Motorcyclists urged to sign up for MOT reminders

Motorcyclists across the UK are being urged to sign up for an MOT reminder service after millions had their test due dates changed by the pandemic.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is highlighting that Tuesday marks 12 months since the first MOT exemptions were issued as the COVID-19 crisis struck.

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From March 30 to the end of July last year, as lockdown measures restricted movement, all cars, vans and motorcycles in Britain were eligible for an exemption from an MOT for a six-month period.

The DVSA said almost 10 million vehicles received an exemption in 2020 and motorists will have a different MOT expiry date this year.

The agency said its free reminder service can send vehicle owners an email or text a month before their MOT due date to help them remember to arrange a test.

As MOT exemptions ended in August last year, 15% of vehicles were late for their MOT, the DVSA said, but by December this had risen to just over 28%.

Chris Price, the DVSA’s head of MOT policy, said: “We know lots of vehicle owners are unsure about when their test is this year. So our free MOT reminder service offers peace of mind they won’t miss their test date.

“We’re committed to helping people to keep their vehicles safe to drive. Signing up for an MOT reminder is a quick and easy way for motorists to do this.”

Vehicles must have an MOT on the third anniversary of their registration, and then every 12 months if they are more than three years old.

A number of vehicle parts are checked during an MOT to ensure they meet legal standards.

Motorists can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.

The DVSA said there are other ways in which drivers could be affected this year.

It warned that motorists may not have received an MOT certificate confirming their new test date due to garages not printing them during the pandemic unless necessary.

Other motorists may have bought another vehicle which had an exemption or some could have taken their vehicle off the road, the DVSA said.

Sign up for the MOT reminder on the government website, where they will need to provide their vehicle registration number and an email address or phone number.

Launched in 2018, the service has recorded more than three million cumulative sign-ups, the DVSA said.