have off street parking or the possibility to even get one. I think you are over thinking it. Am sure you don't drive all cars everyday and some parked for a week.

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[jmurray01]

4 minutes ago, Ken.K said:

Also after some digging and asking a driving instructor just cos I was bored. I found that MOT only affects driveability on the roads, you can park your car cos like I said earlier what if you do not have off street parking or the possibility to even get one. I think you are over thinking it. Am sure you don't drive all cars everyday and some parked for a week.

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Good stuff!  I'll park it up on Thursday and it will remain stationary until it is driven to the pre-booked appointment next Wednesday. 

Sometimes the 405 or Focus are parked for weeks on end, because even though they both have MOTs and are taxed and insured, there just isn't a need to drive them.  The 405 was in fact parked for 4 weeks without turning a wheel when the glow plugs packed up.

[Ken.K]

Just get it booked in that's all. Even if they do call you have proof that it's booked.

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[jmurray01]

7 minutes ago, Ken.K said:

Just get it booked in that's all. Even if they do call you have proof that it's booked.

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I'll be doing that tomorrow anyway, but good point.

[simcor]

I think you will find the legal definition is "to use or keep a car on a public highway" it needs to be taxed insured and MOT'd. Therefore not having an MOT is illegal for the vehicle to be kept or used on a public highway.

https://www.gov.uk/report-no-mot

The maximum fine is £1000 for no MOT and as such in Jamie's case not worth a risk of a fine that is more than the value of the car or the repairs it requires.

As the driver of a vehicle it is your repsonibility to ensure it is roadworthy at all times, taxed insured and current MOT, you as the driver should know when the MOT is due and should take reasonable steps to ensure it is done early enough and have funds to ensure the car is in a roadworthy condition.

What the law states and what people do and or get away with it neither here nor there.

If the car is on a driveway or a private road then the MOT issues is irrelevant as it's not a public highway.

[Ken.K]

He is in a residential road, yes used by the public but also has parking. Which means a place to keep the when not in use hence taking it off the road. As long as he is not parked illegally he is fine. Cos like I say not everyone has off street parking. Also to add. I have seen mechanics queue up cars on the road that are pending mot work.

Edit: I have called 101 to clarify, The non-emergency help line. And I asked the operator. He said as long as it is booked in for next week it should not be a problem. Cos it is parked. I hope that helps you and others out there.

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[jmurray01]

1 hour ago, Ken.K said:

He is in a residential road, yes used by the public but also has parking. Which means a place to keep the when not in use hence taking it off the road. As long as he is not parked illegally he is fine. Cos like I say not everyone has off street parking. Also to add. I have seen mechanics queue up cars on the road that are pending mot work.

Edit: I have called 101 to clarify, The non-emergency help line. And I asked the operator. He said as long as it is booked in for next week it should not be a problem. Cos it is parked. I hope that helps you and others out there.

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Thanks Ken, that gives me the assurance I need.  All the police would need do is call the local garage to confirm it is booked in, and unless they see it being driven then there is no real crime being committed.

I'm sure the neighbours will be waiting with their camcorders ready to film me, hoping I'll drive it illegally!!

[Ken.K]

Yep. Hope that helps. The operator said they is no real right or wrong for that answer, driving is definitely wrong but when parked your off the road and only time a motor vehicle should not be even parked on a public road is if it does not have tax or is SORN.

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