Fleet vehicles must be roadworthy at all times, for both legal and safety reasons. In addition to routine maintenance checks and visits to the shop, fleet vehicles must also pass an annual MOT check. During these checks, a vehicle is inspected to ensure it meets certain road safety and environmental standards, as outlined by the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
This article will explain what the MOT test is, why it’s important, the consequences of skipping an MOT test and how to get MOT reminders on an annual basis.
Read more: Learn How Fleet Administration Can Help With MOT Reminders
What Is the MOT Test?
The MOT test is a yearly test that all vehicles in the UK — fleet vehicles or otherwise — must pass in order to be deemed roadworthy. Vehicles that are three years of age or older (four years or older in Northern Ireland) are required to be tested each year.
The MOT test checks all aspects of the vehicle: the brakes, exhaust and fuel system, lights, mirrors, seatbelts, windscreen wipers and more. In total, the test lasts about an hour.
Note that the annual MOT test must be conducted at one of the 21,000 authorised testing centers across the UK.
MOT tests are important to operating a safe fleet. These tests will identify any issues that a vehicle might have, thus ensuring that a fleet remains operational at all times.
Read more: Find Out How Fleet Software Also Improves Fleet Safety
What Happens If You Skip an MOT Test?
If you didn’t get an MOT reminder or simply forgot to take your vehicle to a testing center, you could find yourself in serious trouble. If your MOT has run out, you may not drive or park your car on the road.
The only exceptions for driving a vehicle with an expired MOT is if you’re driving to an authorised testing center to complete a pre-arranged MOT test or if you’re driving the vehicle to or from being repaired.
If you are caught driving a vehicle with an expired MOT, you could be fined up to ￡1,000.
What Is A DVLA MOT Reminder?
If you’re worried you’ll forget about the annual MOT test, you can sign up to get Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) MOT reminders. Depending on the type of vehicles in your fleet, you’ll receive a reminder via text or email one to two months before the required MOT test.
However, if you’re managing a fleet with multiple vehicles, signing up for DVLA MOT reminders isn’t the best option. Texts and emails can easily get lost or forgotten in the midst of a day’s work.
Instead, you can utilise a fleet management system to get MOT reminders. Once the test is completed, you can then store any noteworthy information in the fleet management system so that it stays on the record. This is the best way to make the most out of a DVLA MOT reminder.
Read more: Why You Should Also Check Your Employees’ Driving Licenses
Using a Fleet Management System to Set MOT Reminders
Annual MOT tests are critical to maintaining a roadworthy fleet. These tests check all aspects of a vehicle to ensure it meets certain environmental and road safety standards.
Utilising a fleet management system, like Fleet Geo, is the easiest way to get a DVLA MOT reminder for each of your fleet vehicles. Plus, you can store information about the MOTs within the system to have on file for the following year.
