Do You Need to Bring Your Old Certificate to Your MOT?
Bradley Jando | Tuesday 6th October 2020 11:16am
If you have an upcoming MOT exam and can’t find the MOT certificate from the year before, don’t worry. You don’t need your old MOT certificate to have a new MOT test conducted.
That being said, it’s wise to keep your previous certificates in a safe place so that if you want to sell your car, you can provide a full MOT history.
The reason why you don’t need your old certificates is because the previous state of a vehicle isn’t relevant to a current inspection – a lot can happen in a year. Serious faults should have already been fixed and any new serious faults should be spotted in the new MOT test.
Are MOT certificates still issued?
Yes, MOT certificates should still be issued by your test garage. This is in order to keep a record of your vehicle’s history. A copy is also held by the DVSA.
What do I do if I’ve lost my MOT certificate?
Since 2018, you can actually download and print them for free from the gov.uk website. You’ll just need the vehicle registration number and the 11-digit vehicle log book number (V5C).
This information isn’t publicly available so you will need to download the certificates yourself if you want to prove the test history of your vehicle to potential buyers.
Do I need an MOT?
Yes, unless your vehicle is registered as a ‘classic car’, you will need a valid MOT for all vehicles older than three years. See our page here for more information on when you need MOTs.
Do I need an MOT to tax my car?
Yes, you need a valid MOT to tax your car, but you don’t need the MOT certificate in order to do so.
Do I need an MOT certificate to tax my car at the post office?
You don’t need to bring a physical MOT certificate to the post office in order to tax your vehicle, but you do need to have a current MOT as the post office staff will check the status of your vehicle before taxing it.
Alternatively, you can now tax your vehicle online on the Government website.
If you have an upcoming MOT and need reliable service, contact your local Kwik Fit garage today.
Any facts, figures and prices shown in our blog articles are correct at time of publication.
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