MOT Question

[Sharrazan1]

Hi,
I am driving my UK registered car back from Spain. At present the car is SORN - long story ! I am about to put the car back on the road and will have to do the following.
Drive back to the UK and immediately have it MOT'd
Then get the road tax.
Can I arrange before hand with a specific garage to have it MOT'd- therefore if I am questioned I will have proof as soon as I arrive in the UK ?

Is there anything else I should do?

Many thanks

[Buenchico]

Your car isn't (officially) currently subject to SORN as you can't lawfully declare 'SORN' on a vehicle which is not in the UK (and taking a 'SORN' vehicle out of the UK cancels the SORN automatically):
http://www.direct.gov...xedVehicle/DG_4022058

However, as long as you arrange for an MOT test with a garage close to the port of entry, your plan would seem to be sound enough. (i.e. if you arrive in Dover, book your car in for its test online with this company http://www.motdover.co.uk/ , or with somewhere similar. Telling the police that you'd got a test booked in Glasgow might not be accepted!)

Chris

[New Judge]

One thing you have not mentioned is insurance. The car has to be insured in its own right before it can be "kept" in the UK. Driving it on another policy with an "any car" extension will not do. The individual car must be insured and entered on to the Motor Insurers' database.

[moonraker558]

And if it is not taxed the insurance will be invalid.

[New Judge]

‘Fraid you’re incorrect, moonraker:

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1043848.html

Why you are incorrect is amply demonstrated by this question. You certainly cannot drive without insurance under any circumstances. But you CAN drive without an MoT (as long as you have a pre-arranged appointment). There are circumstances when vehicles do not have a valid MoT when one is required (for example, if it has been off the road for a while). If your contention that lack of MoT invalidates insurance this would have the following effects:

1. The provision in the law to drive to a pre-arranged appointment without a valid MoT being in force would not be necessary. Nobody could drive in such circumstances as they would be uninsured.

2. Owners of vehicles where the MoT has expired would never be able to get them MoT’d as they would automatically be uninsured.

[bednobs]

hiya NJ, moonraker has said no TAX invalidates insurance (I'm sure he is wrong though)

[Sharrazan1]

Thanks all for your replies.
I have been told by my insurance company that I can insure it. They have known of other cases where cars have "been off the road" here in Spain & Portugal, when they are UK registered. I was initially told that I would be covered but as soon as I was in the UK I would have to MOT AND TAX it ( obviously the MOT would be pre arranged, and the tax would be paid immediately ) Cant really see any other way around it. I ( perhaps wrongly !!!) decided to SORN the car due to my then circumstances, so I also have to get round this problem.
Although I know of another person in similar circumstances whose car broke down in Spain and at the time could not afford to have it repaired, he completed the relevant paperwork and just drove it back with no problems. Knowing my luck I would be jailed (lol) thus all the questions.
Thanks for your help.

[TonyV]

Sharraz - Is it still on uk plates? SORN means it's of the road and not being used - you must have declared that. If it is just find closest MOT station to your port of entry and have it booked in for your arrival. Also get a local garage, before you sail, to you to give the car a service - just to make sure everything is working ok

[flip_flop]

Not having tax does not invalidate insurance.

Pretty much every tax question on this site includes a poster saying no tax invalidates insurance - I don't understand why this misconception is so commonly held.