MOT exempt vehicles - captain chaos
I've seen ads in Autotrader for recovery vehicles and they say that they are MOT exempt. Is this correct? If so, why?
MOT exempt vehicles - stunorthants26
I recall this being the case as where I used to work, they had an ancient Dodge tow truck that smoked like you wouldnt believe and had 800k on the clock - it was even bowed in the middle slightly. It did get remedial work though. I remember commenting that it surely couldnt pass an MOT and was told it didnt have to.

Why though I have no idea.
MOT exempt vehicles - Dynamic Dave
Vehicles exempt from M.O.T. tests are:


ANY vehicle less than 3 years old.

Tractors.

Track-laying vehicles.

Articulated vehicles that are NOT buses or lorries.

Works trucks.

Invalid carriages weighing no more than 306kg unladen.

Vehicles that travel less than 6 miles per week on public roads (and only to access property belonging to the vehicle owner).

Hackney carriages licenced by a Local Authority.

Police vehicles.

Electric vehicles.

Trams.

Trolley buses.

Vehicles covered under the Special Types General Order of 1988.

Any vehicle on an island that has no tunnel, bridge, ford, ferry or other vehicular access to the U.K. mainland.

Source:- tinyurl.com/www-direct-gov-uk

See pdf document tinyurl.com/mot-exemption for full exemptions.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 10/08/2009 at 01:12

MOT exempt vehicles - Cliff Pope
It used to be the case, and perhaps still is, that fitting a lifting crane on the back of a LandRover turned it into a recovery vehicle and so MOT-exempt.
MOT exempt vehicles - Sofa Spud
Interesting to see that electric vehicles are exempt from MOT tests. I wonder if the law will be changed as it looks like there will be a big increase in the number of electric cars and vans in the next few years that perform on a par with petrol / diesel ones in all respects except range.
MOT exempt vehicles - Mapmaker
Cranes and recovery vehicles are notably exempt.

Still have to be roadworthy though...

As for why? Well, why?
MOT exempt vehicles - bell boy
They are exempted because they wont go through a proper ministry test
the reason they get away with it is because these vehicles usually do a very low local mileage and the ministry of transport (as was) realised that these vehicles would be impecably maintained,those days have long gone just like the cheaper tax rate recovery vehicles used to pay (its now dearer than PLG which is why mine is plg after a little argument with dvla and plenty of photos,mine is a transit though not my old 7-1/2 tonne
Any one selling a recovery as test exempt needs to be avoided
I sold a transit recovery about 10 years ago with a breaking back,the trader i sold it to exempted it and carried on using it,it broke in half with a granada on the back so i heard
Hopefully vosa do a full roadside check on these heaps these days

exempt=cowboys..........
MOT exempt vehicles - geoff1248
But why Police Vehicles?
MOT exempt vehicles - martint123
But why Police Vehicles?


Possibly because they are supposed to be maintained to a sufficiently high standard?

Types of vehicle that do not have to take an MoT test.

i Vehicles provided for police purposes and maintained in an approved workshop
MOT exempt vehicles - martinwinlow

tinyurl.com/mot-exemption talks about VELs (tax) not MOTs for some reason.

The current document is here (V112 or V112G if over 3.5T or PSV)...

www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digital...f

This shows item j 'Goods vehicle powered by electricity'...

... nothing about cars generally and so an electric car DOES need an MOT as does an electric motorbike (I know as I have one!) but the tax is zero rated... for the moment! The only MOT exemptions for EVs are for Goods Vehicles - including (obviously) vans. Again, I had one, so I know it's true. Whether it is a good idea or not is another matter.

MW

Edited by martinwinlow on 14/02/2013 at 08:39

MOT exempt vehicles - Collos25

Do you think the laws may have changed in the UK since the original post.

MOT exempt vehicles - martint123

Do you think the laws may have changed in the UK since the original post.

Yes.

"From 18 nov 2012 vehicles manufactured or registered before 1 January 1960 will no longer need an MOT"

MOT exempt vehicles - NARU
Vehicles exempt from M.O.T. tests are: ANY vehicle less than 3 years old...

But not minibuses. A friend is the bursar of a local school and she regularly has this argument with the MOT garages - she books them in for their MOT from 12 months, as she is required to do under some statute or other, and the garage insist that the first MOT is not due until the minibus is 3 years old.

MOT exempt vehicles - RT
Vehicles exempt from M.O.T. tests are: ........Any vehicle on an island that has no tunnel, bridge, ford, ferry or other vehicular access to the U.K. mainland.

Source:- tinyurl.com/www-direct-gov-uk See pdf document tinyurl.com/mot-exemption for full exemptions.

This post has errors - the correct wording for section N is:-

Vehicles used only on certain islands that do not have a bridge, tunnel,
ford or other suitable way for motor vehicles to be conveniently driven
to a road in any part of Great Britain.

The Northern Isles (Shetland and Orkney) and Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) don't need Mot's - nor indeed do Learner Drivers need to be accompanied.

Edited by RT on 15/02/2013 at 21:06