What happens if your car fails its MOT?

A fail sounds worse than it usually is. Most fails come down to small things like a bulb, a wiper blade or a worn tyre. Here's what happens next.

You get a refusal certificate

If the car fails, you're given a refusal of an MOT certificate. It lists every fault, sorted into dangerous, major and minor, plus any advisories. Only dangerous and major faults are fails. Minor faults and advisories are things to keep an eye on.

Can I still drive it?

If any fault is marked dangerous, no. You can't drive it until it's fixed, even if your old MOT hasn't run out yet.

If the faults are major (not dangerous) and your current MOT is still in date, you can drive it, as long as it's roadworthy. If your MOT has already run out, you can only drive it to a booked MOT or to have the faults fixed.

Retests

If you leave the car with the garage to fix and it's retested within 10 working days, you can get a partial retest, which only checks the failed items. Ask us how this works for your car when you book.

How to avoid a fail

A few checks the night before will catch the most common fails:

• All lights work, including the number plate light
• Tyres have at least 1.6mm of tread and no cuts or bulges
• Wipers clear the screen and the washer bottle is full
• No warning lights on the dash
• No chips bigger than 10mm in the driver's line of sight