DVSA issues urgent warning about MOT checks with millions of drivers risking £1,000 fine

It also announced that five million drivers have signed up for the DVSA’s free MOT reminder service.

This has been promoted in recent months with drivers urged to register their details to get a reminder a month before their MOT is due.

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Once signed up, drivers can get free reminders by text messages or by emails, which will be delivered one month before the car, van or motorcycle MOT is due.

Drivers of lorries, buses or large trailers will be given a two-month reminder before they need to take their vehicles to a licensed garage.

However, motorists who live in Northern Ireland cannot use this service as they will get a reminder by post seven weeks before the test is due.

If a driver is interested in signing up, they will need their vehicle’s number plate and a mobile phone number or email address.

The DVSA website warns that motorists can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT test.

Vehicles that fail the MOT test because of “dangerous” or “major” problems could see Britons fined £2,500, as well as three penalty points if they continue to drive it on the road.

Drivers can get an MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date, GOV.UK confirms.

This comes ahead of what has been described as “Nutty November” with millions of drivers expected to book an MOT test before the end of the year.

The AA has estimated that November will be the busiest month for new MOT tests as a result of new vehicle registrations and deferrals from the pandemic.

James Hosking, managing director at AA Smart Care, said: “The number of MOTs due this November is going to be incredibly high, so drivers should book early to avoid disappointment.

“With MOT centres already starting to fill their diaries for the coming weeks, the peak is set to hit throughout November as drivers were able to defer their MOT by six months during the pandemic.

“Cars on the roads are getting older, so it’s more important than ever to regularly check your vehicle throughout the year, and not just before its MOT.”

Almost a quarter of drivers do not carry out any checks on their vehicle before they take it for an MOT test.

Shockingly, only 36 per cent of drivers admitted to making checks on basic things like tyres and lights.

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Around 28 per cent of all cars and vans fail their MOT, Government data shows, with thousands of vehicles being refused from entering the garage.