People are often questioning whether X or Y needs to be working to get through an MOT, and a lot of people give duff answers based on hearsay and old wives' tales. (e.g. "if it's fitted it must work") 

 

To find out what is and isn't actually part of the MOT test, you can look yourself here:

MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

If you find it difficult to understand what's written in there, there's a forum you can look at which has lots of answers to many questions from actual MOT testers.

If you can't find your answer there already, you can register, post a query, and in my experience get a prompt answer. Again, from guys/gals working in MOT bays. 

MOT Forum - The MOT Testing Forum for the UK MOT Testing Industry (motester.co.uk)

 

 

 

As an afterthought, feeling guilty for not considering non-UK readers, if your country's equivalent test has an online manual describing its test items I'd be delighted if you'd add a post with a link to it.  

The French CT test:

 

https://www.autosur.fr/reglementation-du-controle-technique

 

You will need to open the PDF files linked to on the page, I dont know how to do a link direct to a PDF file.

 

The first one is an example of the pass/fail certificate, then there is one for the 133 points that are checked, finally the 129 critical failures.

 

Over here you can fail the CT on minor, some would say even major items but not have to submit the vehicle for a retest, it is taken on trust that you will do the repairs, a world of grief awaits you if you dont and are involved in a serious accident.

 

The critical failures require you to resubmit the vehicle for a retest within 2 months, you can however drive for 2 months with a failed vehicle, in theory you could resubmit the wreck every 2 months to be failed again paying the fee each time and drive legally for ever and a day, same thing applys about an accident though.

 

CT's are valid for 2 years and it is against the law to sell a car with less than 18 months CT remaining, that prevents people getting stitched up buying a second hand vehicle, if they do buy a pup they can legally drive it for 18 months.

 

In practice the law is not enforced and people sell cars all the time with less than 18 months CT remaining, an advery with "CT OK" written means it was tested within the last 6 months, for someone to be prosecuted the buyer would have to make a formal complaint.

 

The final point which makes this system a lot clearer is that you cannot register a car in your name unless it has a CT certificate valid for more than 18 months = was tested in the last 6 months, it does not have to have passed, the system is to protect buyers, you can buy and register a wreck, as long as you know what you have let yourself in for.

FrenchTone will correct any of the above if it is wrong, I suspect I have missed something regarding driving an extremely dangerous vehicle for 2 months, I think there is a procedure where they can prevent a death trap from being driven away.