How to Report a Car with No MOT
FixMyCar explains how to report a car with no MOT.
Book a car repair nowEllie Dyer-Brown
Wednesday August 07 2024
4 min read
It’s natural to feel a bit hesitant about reporting a car without an MOT. If you’re wondering whether it’s the right thing to do, remember that MOTs exist for a reason, and we all have a duty to keep our roads as safe as possible. You can usually report the vehicle anonymously, so there’s no need to worry about upsetting the owner.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions explaining how to report a car with no MOT.
Why should you report a car with no MOT?
Vehicles in the UK are required to undergo an annual MOT test for safety and environmental reasons. Cars that haven’t been tested could be dangerous to drive, putting all road users at risk, and they might give off high levels of pollution. That’s why it’s essential to report cars without an MOT - having them on the road could be dangerous for our health and the planet.
Can I report a car without an MOT?
You can report a car without an MOT by contacting your local police force. However, if you decide to file a report, you should only do so if you know the vehicle is being driven or parked on public roads. Cars that are not used on public roads can be kept without an MOT as long as they have a statutory off-road notice (SORN), which is why it’s important to check.
Can the report be anonymous?
Most police forces will allow you to report a car without an MOT anonymously over the phone, but some don’t allow anonymous online reports.
Even if you give the police your details, this information shouldn’t be passed on to the owner of the reported vehicle. You might have to provide your name, address, contact number and date of birth.
How to report a car without an MOT
Make sure you have the necessary information ready to report the vehicle (see below).
Find out which police force covers the area where the car is located and contact them online, in person or by phoning 101.
The police will investigate your report. This stage can take a few weeks.
If the person using the car has been doing so without a valid MOT certificate, they may be fined up to £1,000.
What information should I include in my report?
You will need to provide:
The vehicle’s make, model, colour and registration number
The location of the vehicle
The date and time you saw it
When should I report a car without a valid MOT?
You should report a car without an MOT if you see it being used on a public road. That said, there are a few circumstances when driving without an MOT is legal, such as travelling to a pre-booked MOT test appointment. The police will investigate whether the car was driven illegally, and if it was, the driver will receive a penalty.
What happens if someone is caught driving without an MOT?
Drivers caught using a vehicle without a valid MOT will receive a fine of £1,000 and three points on their licence. In some situations, the fine could be more significant. This guide covers everything you need to know about the consequences of driving without an MOT.
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Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Manager. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers that is easy understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.