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MOT exemptions for cars over 40 years old comes into place in May 2018

Stuart Datlen

 
It has been announced by the Department for Transport that classic cars over 40 years old will become exempt from MOT testing, however owners can voluntarily elect for an MOT if they feel that it is necessary.

Currently it is only cars from before 1960 that are exempt, representing just 197,000 cars currently on UK roads. With the new rules coming into place in May 2018 it will mean that a further 293,000 cars will be exempt from MOT’s.

The reasoning behind the decision made by the Department for Transport is that these cars are ‘usually maintained in good condition and used on few occasions. Cars from 40 years ago are also exempt from certain requirements that newer cars must have, (for example seatbelts and reversing lights) this in turn means that the modernisation of a typical ‘MOT’ contains many checks put in place that are no longer applicable to cars over the age of 40.

The change which will come into place in May 2018 will bring cars exempt from MOT’s in line with the exemption for road tax.