MOT Leeds: MOT testing for cars and vans

What the MOT covers

The test is a visual and mechanical inspection of the parts of your vehicle that matter for safety and emissions. The tester checks that each item is present, secure, in good condition and working as it should. The main areas are:

• Brakes: condition, operation and performance
• Tyres and wheels: condition, size, type and tread depth (at least 1.6 mm)
• Lights, indicators, reflectors and headlamp aim
• Steering and suspension
• Seatbelts and seats
• Body, structure and general items, including corrosion and sharp edges
• Windscreen, wipers and washers
• Mirrors, horn and number plates
• Exhaust system and exhaust emissions
• Fuel system, including leaks and the fuel cap
• Doors, bonnet and boot catches
• Electrical: battery, wiring, towbar electrics and the warning lights on the dashboard
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)

The MOT does not check the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it is not a service. A pass means the vehicle met the minimum standard on the day of the test, so regular servicing is still the best way to keep it reliable.

Who needs an MOT, and when

Most cars and vans need their first MOT once they are three years old, counted from the date they were first registered, and then every year after that. Some vehicles need one from one year old: taxis, ambulances and vehicles with more than eight passenger seats.

You can have the test done up to a month (minus a day) before your current certificate runs out and keep the same renewal date, so there is no reason to leave it to the last minute. Without a valid MOT you cannot tax the vehicle, and driving without one is an offence unless you are on your way to a pre-booked test or to a garage for repairs after a fail.

Vehicles over 40 years old that have not been substantially changed are exempt from the MOT, although they still have to be kept roadworthy.

Class 4 or Class 7?

Cars, car-derived vans, motorhomes, taxis and goods vehicles up to 3,000 kg design gross weight are Class 4. Goods vehicles over 3,000 kg and up to 3,500 kg design gross weight are Class 7. The design gross weight is stamped on the manufacturer's plate inside the door frame or under the bonnet, and shown on your V5C logbook. We test both classes, and the comparison below explains what falls where.

Booking your MOT

Request a booking online and we'll call you back to confirm a date and time, or phone us directly. Have your registration number to hand and tell us if it's a van, so we book it into the right class.

Preparing for the test

Many fails are for simple things you can check yourself in five minutes before you set off:

• Lights: headlights, sidelights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, reversing lights and number-plate lights all working, with no cracked or discoloured lenses
• Tyres: at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its whole circumference, no cuts, bulges or exposed cords, and the correct pressures
• Wipers and washers: blades that clear the screen without smearing, and a full washer bottle
• Horn: sounds properly
• Number plates: present, secure, legible and in a legal font and spacing
• Warning lights: no engine management, ABS, airbag, brake or power-steering lights staying on
• Mirrors: both door mirrors and the interior mirror secure and intact
• Seatbelts: pull each one out fully, check for frays and cuts, and make sure it latches and retracts
• Fuel and oil: enough fuel and oil for the emissions test to be carried out (the tester can refuse to test a vehicle without them)
• Windscreen: no chips or cracks in the driver's line of sight bigger than the DVSA limits (10 mm in the swept area in front of the driver, 40 mm elsewhere)

Also make sure the boot, bonnet and all doors open, and that the vehicle is reasonably clean inside and out so the tester can inspect it.

If your vehicle fails

Every problem the tester finds is recorded in one of four categories, which is what decides whether the vehicle passes or fails:

• Dangerous: a direct and immediate risk to road safety or the environment. The vehicle fails and must not be driven until it has been repaired.
• Major: may affect safety, put other road users at risk or harm the environment. The vehicle fails and should be repaired as soon as possible.
• Minor: no significant effect on safety or the environment. The vehicle passes, but the defect is noted and should be fixed.
• Advisory: something to keep an eye on that could become more serious later. The vehicle passes.

A fail with dangerous or major defects is recorded on the DVSA database straight away. If your old certificate is still in date you may still drive the vehicle while the defects are put right, but not if any defect is dangerous.

Retests follow the DVSA rules. If the vehicle stays with the test centre for repair and is retested within 10 working days, only the failed items need to be checked again (a partial retest). If you take it away and bring it back within 10 working days, a partial retest is only possible for certain items such as lights, tyres, wipers, mirrors, seatbelts, horn, number plates and doors; anything else needs a full test again. Whether a retest fee applies depends on which of those rules you fall under, so ask us when you book.

After the test

If the vehicle passes you'll get a pass certificate, and the result is recorded on the DVSA database along with any minor defects and advisories. You can check any vehicle's MOT history and expiry date for free on GOV.UK, and sign up there for a free reminder a month before your next test is due.