The Lemon Fool

The Tax date for a car is the first of the month, simples.

Is the first MOT date on the first of the month, 3 years after purchase.

Or 3 years from the registration date of the car ie the date the registration document was issued.

The DVLA website only quotes the month, for when the first MOT is due, suggesting the first of the month, there is no reference to an actual date on their vehicle query webpage.

scotview wrote:
The Tax date for a car is the first of the month, simples.

Is the first MOT date on the first of the month, 3 years after purchase.

Or 3 years from the registration date of the car ie the date the registration document was issued.

The DVLA website only quotes the month, for when the first MOT is due, suggesting the first of the month, there is no reference to an actual date on their vehicle query webpage.

The AA say that it's normally three years from the car registration date -

New cars are usually registered by the forecourt dealer for the owner or keeper, and the V5C registration document or logbook is then sent to them.

The first MOT test is due no later than 3 years from the registration date.

If your car was imported and you don't know the registration date, you'll have to add on 3 years from the manufacturer date.

https://www.theaa.com/mot/advice/when-does-my-vehicle-need-its-first-mot

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

The covid lockdown also interfered with MOT dates, putting them back by 6 months IIRC. Also you can MOT a car anytime you like after the first MOT and if it is more than a month before the MOT is officially due then that date will become the new due date in the year following.

John

If you look up the vehicle on the DVLA site it'll tell you when the MOT is due.

Google either "vehicle check" or "MOT history".

Scott.

scotview wrote:The DVLA website only quotes the month, for when the first MOT is due, suggesting the first of the month, there is no reference to an actual date on their vehicle query webpage.

Are you looking at this government website - http://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk

For both of my cars that gives a specific date an MOT is required, both for a car older than three years that has been tested in the past and one less than three years saying when it is due its first MOT.

I believe it is possible on the first MOT to do the same as subsequent ones and have it tested up to a month (less a day) early and still keep the same renewal date. However irrespective of that it can be worth having it done early if your car has a three year warranty to ensure you could claim on that if anything covered by it was found to be a failure.

AF62 wrote: one less than three years saying when it is due its first MOT.

Thanks for that AF62, yes you are correct, the web site on your link says "Date Registered" and "First MOT due". 25 June 2020 and 24 June 2023, in my case.

I missed this when I first looked, many thanks.