What happens during an MOT test?

MOT tests can only be carried out by qualified technicians who will be trained to perform a series of tests on 6 key elements of your vehicle. This is to ensure it meets the legal minimum road safety and environmental requirements in accordance with Section 45 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. All MOT tests at Listers are carried out in purpose-built bays fitted with specialist and computerised equipment. The tests cover the following:

  • Lights - Front and rear lamps, headlamps, headlamp aim, stop lamps, rear reflectors, direction indicators, hazard lamps, rear fog lights.
  • Steering and suspension - Steering control, steering mechanism/system, power steering, transmission shafts, wheel bearings, front suspension, rear suspension, shock absorbers.
  • Tyres and wheels - Tyre size/type, tyre condition.
  • Brakes - ABS warning system/controls, condition of service brake system, condition of parking brake system, service brake performance, parking brake performance.
  • Seat belts - Mountings, condition, operation, position.
  • General - Driver's view of the road, horn, exhaust system, exhaust emissions, vehicle condition, mirrors, fuel system registration plates and VIN numbers.

This is not an exhaustive list, if you would like a full breakdown, please contact your nearest Listers Service Centre.

Important

Please note that the MOT Test Certificate does not guarantee the general mechanical condition nor the road worthiness of a car. It simply means that on the day of the test the car met the legal requirements needed to pass.

It should also be noted that a tester is legally obliged to pass the car even if some items are at a minimum for a pass. As part of their training, Listers Service Advisers will advise you, if for example, your tyre treads do meet the minimum required for the MOT but in fact only have about ten miles left when they will be legally safe.

Following your test you will be given one of the following forms:

Form VT20 - MOT Test Certificate.

This is a green sheet with comprehensive details about your car, the date and time of the MOT test, expiry date and a barcode, as well as the name of the tester and address of the test centre.

An MOT Test pass certificate shows that your car has met the minimum legal requirements of the test. You will need to produce this certificate to purchase a road tax disc (road fund licence). It is also useful if you plan to sell you car in the near future. However, there is a statement on the form itself which says: 'Warning: A test certificate is not evidence that the vehicle is in a satisfactory condition'.

Form VT32 – Advisory Notice

An orange form with minor details of your car, the name of the tester and address of the Listers Test Centre. This form advises you of items that have only just passed the test, and will need to be replaced/repaired in the near future.

An Advisory Notice may be issued along with the MOT Test Certificate. Failure to attend to the items highlighted may result in you, or anyone else driving your car, driving it illegally and subsequently being open to prosecution. Also, should you be involved in an accident, it may invalidate your car insurance.

Form VT30 – Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate.

A red form with minor details of your car, the name of tester and address of the Listers Test Centre. This form lists the items your car failed to pass.

A Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate means one or more items have failed to meet the minimum legal requirements for a pass. The item(s) will be listed on the form. If you intend to use your car on the roads, the item(s) will need to be replaced/repaired urgently. In most cases it will be possible to arrange replacement/repair of failed item(s) at your Listers service centre to enable your car to achieve an MOT Test Pass Certificate before you drive the car away.

If you don’t have these items repaired immediately and intend to drive your car away from the Test Centre with a Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate, there are some stipulations. It is illegal to drive a car of MOT-testable age that does not have a current MOT Test Certificate on public roads, with the exception of driving it away to a place of repair, which may include your home residence. From there you may be permitted to drive to a pre-booked place of repair and to a pre-booked MOT Test Centre.

MOT Retest

If we carry out the repair on your vehicle after the MOT has taken place only a partial retest will be required, which you will not be charged for.

If you return your car to us within one working day, you may qualify for a free retest if detailed selected items are affected.

Unfortunately if you choose to take your car away and then return for a retest on item(s) not covered by the free retest, a full test fee will be charged. Details can be found on the Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate.

It should be noted that issues surrounding an MOT retest are complex and dependant on which item(s) have been failed.