How to Sell a Car Without an MOT

Ellie Dyer-Brown, 28 days ago

5 min read

  • Car ownership
  • How to
sold car
iStock.com/sturti

FixMyCar discusses the pros and cons of selling a car with no MOT.

All cars over three years old must pass an annual MOT test to use public roads. The longer a car’s current MOT certificate is valid, the more attractive it is to potential buyers. 

But can you still sell a car without a valid MOT? Although it is considerably more difficult, the answer is yes. This guide provides advice on how to do it.

Contents

What is an MOT certificate?

Is it legal to sell a car or van without an MOT certificate?

Where can I sell a car without an MOT?

How to sell a car with no MOT

The pros and cons of selling a car without an MOT

Can a car dealer sell a car without an MOT?

Can I part-exchange a car with no MOT

Who will buy a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate?


What is an MOT certificate?

mot certificate
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An MOT certificate is an official document declaring that a vehicle is safe to drive on UK roads. You can’t tax your car without a valid MOT, and driving an untaxed vehicle is illegal. 

If caught using a vehicle on public roads with no MOT, you can receive points on your licence and a fine of up to £1,000.

An MOT involves a series of safety tests to determine whether a car is roadworthy. Most parts of the car are examined, including the brakes, engine and bodywork. Learn more about what is checked during an MOT in this guide

Any faults are documented in the final MOT report. Depending on how severe they are, they could make your car fail the test. Read about the most common MOT fails and how to avoid them.

If your car fails, the garage that tested it should be able to carry out the necessary repairs to help it pass a re-test. If you don’t want to fix your vehicle, you are allowed to drive it away from the test centre. But after that, it must be kept off the road.


It's absolutely legal to sell your car without an MOT as long as you inform the prospective buyer of its status. Failure to notify the buyer of this fact is against the law.

Buyers can also use an online tool from the DVLA to find out a vehicle's tax and MOT status by entering its registration number.

While selling a car without an MOT is legal, it is considerably more difficult. The buyer won't be able to drive the car away since it isn't roadworthy, so they'll have to arrange alternative transport. Once they have transported the vehicle, they will have to pay for repairs if they want to use it. 

Most people will avoid buying a car or van without an MOT due to the added difficulty and expense outlined above. Even if someone offers to buy your car, the price will likely be low because they will factor in the repair cost.


Where can I sell a car without an MOT?

Dealer

You could try to sell your car to a dealer. However, many don’t want the hassle of fixing a vehicle that has failed its MOT, so you probably won’t get much money by going down this route.

Private buyer

Privately selling your car gives you more control over the price you get compared to selling to a dealer, and there are lots of places you can advertise it, such as online marketplaces and specialist car-selling websites. 

car deal-2
iStock.com/Nopphon Pattanasri

Remember, you must make the vehicle’s mechanical status clear in the advert and outline that it does not have a valid MOT.

Car buying service

Another option is to use a car-buying service, such as Motorway or Carwow. You’ll have to provide key documents, such as the V5C logbook.

Discover the five best websites for selling your car.

Carwow widget

Scrap

If you don’t think your car is worth selling, an alternative is to scrap it. You can do this through an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) or a car-buying service. Since your car doesn’t have an MOT and thus can’t be driven, you’ll need to arrange to transport it.

scrap cars
iStock.com/richard johnson

How to sell a car with no MOT

Selling a car with no MOT is difficult but not impossible. There are two things you need to remember for a successful and legal sale:

  • Make sure the buyer is aware of the car's condition and status.

  • Ensure the buyer can collect the vehicle without driving it on a public road.

Checklist for selling your car without an MOT

cleaning car
iStock.com/Ruslan malysh

Read this guide for more detailed advice about preparing your vehicle for sale.

You'll almost always get less money for your car without an MOT. Still, it's worth shopping around to see which option will give you the best price.

It's also worth looking at how much similar cars sell for with a valid MOT. You can use this information to determine whether repairing your vehicle before selling it would be more economical.


The pros and cons of selling a car without an MOT

Pros

  • You’ll save time and money by not fixing problems

  • You don’t need to worry about preparing your car for a re-test

Cons

  • Selling privately is more complicated for the buyer because they have to arrange transport and fix the car before they can use it

  • The seller will factor in the cost of repairs when making an offer

  • Your car is worth less without a valid MOT

car recovery tow
iStock.com/sefa ozel

Can a car dealer sell a car without an MOT?

It’s legal for anyone, including dealers, to sell a car without an MOT. They must disclose the car’s MOT status to potential buyers by law. 

key handover
iStock.com/BrianAJackson

However, whether by accident or design, some dealers fail to do this, resulting in buyers getting behind the wheel without realising they are driving illegally. That’s why it’s essential to do your due diligence and check a car’s MOT status online before you buy it.

We recommend using this free tool by the DVLA.


Can I part-exchange a car with no MOT?

It’s possible to part-exchange a car that doesn’t have a valid MOT, but the trade-in value will be significantly lower than that of a similar roadworthy vehicle.


Who will buy a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate?

The easiest option for selling a car without an MOT is an online car-buying service or trade dealer. They usually have access to removal services, which allows them to collect vehicles without much hassle.

Privately selling a vehicle is more difficult and will often take longer because the buyer may struggle to find a way to transport it.

Here are our top five ways to sell a car.


Before you sell your car without an MOT, it's worth finding out whether it would be more economical to repair it first. You might make more money by selling it with a valid MOT than it costs to fix.

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Written by Ellie

Ellie Author Pic

Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Writer. 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.

Find Ellie on LinkedIn.