Preparing for a vehicle test
Your vehicle should be road worthy and in full working order, so it is advisable to have it checked by a mechanic before the test. You must also make sure that the exterior, interior and underparts of the vehicle are clean or the examiner may refuse to test it.
Due to the restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid 19, some DVA services are operating at limited capacity. For further details, and the latest position on DVA services, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and motoring page.
Preparing the vehicle
You should make sure your vehicle is presented in a hygienic state and free from any unhygienic matter such as used tissues, gloves or wipes.
You also should remember to bring your own sanitiser and/ or wipes to clean and sanitise all internal surfaces after the test.
There is no specific requirement for the underside of the vehicle to be washed before a vehicle test. But in line with legislation, the examiner may refuse to conduct the test if the exterior of the vehicle, or any motor vehicle by which it is accompanied or any part of or any equipment of the vehicle is so dirty as to make it unreasonably difficult for the inspection to be carried out in line with the terms of these Regulations.
Anyone can prepare the vehicle for the test, however, some specialist equipment may be needed to check certain elements required for the test, for example, headlight alignment.
If your vehicle is not a standard production type car or has been modified to sit lower to the ground - or has any part which may sit excessively low to the ground such as a front spoiler, exhaust or mud flaps you should contact your local test centre for guidance before bringing the vehicle for its annual test. This will help the test centre management team make specific arrangements for your vehicle and cause no inconvenience to the test being conducted on the day of your test.
The Vehicle Inspection Manuals can be viewed online at:
Documents to bring to the test
- Vehicle registration document V5C(NI)
- Appointment letter
- Any current Certificate or Notice of Refusal for all cars, motorcycles, light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles
If you are bringing a taxi or bus, you must present all of the above documents as well as a current Certificate of Insurance.
Insurance
You can drive an untaxed vehicle to and from the test centre for a prearranged MOT test provided you have adequate insurance cover in place for the use of that vehicle.