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Usually, a common question among motorists arises a lot; is there a grace period of 14 days for an MOT? The straight answer to this question is no, there is no grace period for your MOT certificate renewal. Let’s take a look at the matter in more detail, to understand why there is no grace period, and how people came to believe that there might be one.
COVID Confusion
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck and everyone was locked down, unable to leave their homes except for a very narrow number of exceptions, the DVLA and government extended all MOT renewal periods for six months or so. They did this to prevent people trying to get their MOT certificates to remain in legal compliance, but possibly then spreading the virus more quickly and further than it otherwise would have.
However, even before the pandemic, there was a pernicious belief that you would have a fourteen day grace period after the expiry date to renew your MOT certificate: this has never been true, and is either wishful thinking cut from whole cloth, or a garbled understanding of the ten-day period drivers have to get their cars re-tested following a failed MOT test.
Regardless of either of these origin stories, there is no, and never has been, a grace period after the expiry of an MOT certificate. If you have been assuming that you have two weeks following your MOT certificate’s expiry, and are now at risk of non-compliance, but there is a solution at hand and that is to book same day MOT service at Elite Direct and streamline your vehicle’s testing process by saving yourself time and money and perhaps even the loss of your licence!
Grace Month BEFORE
You can get your MOT done at any point in the month preceding (that is, one month less one day) the expiry date on your certificate without losing your existing anniversary date, usually the car’s registration date. If you plan your test promptly, this can leave you with an effective thirteen-month MOT before your next test is due.
Don’t Risk It!
The police and DVSA are well aware of this rumour, but that doesn’t mean that they are kind towards drivers who cite this as their reason for not having organised their MOT in a timely fashion. Instead, you will find yourself in breach of the law: driving without a valid MOT certificate is a crime; and this can result in you earning penalty points on your driver’s licence, fines, and even perhaps the invalidation of your car insurance. Make sure you are always legally compliant by booking your MOT well in advance of that expiry date.