Driving without tax to 'place of repair' before MOT

[fishnchipsx2]

Right...
I've got myself a rusty old Caddy - SORN'd, no MOT, and no insurance (yet).

I know that without tax, so long as I insure the truck first, I can drive it to and from the MOT station for the test.

Thing is, it's going to need a small amount of welding to get through an MOT. I would like this to be done by a very good welder I know.

What I can't find on direct.gov.uk, is can I drive it to and from a place for repairs to be carried out before the MOT? (Welder's garage.)

Oh... and the welder's garage is almost 20 miles from my house!  (Which is why I want to be sure of the legalities involved.)

Let me know if you think I should post this in the DVLA info thread 

[Diamond Hell]

Get the welding booked and the MOT booked before you do anything.  Make sure the welder can do the work within (IIRC) 10 working days of the MOT.

Once you have the MOT booked take it to the MOT station.

They'll fail it on the welding.

Then take it to the place of repair.

DO NOT stop anywhere en route.

DO NOT take it for the welding first.

This routine ensure you're within the law.

I've looked into the legalities of this and provided you have insurance you are fine, provided you don't stop along the way and you take a direct route.

[SoundillusioN]

I'm almost certain the answer to this is no... The DVLA will allow you to drive to an MOT because it will most likely be in good order to get there... If you have to take for repairs you would have to trailer it.   If it was allowed i'd be driving mine all over the place!  

[SoundillusioN]

Get the welding booked and the MOT booked before you do anything.  Make sure the welder can do the work within (IIRC) 10 working days of the MOT.

Once you have the MOT booked take it to the MOT station.

They'll fail it on the welding.

Then take it to the place of repair.

DO NOT stop anywhere en route.

DO NOT take it for the welding first.

This routine ensure you're within the law.

I've looked into the legalities of this and provided you have insurance you are fine, provided you don't stop along the way and you take a direct route.

ah that makes sense if its done on an MOT day... didnt think of that. good post!

[luesautos]

i bet you will get pulled by a jobs worth coppa and get a fine i did. took for mot then straight to a garage 2 mile away and got stopped in a stop check.

[Ben Lessani]

i bet you will get pulled by a jobs worth coppa and get a fine i did. took for mot then straight to a garage 2 mile away and got stopped in a stop check.

A fine for what exactly?

It is generally an offence to use on a public road, a vehicle of testable age that doesn’t have a current test certificate, except when:

    * taking it to a test station for an MOT test booked in advance
    * bringing it away from a test station after it has failed the MOT test, to a place of repair
    * taking it to a place, by previous arrangement, where problems that caused the vehicle to fail its MOT test, can be repaired
    * bringing it away from a place where the problems with the vehicle have been repaired

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022108

The short answer, yes, BUT

Even in the above circumstances you may still be prosecuted for driving an unroadworthy vehicle if it doesn’t comply with various regulations affecting its construction and use. Your car insurance may also be invalid.

[fishnchipsx2]

Thanks all for the replies.

DH, I was thinking  I might have to piss around with a 'tactical MOT' to stay legal as you've suggested.

Cheers Ben for finding that paragraph from the DVLA, was exactly the written confirmation I was after... I'll print out that page and stick it in the glovebox, (especially as I have to pass one of those pesky VOSA checkpoints on the way , ...it's not like those pricks lovely people don't know their stuff, but along with the day's MOT sheet, a print-out will just help me look a bit more innocent!)

I guess ideally I should MOT it at a station close-ish to my welder, ideally quiet enough that I can re-test it later on the same day. 

[fishnchipsx2]

Speaking of VOSA checkpoints... have you got any closer to legal bliss with your bulkhead/tunnel DH? 

(Interested because a mate of mine with some rather extensive chassis-welding modifications ran into a spot of bother with some Austrian coppers last week  )

[Diamond Hell]

Heh, no.  I have a number and guidance from a very nice man at VOSA.

I need more guidance from them before anything else happens.

The whole ABF transplant for the 'ring track day rather over-rode the need to get it road legal.

After all, I have a trailer.

I'll return to it in due course when I need further entertainment.