Another run-in with a car dealer

[earthdweller]

Perfectly legal to use a vehicle on trade plates for the purpose of demonstration

It does ** not** need to be taxed or MOT’d but it does however need to be roadworthy and covered by a motor trade insurance policy

It was necessary until Covid for tests of the vehicle by a prospective purchaser to accompanied by a member of staff, this was relaxed for unaccompanied test drives during Covid

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2742/schedule/6/made

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/973628/vtl301g-guidance-notes.pdf


https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/dvla-confirms-car-buyers-can-take-unaccompanied-test-drives-trade-plates/191239

 

[Scubaregs]

Perfectly legal to use a vehicle on trade plates for the purpose of demonstration

It does ** not** need to be taxed or MOT’d but it does however need to be roadworthy and covered by a motor trade insurance policy

It was necessary until Covid for tests of the vehicle by a prospective purchaser to accompanied by a member of staff, this was relaxed for unaccompanied test drives during Covid

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2742/schedule/6/made

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/973628/vtl301g-guidance-notes.pdf


https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/dvla-confirms-car-buyers-can-take-unaccompanied-test-drives-trade-plates/191239

Source?

Honest John disagrees. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/131141/is-it-legal-to-test-drive-a-car-with-no-mot-if-it-s-on-trade-plates-

 

[Pondrew]

It does ** not** need to be taxed or MOT’d but it does however need to be roadworthy and covered by a motor trade insurance policy

That sentence is a contradiction. By not having a current MOT the vehicle is legally unroadworthy. Them's the rules.

Also if the vehicle is driven on the road illegally for any other reason the insurance is not valid anyway.

 

[earthdweller]

Perfectly legal to use a vehicle on trade plates for the purpose of demonstration

It does ** not** need to be taxed or MOT’d but it does however need to be roadworthy and covered by a motor trade insurance policy

It was necessary until Covid for tests of the vehicle by a prospective purchaser to accompanied by a member of staff, this was relaxed for unaccompanied test drives during Covid

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2742/schedule/6/made

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/973628/vtl301g-guidance-notes.pdf


https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/dvla-confirms-car-buyers-can-take-unaccompanied-test-drives-trade-plates/191239

Source?

Honest John disagrees. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/131141/is-it-legal-to-test-drive-a-car-with-no-mot-if-it-s-on-trade-plates-

There you go .. I believe honest John more than legislation ( which I’ve linked too )

 

[earthdweller]

It does ** not** need to be taxed or MOT’d but it does however need to be roadworthy and covered by a motor trade insurance policy

That sentence is a contradiction. By not having a current MOT the vehicle is legally unroadworthy. Them's the rules.

Also if the vehicle is driven on the road illegally for any other reason the insurance is not valid anyway.

No not true on either count

Con and use regulations must be adhered too .. they dictate what is roadworthy not an MOT test cert

Any vehicle with a valid MOT can be unroadworthy moments after passing a test ( or fail another exam )

An MOT test is purely a snapshot of a moment in time, and signifies that at that moment in time, it passed set criteria, it isn’t however a get out of jail card for 12 months

The fact a vehicle is not MOT’d or taxed means it cannot be legally used on a public road, or kept in a public place .. it does not mean it’s unroadworthy. Fortunately for the purposes of the motor trade there is legislation that allows vehicles to be used for the purposes of the motor trade without tax, mot or individual insurance

Likewise with insurance, a vehicle being in a condition where it would fail an MOT inspection does not invalidate insurance automatically

Has your windscreen washer ever run out, it’s an MOT failure if it has, did you immediately stop and call for a recovery vehicle, no because it does not invalidate your insurance, nor does it mean the vehicle is unroadworthy

I drove a car last year for 6 months without a valid MOT with full approval of my insurers as an example

 

[Pondrew]

Any vehicle with a valid MOT can be unroadworthy moments after passing a test ( or fail another exam )

An MOT test is purely a snapshot of a moment in time, and signifies that at that moment in time, it passed set criteria, it isn’t however a get out of jail card for 12 months

The fact a vehicle is not MOT’d or taxed means it cannot be legally used on a public road, or kept in a public place .. it does not mean it’s unroadworthy. Fortunately for the purposes of the motor trade there is legislation that allows vehicles to be used for the purposes of the motor trade without tax, mot or individual insurance

Likewise with insurance, a vehicle being in a condition where it would fail an MOT inspection does not invalidate insurance automatically

Has your windscreen washer ever run out, it’s an MOT failure if it has, did you immediately stop and call for a recovery vehicle, no because it does not invalidate your insurance, nor does it mean the vehicle is unroadworthy

I don't disagree. However that is not the point. I'm getting bored now, so for the last time:

The Govt/DVLA/VOSA law states "it is illegal to use a motor vehicle on a public highway unless it has a current MOT certificate, if it is required for that vehicle. The ONLY exception is for the purpose of travelling to a pre-booked MOT testing station for the purpose of being tested. I have not found a caveat clause that says "unless you are a dodgy car dealer using trade plates; then do as you like".

 

[Scubaregs]

[ref]earthdweller[/ref], on my phone at the moment so difficult to view links properly.
Can you highlight where in the links it says you can allow a test drive of a vehicle that has no current MOT on trade plates, when that vehicle is of an age to require an MOT.

 

[Pondrew]

I drove a car last year for 6 months without a valid MOT with full approval of my insurers as an example

I would love to hear the conversation with them if you had to make a claim

 

[BTZ461]

Any vehicle with a valid MOT can be unroadworthy moments after passing a test ( or fail another exam )

An MOT test is purely a snapshot of a moment in time, and signifies that at that moment in time, it passed set criteria, it isn’t however a get out of jail card for 12 months

The fact a vehicle is not MOT’d or taxed means it cannot be legally used on a public road, or kept in a public place .. it does not mean it’s unroadworthy. Fortunately for the purposes of the motor trade there is legislation that allows vehicles to be used for the purposes of the motor trade without tax, mot or individual insurance

Likewise with insurance, a vehicle being in a condition where it would fail an MOT inspection does not invalidate insurance automatically

Has your windscreen washer ever run out, it’s an MOT failure if it has, did you immediately stop and call for a recovery vehicle, no because it does not invalidate your insurance, nor does it mean the vehicle is unroadworthy

I don't disagree. However that is not the point. I'm getting bored now, so for the last time:

The Govt/DVLA/VOSA law states "it is illegal to use a motor vehicle on a public highway unless it has a current MOT certificate, if it is required for that vehicle. The ONLY exception is for the purpose of travelling to a pre-booked MOT testing station for the purpose of being tested. I have not found a caveat clause that says "unless you are a dodgy car dealer using trade plates; then do as you like".

Karen :wink:

 

[Nanu]

The only reasons a vehicle can be driven on a highway without a current MOT 9When one is needed of course) are

1. To or from a pre booked MoT test station to be tested.
2. To test the condition of the car when it's undergoing repair work.

There is no exception in relation to trade plates

 

[earthdweller]

I drove a car last year for 6 months without a valid MOT with full approval of my insurers as an example

I would love to hear the conversation with them if you had to make a claim

Absolutely no issues with it all, they were more than happy

It’ll probably throw you into epilepsy to know it wasn’t taxed either