We sympathise. As the MOT is due annually, it can be easy to forget when it comes round again. And periodically they talk about making it every other year so what hope have we got of remembering it then? But that’s another story. In the meantime, there are some super simple ways to remember the MOT.
The government’s got an MOT reminder
Go to the government’s MOT reminder webpage and you can set up a reminder. When you sign up to it by entering your registration number, email address or phone number, you will get a reminder one month before your MOT is due. Reminders are sent via email or text.
Three quarters of users of the site say they highly recommend it to friends and family.
Make your own alert
It’s simple to set up a calendar alert in Outlook or your calendar of choice. Simply go into the calendar and set up a new appointment.
Various companies offer them
Go to the Halfords website, enter your registration number and email address and you’ll have access to the company’s own reminder. Of course Halfords isn’t a charity and it’s desperately hoping that you will choose to have your MOT done at one of its outlets.
Mobile apps offer MOT reminder services
There are various apps that claim they’re one-stop shops for motoring. Included in their offering is an MOT reminder tool. One of those is called Vehicle Smart.
Why the government set up its reminder service?
The government’s reminder service came about because so many people were forgetting their MOT date. The decision to defer MOTs during the pandemic didn’t help. This threw many people out of kilter from when their annual test is usually due.
As a result, in 2022, government figures revealed that more than a quarter of drivers (28%) were presenting their car late for its MOT. Of those, three quarters (78%) had simply forgotten.
When you can get your MOT done
Remember: you can arrange to have your MOT carried out up to a month before the due date and it doesn’t bring forward the original testing date. Having the MOT done before the due date gives you plenty of time to have any rectification work carried out if your car fails the test. And that enables you to shop around for the cheapest repairs if you have to.
Why it’s worth remembering your MOT
We shouldn’t have to tell you this but the MOT is a roadworthiness check. So having your car tested doesn’t just ensure it complies with the law, it also guarantees that it should keep you, your family and other road users safe.
And there’s another reason that makes it worth remembering to have your car MOT’d. If you don’t and you get caught, it can result in a £1,000 fine. That said, the authorities are only likely to fine you that much if you’re a persistent offender. An honest mistake will probably result in you being a few hundred quid out of pocket.
I’ve been writing about cars and motoring for more than 25 years. My career started on a long-departed classic car weekly magazine called AutoClassic. I’ve since pitched up at Autosport, Auto Express, the News of the World, Sunday Times and most recently the Daily Telegraph. When I’m not writing about cars and motoring, I’m probably doing some kind of sport or working in my garden.
