Half a million MOT appointments rebooked in last year

At a time when getting an MOT appointment has never been more of a challenge, data shows over 573,000 MOT appointments have been rebooked in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.*

New data analysed by CompareNI.com from a Freedom of Information request shows hundreds of thousands of drivers aren’t taking their original slot, and re booking their MOT for another time.

In fact, the rebooking’s make up 59% of the total vehicle tests conducted.**

At the time of writing this article, the shortest wait for an MOT slot was 4 and a half months, with some centres having no available appointments for over six months. Two centres appeared to have no appointments available at all.

These delays are reflected in a recent survey by CompareNI.com which showed 42% of drivers said they had to wait for a cancellation to be able to book an MOT slot. When it was possible to book a slot, 43% had to wait over three months for their appointment.***

The PSNI has agreed not to penalise drivers whose MOT has expired as long as they have proof that they have booked an MOT appointment, their vehicle is in a roadworthy and safe condition, doesn’t have a statutory off-road notification and the vehicle is properly taxed and insured.

Commenting on the figures, Ian Wilson, Managing Director of CompareNI.com, said: “It’s unexpected to see rebooking figures for MOT appointments so high at a time when many drivers are struggling to find an available slot.

“The PSNI has agreed not to penalise drivers whose MOTs have expired if the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition, and the driver can provide proof that they have booked an MOT appointment.

“However, if drivers find themselves facing significant delays and driving on the road past the date of their MOT, it’s vital they check their vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.  A car that’s unfit to drive is incredibly dangerous, and it’s a consistent condition of insurance that owners ensure their vehicles are in a safe and roadworthy state.”

In addition to this from 1 June 2024, vehicles that were first registered between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020 or between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018, and have a valid Northern Ireland MOT will be given a Temporary Exemption Certificate.

This means they will not need a MOT for 12 months from the date their current certificate expires.

This will allow motorists to continue to drive the vehicle legally, if it is kept in a roadworthy condition, is taxed and insured.

If you get to within 10 days of the expiry date of your tax and you have been unable to secure an MOT appointment or your tax has expired, you can visit the NI gov website and fill in short notice request appointment form.

The DVA will contact you to arrange an appointment for your vehicle. You should make sure that you answer any calls from withheld numbers to arrange the appointment

CompareNI.com helps hundreds of thousands of drivers every year find savings on all sorts of motoring products such as bike  and van insurance, and even car finance.

References:

Full data available here. *Gathered via a Freedom of Information Request April 2024.

**https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/driver-and-vehicle-agency-monthly-tests-conducted-statistics-march-2024

***CompareNI.com’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 1000 respondents across Northern Ireland in February 2024, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level