Can You Sell a Car Without an MOT? What You Need to Know

Selling a car without a valid MOT Certificate

It's not uncommon for people to believe that it's illegal to sell a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate.

Even though the best practice is to have all your documents in order, it is legal to sell your car without an MOT and there are several ways to do that.

This article will explore the options available to sell your car without the MOT certificate and explain which one is best depending on the situation.

Contents

• Is it illegal to sell a car without an MOT?
• Where can I sell a car with no MOT?
• What’s an MOT Certificate?

Is it illegal to sell a car without an MOT?

The simple answer is no, it isn’t. Even though selling your vehicle without the MOT certificate is legal, it does mean that the sale process could be a bit more lengthy and have more nuances added in.

One of the rules that implicate purchasing a vehicle without an MOT, and could affect the experience, is that the buyer won’t be allowed to drive the car on a public highway, and this could put people off buying the car.

When you find a prospective buyer, make sure you disclose the information that the vehicle you’re selling either doesn’t have an MOT or failed its most recent test. It’s crucial to keep in mind that not informing the potential buyer of the expired or failed MOT is illegal.

Where can I sell a car with no MOT?

There are several options you can choose from to sell your vehicle without an MOT Certificate. Make sure you understand each option’s pros and cons in order to make an informed decision. Among some of the most popular ways of selling a car without an MOT are:

Private Buyer

Selling your vehicle privately is probably the way of making the most money. There are several car selling websites and online marketplaces where you can advertise your vehicle. It’s of extreme importance that you disclose the car’s mechanical information and that it doesn’t have an MOT.

Due to the fact that the car will be lacking the MOT Certificate, you won’t be able to allow people to test drive the car, and that should be information you include on your advert.

Car Dealership

Many car dealerships accept car trade-ins, and they purchase used vehicles to add to their catalogue.

It’s not uncommon for dealerships to buy cars without MOT, however, some dealers prefer not to do it. Fixing a car and making it fit for the British roads may be too costly and at the end of the day, it may not be worth the investment.

Car Buying Service

You can find several car-buying services that will buy vehicle’s without a valid MOT certificate.

Keep in mind that even though most of these websites are willing to buy your car without the MOT, they will require you to provide all the other documents, including the V5C logbook.

You can use Evans Halshaw's Sell Your Car services, and easily get an online valuation. Selling your vehicle to us is simple and takes only four steps.

Scrap

If everything else fails, you can always use a scrap service as a last resort. You’ll need to arrange a way of taking your vehicle to the scrap, considering you won’t be able to drive it there.

Selling your vehicle to a scrap is a particularly good idea if the vehicle you're trying to sell is older with a low residual value.

What’s an MOT Certificate?

An MOT Certificate is a legal requirement for vehicles above three years of age. This certificate is granted by a garage that performs several tests on your car to make sure it’s roadworthy and safe for use on British roads.

Among some of the testing a vehicle has to go through before being deemed road safe are the electric components of the car, as well as the suspension, lights, brake and tyres.

This document is also used to tax the vehicles, and driving a car that doesn’t have an MOT certificate means you could be liable for a £1,000 fine and points on your licence.

Learn more about selling cars with Evans Halshaw

Selling a vehicle without an MOT Certificate is totally legal, and you can still make money off your current car. Make sure you disclose all the mechanical information and explain why you don’t have the certificate to potential buyers.

If you would like to read more articles like this and learn more tips to sell your vehicle quickly and efficiently, access Evans Halshaw Blog, where you’ll find guides and updated information to help you with the process of passing your car on.