Can I tax and insure a car without an MOT?
Bradley Jando | Monday 5th October 2020 11:16am
In order to renew your annual road tax on your vehicle you will need a valid MOT certificate, however you can insure your car without this. The most important thing to note with the insurance is that without an MOT certificate, your insurer likely won’t cover you in the event of an accident.
When taxing your vehicle, your vehicle will be checked to ensure that it has a valid MOT certification, so this will need to be obtained before it can be taxed. Driving without a valid MOT certificate is illegal and doing so may invalidate your insurance policy.
Why do I need to have a valid MOT to tax my vehicle?
Vehicle tax is often misunderstood. It’s sometimes called ‘road tax’ in the thought that it’s a tax for maintaining roads. It’s actually an ‘excise duty’ – which means it’s a tax on goods and services that damage consumer health or the environment. And this tax doesn’t actually pay for roads – at least not directly.
So, vehicle tax is applied to all vehicles that use public roads (either for driving or parking) and damage the environment – namely, petrol and diesel vehicles. As of April 2017, however, new all-electric vehicles are exempt from vehicle tax because the tax is now essentially a ‘hydrocarbon’ tax.
If you don’t have a valid MOT certificate, you’re not legally allowed to drive on public roads.
What happens to my insurance if my car fails its MOT?
If your vehicle has failed a MOT test booked prior to its expiry date then insurers will often cover the vehicle up until its expiry, unless the vehicle is listed as having dangerous faults on the MOT. To check whether your insurer provides cover following an MOT failure, it is recommended to contact your insurer before driving to ensure you are covered.
What happens to my remaining months of tax if my vehicle fails its MOT
If you decide to repair your vehicle and it is still covered by in-date car tax and insurance then you will be able to drive your vehicle as normal after obtaining a passed MOT certification. If you decide not to repair the vehicle then you should declare your vehicle off road in which case you will get a refund on any full months of remaining tax.
You can declare your car off road by applying online on the GOV website.
How to check when your MOT is due
If you are unsure when your MOT is scheduled to expire, you can find out using our free search tool online. All you need is your vehicle registration.
Book your MOT
If you need to book an MOT inspection you can book at one of our 500 test centres throughout the UK. As the UK’s number 1 MOT tester you can rest assured that your vehicle is in good hands.
Featured Articles
Coronavirus - Car Safety Checks You Can Do At Home
Wednesday 1st April 2020
With the recent Coronavirus outbreak many people are working from home and rarely using their cars. At Kwik Fit we want to offer some some hints and tips on how to maintain your car during this uncertain time.
Looking After Your Car Battery During Lockdown
Tuesday 31st March 2020
With the uncertainty surrounding the current Coronavirus situation many drivers are worried about how to look after their car batteries. Kwik Fit offers some advice to help to ease your concerns.