No tax or MOT

[mjb]

I've got a SORNed car sitting on my driveway and it's booked into a local place for an MOT next week. I know I can legally drive it to the MOT (it's insured) and I know I can drive it back home if it fails apart from on something catastrophically bad (you're allowed to drive to a garage, which can be your home if off-road).

But can I drive the car back home if it passes?

[Gary406]

if the car is SORNed you cant legally drive it to the MOT test center can you ?

[Welly]

Once the car has passed the MOT then you're free to drive it on the public roads, why wouldn't you be?

[Gary406]

because he said its SORNed ???

[Welly]

Oh I see now, the car's not taxed. I suppose you could tax it online once you here from the MOT place? strictly speaking I think you're supposed to display a valid disc but at least if you've applied and paid the duty I wouldn't think there's a problem.

[Gary406]

but then again, you cant buy a tax disc if the car isnt MOT'd,
so i would think you could drive it there legally but not home legally
i guess the way round this would be get the MOT then drive straight to the tax office with proof that your taxing it just in case the police do stop you

that is a funny situation i supose

[mjb]

if the car is SORNed you cant legally drive it to the MOT test center can you ?

For a pre-booked MOT, you can drive it without tax or MOT.
For a pre-booked appointment, you can drive an MOT failure to a garage (including your home, if off-road) without tax or MOT

but to get a car home from an MOT station with no tax?

Oh I see now, the car's not taxed. I suppose you could tax it online once you here from the MOT place?

Can't tax it online because the tax and MOT are both currently expired. The online renewals don't even let you tax a car if the MOT runs out within the next month Besides, the insurance certificate's in Wolverhampton at the moment (it's my dad's car, but I'm insured to drive it on my car's policy)

strictly speaking I think you're supposed to display a valid disc but at least if you've applied and paid the duty I wouldn't think there's a problem.

The offence is "Driving while not displaying a valid tax disc" or words to that effect, but I don't know if there's an exception for driving it home from an MOT pass (as well as failure)

[plod]

Providing you have proof you have a pre-booked appointment, have insurance and you don't stray off route to and from the test centre, then you are covered.

[Welly]

Maybe ask the MOT place about it?

[teamster1975]

Have you cracked the fault with the turbo Matt?
This is a pretty good read regarding Tax and MOT.

[mjb]

Have you cracked the fault with the turbo Matt?

No. I think it may actually be a seized turbo, but I just haven't got the time to deal with it so I've got to get it back to my dad unfixed The coupe needs some work and the golf needs a shedload of work, and I've got a few long drives abroad this summer, starting in just a couple of weeks

This is a pretty good read regarding Tax and MOT.

"The only time you can drive a car without valid tax is if you are unable to renew your tax because your MOT has run out. Then you can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT test."

Doesn't say anything about getting back

[sirwiggum]

It's a bit of a shambles, as one local MP/MLA found out when he was taking his motorbike for an MOT check (we have to use government MOT centres here):

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/ ... 08179.html

[Johnny]

I'm 90% sure your allowed to drive it either to be taxed once its passed its MOT or straight home. But to cover your arse take all your documentation, and a nice busty blonde. So if you do get pulled she can work her magic on the copper. If nothing happens then you have a tax and tested car sorted trouble free, and then the bonus of a fit busty blonde to play with