Because you can MOT a vehicle without tax and insurance (off road or trailered etc), and require the MOT first to purchase tax. If by default it couldn't be passed without having tax or insurance you'd have to change both the other schemes. In the vast majority of cases this isn't an issue, but garages will have cars that are MOT'd for sale but not taxed and insured until purchase - it's dead money sitting on a private forecourt.

NO.

Not quite catch 22.

If I'm not mistaken it would be prudent to renew or obtain a first MOT prior to the date it is needed. Hence the car should have current tax disc and insurance as the vehicle rolls into the MOT station.

Surely leaving an MOT to the last day is asking for trouble. If any mechanical problems arise in your explanation then the car will not be road legal anyway. I've always taken my cars for MOT prior to the renewal or first date for this reason. Hence the cars have relevant tax and insurance when presented at the station. If the owner fails to provide tax or insurance then they would have the same options for a retest as for mechanical failures. So it would be renew tax with the time left on old MOT certifcate and insurance or get car insured, then a cerificate would be issued. It's all about timing.

My system would work, and it would prevent those that "casually" forget to MOT their vehicles on time, even though they have tax and insurance. Seeing the state of some cars on the road, it appears quite common.

Edited by Cpt. Flack on 20/03/2010 at 16:23

I'm sure the system would suit the majority and a way of dealing with SORN'd vehicles could be incorporated as a seperate matter.