Can you tax a car without MOT?
Do you need an MOT to tax a car? Find out in our guide
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By Ben Welham
Last updated: 2 June 2025
If you’ve just bought, or are about to buy a car, you may wonder if you can tax a car without an MOT?
It can be tricky to get your head around, so we’re explaining all in our full guide.
So, can you tax a car without an MOT?
No. If your car’s road tax has expired, you won’t be able to tax it again until you get a new MOT (Ministry of Transport) certificate.
If you do need to tax a car without an MOT, you need to:
SORN the vehicle, letting the DVLA know it’s off the road and avoids fines if the car is parked on the road
Pre-book an MOT at a local MOT-approved garage
Take the vehicle there, and there only and ensure you have valid car insurance – driving a SORN vehicle is only allowed if it’s to an MOT test
Once the vehicle passes its MOT, you can then tax it
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When is a car MOT-exempt?
There are a couple of instances where a car is MOT-exempt:
If your car is less than three years old
If your car is over 40 years old and has classic car tax exemption
When is a car tax-exempt?
There are a few reasons why a car may be tax-exempt, including:
Vehicles used by a disabled person
Vehicles used by organisations to transport disabled people
Historic vehicles made before 1 January 1985
Mobility vehicles and powered wheelchairs
Heavy goods vehicles weighing over 3,500kg
Mowing machines
Steam-powered vehicles
Vehicles used for agriculture, horticulture and forestry
Can I tax my car with only three days’ MOT left
Yes, you can tax your vehicle with three days’ MOT left. As long as the car has a valid MOT at the time of taxing it, you can do it.
Though it would be advisable to get the car tested as soon as possible to get a fresh MOT certificate for the next 12 months.
Can you tax a car without insurance?
No, you can’t. You must insure a car before you can tax it.
Best practice is to purchase the car, sort out the insurance right away and then the road tax, provided it’s got an MOT.
What happens to your tax if your MOT expires?
If your MOT expires, you won’t be able to renew your tax until you have a valid MOT certificate.
The only way to re-tax your car is to have proof of a valid MOT beforehand.
You also can’t drive or park your car on the road with an expired MOT because you could face fines up to £1,000.
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Can I drive my car to its MOT without tax and insurance?
Yes, you can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT without road tax, but you must have valid insurance.
Driving your car without insurance in any case is not permitted and can land you with serious fines.
Can you drive a SORN car to an MOT without tax?
Yes, you can. However, you must have valid insurance for this journey.
Once the car has passed its MOT, you can then tax and insure it for the return journey and future trips.
Explore car care at cinch
So, there you have it. Can you tax a car without an MOT? No, you can’t.
This, like many other nuggets of information, are vital when it comes to car admin, which should be taken very seriously to avoid extra bills or fines.