If you own a car that’s more than three years old then you’ll be very familiar with the concerns that come around each year as you struggle to remember when your MOT is due. Did you miss it? Are you about to get lumbered with a fine that you weren’t expecting? Luckily there are ways you can avoid that each year – let us talk you through how.
What is an MOT reminder?
An MOT reminder is a notification that you can request from the gov.uk website that allows you to ensure that you never miss an MOT again. After following a few simple steps you will be put into a system that will send you texts or emails reminding you to arrange your next MOT.
Why would I need an MOT reminder?
MOT reminders are particularly useful when it comes around to that time of year as they give you a month’s notice to not only get in touch with your MOT testing centre, but also gives you a little bit of notice in case there are any pressing issues with your car that you know needs to be fixed before it’s put through an MOT.
Will I automatically get an MOT reminder?
MOT reminders are not automatically sent to owners of all vehicles on the road, instead you have to request them via the government’s MOT reminder system. However, most of the time the garage who did your previous MOT will also get in touch around the same time, as they’ll be hoping to get your service back again one year later.
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How can I set up an MOT reminder?
Setting up MOT reminders couldn’t be easier. All you need is your car’s registration number and either a mobile phone number or email address. Once you have popped both of these into the gov.uk system, you will be asked to check your details – consisting of registration number, make, model, colour and age of your car – and then it’s simply a case of confirming everything is correct and away you go.
What happens if I miss my MOT?
If you’ve not set up MOT reminders and as a result find out you’ve missed your MOT, you could find yourself slapped with a £1000 fine, or even worse if the car is deemed as ‘dangerous’, with or without a valid MOT. From the moment your previous MOT expires it is illegal to drive your car, unless you are driving it to an MOT testing centre with a prearranged booking. Your number plate will be updated in the national database as having no MOT, too, so any Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system will likely land you a letter through the post box with a hefty fine to pay.
Can I unsubscribe from MOT reminders?
Yes, you can unsubscribe from MOT reminders, in fact in some cases you have to make sure you remember to do so. If you have sold a car, transferred it across to someone else, registered it as off the road (known as SORN) or have had the car scrapped or written off, then you must remember to unsubscribe from your MOT reminders.
Unsubscribing from MOT reminders is just as simple as it is to subscribe in the first place. If your reminder came through as a text message, then instructions within the text will detail how to unsubscribe, while email reminders have a link at the bottom which you can follow to unsubscribe from reminders.
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