mot

MOT is an acronym for the UK’s Ministry of Transport. Having a valid MOT certificate is a legal requirement for all vehicles in the UK that are over 3 years old. It is an annual test that checks a vehicle's roadworthiness, safety, and environmental standards.

The certificate confirms the vehicle meets the minimum standards at the time of the test, but does not guarantee it will be roadworthy for the entire validity period.

So, whilst an MOT confirms that the vehicle meets the minimum standards of safety at the time of the test, it shouldn't be taken as a bill of clean health for the vehicle.

It’s illegal to drive without a valid MOT certificate, unless you’re driving to a local test centre to renew your certificate. You can find out more about this in our article on driving without an MOT.

If you’re not sure when your MOT is due for renewal, you can use our online MOT checker tool to find out. You’ll then need to book your car in for its MOT before this date.

Most vehicles need an MOT and a new certificate every 12 months once they're three years old. If you've forgotten when yours is due you can check it online.

An MOT test usually takes 45–60 minutes. If it takes longer, we’ll call you.

Should your car require repair work, the time taken to complete the additional work will be dependent on what is being completed. Book your car's MOT online today at a time to suit you.

Booking an MOT online is simple with Halfords. Just enter your registration number into our MOT online tool, and provide your postcode or town, and choose an available appointment slot that suits you.

You can select the car MOT appointment slot to suit you. As well as access to hundreds of MOT online appointments, you can also book your car in for a service too.

We can test cars (class 4 vehicles), as well as vehicles between 3.0 and 3.5 tonnes, like pickups, vans and transits. To find your nearest class 7 test centre, see Class 7 MOTs.

Unfortunately, we are not able to test motorcycles or three-wheeled vehicles.

Booking an MOT and service together will save you both time and money (up to £24.99). It will also give you complete peace of mind that your car will be ready and roadworthy when you need it.

We offer a range of combined MOT and service options, all of which can be booked online.

We’ve also introduced a collection and delivery service at a number of our autocentres. For just £19.99, you can have your car serviced or serviced with an MOT without having to leave the safety and comfort of your own home (participating centres only).

We can test cars (class 4 vehicles), as well as vehicles between 3.0 and 3.5 tonnes, like pickups, vans and transits. To find your nearest class 7 test centre, see Class 7 MOTs.

The MOT covers a wide variety of checks to ensure your vehicle is safe and meets environmental standards. See our MOT test checklist for full details.

If your vehicle is undergoing its first MOT then a V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book) is required. This document is also required if your vehicle has had a change of registration plate since its last MOT. In all other instances, no documentation is required.

If your car fails, you will need to arrange for it to be repaired and retested. If you do not have a valid MOT certificate, you may not be able to legally drive your car on the road until these repairs have been made and a valid MOT certificate issued.

Halfords can carry out most repairs on site at the test centre on the same day, but we will always advise you and obtain your agreement up front about any work that needs to be done.

If you choose to have your car repaired elsewhere, you can take it back to the original testing centre for a partial retest within 10 working days of the initial test. If you return your vehicle within 10 days, the price for the retest will be up to half of the original MOT price you have paid. If you bring your car back after 10 working days, you will be charged for a full MOT.

An explanation of retest fees can be found on the DVSA's website.

If you wish to appeal against an MOT failure, ask for a complaint form at the test centre. You'll receive all or part of your test fee back if your appeal is successful, but you should not have any car repairs carried out in the meantime as this may affect the outcome of your appeal.

Windscreen chips are a common cause of MOT failures. These can obscure your view when driving, making driving dangerous. If you have a crack in your windscreen that is more than 10mm within drivers sight line, or 40mm, is an automatic failure of an MOT test.

Our windscreen chip repair costs just £40*, much less than the cost of most MOT tests or a full screen replacement excess charge. You can book this service online in our stores or garages, through our mobile van service or you can simply visit your local store and speak to one of our colleagues. *Additional booking charge may apply on our mobile vans

Book a Windscreen chip repair

The government has extended the car MOT expiry dates by six months because of the coronavirus outbreak (called an MOT grace period). This extension applies to cars, vans or motorcycles with MOTs that were due to expire between 30 March and 31 July 2020.

Yes and we’d recommend that you do so as we believe that an MOT and a service is the best way to ensure your car is roadworthy. Almost 1 in 10 cars are dangerous to drive, with research finding that 9% have at least one serious defect – flaws that are routinely identified during an MOT.

Book an MOT online today and choose a time slot that suits you at one of our 300+ Halfords Autocentres. Our expert technicians will give your car a thorough inspection and ensure that it’s safe to drive.

If you're worried about visiting us during this time, you don't need to be. We've changed the way we work to ensure your protection and our safety while your car has an MOT or is being .

The MOT grace period covers vehicles with MOTs that are due to expire between 30 March and 31 July 2020. Vehicles that fall into this category will have their MOT expiry dates extended by six months.

If your MOT is due to expire after 31 July 2020, then you won’t be covered by the MOT grace period. You’ll therefore need to book an MOT before your current certificate expires.

Our online appointment pricing is based on the capacity of our garages. Additional charges may apply to online MOT appointments for same-day or peak day appointments, or if your chosen garage has low availability. So, to help our customers find the next FREE appointment, we’ve also included a useful link during the booking stage. Look out for: 'Go to our next FREE slot'.