MOT FAQ's

An MOT test will check that your vehicle meets all road safety and environmental standards. It proves that your car is roadworthy and safe to drive.  Every car over three years old must get an MOT each year to comply with UK law.

An annual service involves a comprehensive check of your vehicle's condition, and a refresh of essentials such as engine oil, fluid and coolants, and replacement filters, if required. You should get a service at least once a year, but if you cover lots of miles your car might need to be serviced more regularly. Servicing should be completed according to your vehicle manufacturer’s schedule.

Booking a car service at the same time as your MOT provides total peace of mind and confidence that you’re ready for the journey ahead.

Booking an MOT and a service together makes it much less likely that you’ll forget either of them. They can be completed during the same visit, which means you’ll only have to make one trip to the garage. Book an MOT and annual service together and you’ll save money, too.

At Halfords we offer great savings when you combine an MOT and a service, so book yours today.

You can book a Class 4 MOT or Class 7 MOT via the Halfords website or by contacting your local Halfords autocentre. If your MOT isn’t due yet, then send us your email address and we’ll remind you when it’s time to book.

If you leave your car overnight at one of our Autocentres, it’s at your own risk. In most cases, we don’t own the car parks and therefore have no control over security or any parking restrictions.

We only offer a car collection service to our fleet customers. Everyone else will need to drop their car in for an MOT or service. We ask you to bring your vehicle in 10 minutes before your slot to ensure we can get working immediately.

You’ll need to an MOT test done every year, so the simplest way to find your MOT date is to check your old certificate or use our MOT tool.

If your MOT is carried out 28 days before your due date, you will retain the date for next year. For example, if your MOT is due 28th August 2022, you can have this done from 1st August 2022 and your MOT expiry will retain as 28th August 2022.

Worried about forgetting your MOT date? We offer a free MOT reminder service. Click here to find out more

Yes we do. To find out which Autocentres complete Class 7 MOTs, please click on Class 7 MOT and enter your location and our store locator will provide details on your nearest Class 7 Test Centre.

If MOT repair work is completed by Halfords and the retest is within 10 days, it’s free. If the work is done elsewhere and the retest is within 10 days, the retest is partial and costs £14.99. After 10 days, you’ll need to pay for a full retest.

An MOT test will take between 45 minutes to 1 hour.

You're more than welcome to watch your vehicle from the MOT viewing area or wait for the test to be completed from our Halfords Autocentre reception. If it’s easier, you can also leave your car with us, and we'll give you a call when it’s ready to collect.

The time it takes to complete any repair work will depend on the repairs that are being performed. We’ll be able to provide information on how long any work will take us before we make a start.

You’ll need to bring your current MOT certificate and V5C Vehicle Registration Document along to your MOT.

If your vehicle passes its MOT then you’ll be issued with a new MOT certificate, which is valid for a year. The result will also be recorded in the MOT database.

If your vehicle fails because of any ‘dangerous’ or ‘major’ problems, you’ll be issued with a ‘refusal of an MOT test certificate’ and it’ll be recorded in the MOT database

You can only drive your car away from the test centre if your previous MOT certificate is still valid or if no ‘dangerous’ problems were found during the test. If we do find any major issues, they’ll need to be fixed before you can legally drive your car away.

You may only need a partial retest if you leave your vehicle at the test centre for repair and it’s retested within 10 working days. There’s no fee for this, but there may be a fee if you take your car away and bring it back for the repairs.

Our advice is to get all the repairs your vehicle needs as soon as possible so that you be confident in its safety and your legal right to drive it on the road.

Get a standard car MOT for £49.99.

What’s more, if you book your MOT together with a service, you can save time and money! You can book a combined MOT and service through the Halfords website.

Yes, if you book your MOT together with a service, you can save time and money on your MOT & Service when you join Halfords Motoring Club for free! With our range of combined MOT and service options, all of which can be booked via the Halfords website.

You legally must have a valid MOT certificate before you are permitted to purchase vehicle tax. When purchasing vehicle tax online, you’ll be unable to continue to checkout without a valid MOT.

An MOT certificate is usually valid for 1 year from the date of the test. However, your MOT can also be done up to 1 month before it runs out while retaining the original expiry date.

You can check your MOT status with our helpful MOT checker, where you can also sign up for email alerts to get an MOT reminder.

After your MOT has expired, your insurance may be invalidated based on the policy you have. Often, insurance providers will require a valid MOT certificate, meaning your insurance will be invalidated if you break this rule.

If an MOT is not a requirement as part of your policy, it is still essential as part of the law that your car must be safe to drive on the road.

Yes, a cracked wing mirror or missing mirror glass could cause your car to fail its MOT. It’s also possible to receive up to a £2,500 fine if you’re caught driving with cracked wing mirrors, so it’s essential to ensure they are intact. Halfords offer mirror glass replacement for a wide variety of vehicles. Simply enter your vehicle registration number to shop our range of replacement mirror glass options.

Our online appointment pricing is based on the capacity of our garages. Additional charges may apply to online MOT appointments for same-day or peak day appointments, or if your chosen garage has low availability. So, to help our customers find the next FREE appointment, we’ve also included a useful link during the booking stage. Look out for: 'Go to our next FREE slot'