MOT Guide

What happens if my car fails its MOT?

Q: What happens if my car fails its MOT?

If your car fails its MOT, you'll receive a VT30 refusal certificate listing every failure and advisory. If your previous MOT is still valid, you can drive the car away — unless the tester marks any item as a dangerous defect. You then have the choice to repair the car at the same garage (which may qualify for a free or reduced-cost retest), take it to a different garage, or repair it yourself. Once fixed, you book a retest. Your existing MOT remains valid throughout this process until it expires.

A failed MOT doesn't leave you stranded. You'll get a full list of exactly what failed, and in most cases you can drive away and choose where to get it fixed.

You'll receive a VT30 refusal certificate

When a car fails, the tester issues a VT30 — a document that lists every item that caused the failure, along with any advisories (things to watch but not yet a failure). Keep this: it tells you and any repair garage exactly what needs fixing. You can also view the result immediately on the DVSA's MOT history service online.

The three failure categories

Since May 2018, MOT failures are split into three categories. Understanding them matters, because they affect what you're allowed to do next.

Dangerous

A direct and immediate risk to road safety or a serious environmental impact. You must not drive the vehicle until it's repaired — even if your current MOT hasn't expired yet.

Major

May affect vehicle safety or have an environmental impact, but is not immediately dangerous. The car fails the MOT, but if your previous certificate is still valid, you can drive it away to get repairs done.

Minor (Advisory)

No immediate safety impact, but worth monitoring. These appear on your certificate as advisories and do not cause a failure on their own — but they may become a major defect at future tests.

Important: If any item is marked as a Dangerous defect, you cannot legally drive the vehicle away — even to a repair garage. You'll need to arrange a tow or recovery.

Can I drive away after failing?

If your previous MOT certificate is still valid and no dangerous defect was recorded, yes — you can drive away. Your existing MOT remains in force until it expires. However, if your MOT was already expired at the time of the failed test, the car cannot be driven on public roads until it passes a retest.

Where can I get it fixed?

You're not obligated to use the garage that tested the car. You're free to take it anywhere — an independent mechanic, a different garage, or fix it yourself if you have the ability. However, if you choose to have repairs done at the same testing station, you may qualify for a free or reduced-cost partial retest, which only covers the items that failed.

Retest rules at a glance

Repairs done at same garage, same day Free retest ✓

Repairs done at same garage, within 10 working days Reduced-fee partial retest ✓

Repairs done elsewhere, return within 10 working days Reduced-fee partial retest

Return after 10 working days Full MOT fee applies

How many times can a car fail an MOT?

There's no legal limit. A car can fail and be retested as many times as needed. Each retest only checks the items that previously failed — you don't need to go through the entire test again if you return within the 10-working-day window.

Check your MOT expiry date

Know exactly when your MOT is due so you have time to plan ahead.

★★★

Does a failed MOT affect my insurance?

A failed test doesn't automatically void your insurance while you're driving on a still-valid MOT certificate. However, if you drive with a dangerous defect — even unknowingly — your insurer could refuse a claim on the grounds that the vehicle was not roadworthy. Always fix dangerous and major defects before driving further than necessary.

Tip: Set up a free MOTReminder email alert so you always know when your test is due — giving you plenty of time to book, not scramble.