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Topic of the Month
June 2011

MOTs – get VOSA on side

A new service may help both operators and the general public from inadvertently committing the offence of using a vehicle without a test certificate. Although the offence is not subject to endorsement or disqualification, it is subject to either a fixed penalty or at court, a fine.

VOSA are offering a scheme by which they will send three text reminders that the MOT is due.  The first one is sent 5 weeks before the due date, the second one 2 weeks before the due date and the final one sent the day before the due date.  Once registered, the service either lasts for 13 months or until the MOT has been passed, after which you will need to re-register. 

It is all too easy to forget that the MOT is due.  Commercial vehicle operators should make sure that it is one of the items on their forward planner.   An offence in relation to a Goods Vehicle Test Certificate is a notifiable conviction and one which the Traffic Commissioner can consider in relation to any action against the operator's licence.  Although there is a defence to using a vehicle without a test certificate that the vehicle is proceeding to a test examination, the wording of the Regulation is that this must be by "previous arrangement".   The courts have interpreted this exemption very narrowly, meaning that there must be some evidence that there has been previous contact with the testing station to confirm the booking of the test.