Concerned that you may have been caught driving without an MOT in the UK? No matter whether your MOT expired yesterday or months ago, you could face the same penalties.
To help you avoid heft fines, warnings, and potentially even points of your licence, simply carry on reading to discover how vehicles with expired MOTs are identified while you’re out and about.
What do speed cameras check for?
Yes, average speed cameras in the UK can check your MOT status as well as your speed as they operate using Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) technology. Instead of simply snapping an image of your vehicle, these cameras log a number plate they’ve detected with a time and date stamp.
Then, another ANPR camera fitted further up the road will detect the same number plate and log it with the relevant time and date stamp to help determine the speed of the vehicle.
As ANPR cameras detect number plates, they can also cross-reference this information with relevant databases to determine whether the vehicle is taxed and has a valid MOT.
Can the police tell if an MOT has expired?
While the police may not be able to tell whether your MOT has expired by simply looking at your vehicle, if they have your number plate (vehicle registration number), they can complete an easy check.
Some police vehicles are also fitted with ANPR cameras, so it’s not unusual for drivers to be pulled over for having an expired MOT.
Can you drive on the day your MOT expires?
Put simply, yes, you can still drive on the day your MOT expires. This is because the certificate is valid up until midnight of the expiry date. After midnight, there’s no leeway, so you won’t be able to drive the car anywhere unless it’s being taken to a pre-booked MOT test or repairs appointment.
Can I drive if my MOT expired yesterday?
Wondering whether you can drive if your MOT expired yesterday? Regardless of whether your MOT expired 3 months ago or yesterday, the only circumstance in which you can drive a car without a valid MOT is if you’re driving it directly to a garage for repairs or an MOT retest.
If stopped by police during this journey, you must be able to prove that you’re on route to a pre-booked repairs or retest appointment.
Book your MOT with ART Garage Crewe
Regardless of whether you’re concerned about being caught with an expired MOT by the police or a speed camera, why not alleviate your worries entirely by ensuring your MOT is up to date?
With a helping hand from the team of friendly and fully qualified mechanics at ART Garage Crewe, you can keep your vehicle in good working condition and avoid hefty penalties for driving without a valid MOT – all for an affordable price.
Our comprehensive MOT services will determine whether your vehicle is safe to be on the road, and if it isn’t, we have a wide range of high-end diagnostic tools, genuine OEM parts, and years of invaluable experience to help make it roadworthy again.
To book your MOT today, you can either give us a call on 0127 021 4445 or head online to fill in and submit our online contact form.
