Had mine done today, and I was disappointed at the certificate I got - just a sheet of A4 paper rather than the embossed A5 "proper" certificate it once was. I also got an emissions test A4 sheet of paper too...but as the car hadn't been idling for long enough, that was aborted. I thought processes were put in place to make it harder to produce MOT certificates - this one looks like something I could knock up in a few minutes on a PC. I can also get a reminder from VOSA in 12 months time for £1.50 too...cheeky burgers.

Yep it's A4 now and think it has a little reminder sticker in the bottom corner.

Does not even look like that anymore, it literally is a sheet of plain A4 paper.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/forms/vehicletestforms/vehicletestforms.htm

It was that certificate but has now changed againto a very basic sheet. Think the theory is to cut down on expense as people can actually check validity online.

New certificate looks absolute rubbish.

It's only like insurance certs. They no longer have watermarks or holograms, and could easily be knocked up by anyone.

Should have a disclaimer or something to say it's simply a receipt and check validity online etc.

The fail sheet looks very similar aswell, there not really needed anymore because its all on a vosa database,

Gets interesting when main server crashes and you carn't put cars your moting on system

the new cert shows any advisories too, meaning that people can't hide them easily. just makes the 2nd car buying market a little safer imo.

Stricter MOT test from 2012

http://www.the-ace.org.uk/stricter-mot-test-from-2012.html

Taken from link above?

Implications for modified vehicles

New areas specifically affecting modified cars include:

HID headlamps and bulb incompatibility, Uh oh LOL

Tinted windows Uh oh again

Wiring condition and, possibly of greater concern

Mudguards(wings), spray suppression devices.

(Since when were mudflaps more important than wiring condition??)

Visual inspection

(a.)Missing,loose or badly corroded

(b.)Insufficient clearance to road wheel

(c.) Not inaccordance with the requirements.

Engine performance:

(a.) Control unit illegally modified. Is mapping illegal then?

(B.) Illegal engine modifications. Define illegal here?? Does this mean pikey mods?

It all is subject to the testers mood as far as I can see.

If mapping is illegal then we'd better send Waitrose and B&Q

an invitation to be site sponsors as most of ours will be ducking the fuzz??

My MOT centre also does remaps?? How's that going to work then?

I wish the rules were simple to follow.

I threw a new MOT away myself as I thought it was junk the first time I saw one.

You should check the MOT history online before you buy a used car anyway, should help reduce the number of people buying clocked cars.

Stricter MOT test from 2012

http://www.the-ace.org.uk/stricter-mot-test-from-2012.html

That link is very out of date, as VOSA have already stated that the ECU modification it has been dropped for the moment.

I think that the official line these days is that the paper certificate is no longer a legal document, the details are all held on line and that is what counts. The paper version is more or less a receipt. It does have the advantage that any advisories are on the same piece of paper, rather than a separate bit, so it's harder to blag your way out of it.

Rob.

Most links claiming 2012 MOT changes are either

a) very out of date and based on old rumours

links to forums, and people pointlessly discussing things that aren't going to happen

Everything you need to know is right here, straight from the horse's mouth - http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20Inspection%20Manual.pdf

Tinted windows should be in it. I had to decelerometer brake test a Jeep today with tinted front windows (I mean tinted in addition to the factory tint) and didn't feel comfortable with the visibility out of them. The annoying thing is that I couldn't fail it on them, though I did bring it to the owners attention by listing it as an advisory, so that's the ignorance excuse that can't be used, should it get a roadside check.

If the fail and advisory items don't fit on the refusal, they get continued on separate sheets of portrait A4.

I`v juts had my rear windows tinted and I`m fully shocked anyone would tint the fronts and drive on the road. :wonder: Should be instant fail 100%

Seat belt chime being turned off should be a fail as well.

People go to the extent of turning them off?!

I've turned them off in the past for taxi drivers, whom I believe are exempt from wearing a seatbelt. After nearly 29 years of compulsory front seat belt wearing, it should be second nature to wear it, I occasionally find my self wearing a seatbelt when I'm moving a car 30 feet on site. At least with not wearing a seatbelt a driver is not putting other road users in danger, though it does show a lack of consideration for the emergency services having to clear them up.

With window tinting VOSA are under the impression that expensive equipment is required to measure the light transmissability to provide a percentage reading and thus put it above or below a set limit. The equipment will cost money and the test will take extra time and VOSA do not want to pass these costs on to the testing stations. In my mind you can see straight away if there is any additional tint on the windows and given that the manufacturer usually tints up to the maximum allowed, anything in addition will put it beyond the limit.

Surely, they could let you fail it on an excessive tint (in your opinion), which could be appealed by taking the car to a testing station/police.

If the car is fine, they get a certificate to be presented at the garage who issues a pass?

A blacked out front window, is a pretty obvious fail, whereas a subtle tint is not so obvious.