If you live in the United Kingdom, you know that one of the rules for driving your car or vehicle is the MOT test. It is one of the crucial rules in the United Kingdom for driving a vehicle. Sometimes, you forget the due date of your MOT test, and that causes you to pay a fine because your MOT expires. This detailed blog covers everything you need to know about MOT due dates, how to check them, and how to avoid costly fines while keeping your vehicle safe.
An MOT is an annual test that can be held after the completion of the third year of the vehicle's registration date. It can ensure the conditions, safety, and roadworthiness of the vehicle. The MOT test was started in 1962 by the Ministry of Transportation of the United Kingdom, which is why its name is MOT test. It can be under the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency(DVSA). Initially, only three components were checked in these tests, including tyres, braking system and steering system. But, later, to expand the safety and roadworthiness of the vehicle, they expanded some of the components related to the car's safety and roadworthiness. More than 20 components, including steering, suspension, and fluids, are being checked in these tests. Filters, tyres, braking system, exhaust and fuel system, visibility and other types of components are checks related to the vehicle's safety.
How Do You Check My Mot Due Date?
You can easily check your vehicle's MOT due date in three ways: your previous MOT test documents, the official MOT sites, and the websites of different car service centres.
Previous documents:- You can check your due date for the prior mot document. In this document, you can see the expiry date of your MOT test. You can easily see the validation date and do it before paying any type of fine.
Check your official website:- You can also check your MOT Plymouth validation from the official website of the DVSA and GOV. UK MOT check service. It is an official governmental website which gives you precise and better information about your vehicle. Just, enter your vehicle registration number of your vehicle in the start button below the page and enter. A new tab will be open, and you can see the search bar below in the new tab. you need to fill in your vehicle registration number and click the continue button. It shows all the required information about the vehicle, including the registration number, MOT validity, and some other basic information about your car.
Website of the local garage and car service centres:- You can also use any local garage and car service centres which are registered with the DVSa. You can also see your next due date from these websites. Simply go to the website of the car service centres and fill in your registration number in the search box, and click that button. Then, it will show all the information about the car, including the model name, MOT validation date, registration date and its fuel type, like diesel or petrol.
What Are The Basic Tests In The Mot Test?
Components in a MOT test are categorised into nine different categories. But, we see some of the components which are checked in these tests, which are most important for the car safety and performance of your vehicle. These components are:-
Tyres:- Tyres are a connecting point between the road and your vehicle. It is responsible for the stability and handling of your vehicle. During the MOT test, they check different parts of the tyres, including cuts, cracks, bulges and other damage to your tyres. They also check your tyre pressure, or they check your tread depth. If your tread pattern is less than 1.6mm, then it will be the cause of motor failure. They also check your wheel alignment, balancing direction, and angle. If it is misaligned, then you need to repair it immediately.
Braking system:- It is your vehicle's second most crucial component in terms of safety. During the MOT test, they check different parts of the brake, including brake pads, pedal, fluid, disc, hammer and other parts of the brake. They check your efficiency by running your vehicle on the rolling wheel. Also check different types of brakes, including handbrake, Anti-lock brake system(ABS), Electronic parking brake(EPB) and other types of brakes.
Exhaust and fuel system:- The exhaust system plays a crucial role in reducing pollution and noise in the environment, which is also harmful to your respiratory system. When you go for the MOT test, they check your exhaust system. They check different parts of the exhaust system, including the tailpipe, the catalyst converter, the oxygen sensor and many other components which are checked in the exhaust system. They check the smoke density of your exhaust system, and the examiner checks all the damages to your system, including cracks, leakage and many other faults in the exhaust system. After that, they check the different parts of the fuel system, including the fuel tank, transmission and all types of damages in the fuel system.