Police Clarify Their Stance on Historic Vehicle MOT Exemptions

[jon1d]

PRESS RELEASE from the Fbhvc.

Following a recent incident where the driver of an historic vehicle was erroneously given notice of intended prosecution by a police officer, The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (The Federation) has made efforts to avoid similar incidents by contacting the parties responsible seeking clarifications.

We have already made available to our members through the website (www.fbhvc.co.uk) a letter from the Department for Transport clarifying the position on exemptions, but it was still the case that enforcing officers had no access to a database of declarations by owners of VHIs as this data when supplied by owners is not recorded.

We therefore have sought and have just received assurances from Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, Lead on Roads Policing of the National Police Chiefs’ Council that they are in agreement with the Department for Transport’s letter of 11 January, which we shared with you earlier and now repeat.

Chief Constable Bangham has confirmed that police recognise that there is a presumption that where a vehicle meets the criteria as laid out by the Department of Transport (DfT) it does not require an MOT Certificate and any person using such a vehicle cannot commit an offence. Officers will not rely on declarations made at relicensing times to police this matter.

We are pleased now on the eve of Drive it Day, probably the largest national assemblage of historic vehicles of the year, to provide this confirmation to all members. Our advice for anyone who remains concerned is simply to print a copy of the Department for Transport letter of 11 January and carry it with your other documents.

Copy DfT letter attached

[ends]


For media enquiries, please contact:
• Geoff Lancaster, 07860 562659, commsdirector@fbhvc.co.uk

Editor’s notes
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs exists to maintain the freedom of its members to use historic vehicles on the UK’s roads, hence its campaign message: ‘Yesterday’s Vehicles on Tomorrow’s Roads’. The FBHVC has over 550 member clubs representing over 251,000 individual owners.

[stokeflyer]

Interesting stuff, at what age do they become exempt?

[AlexB74]

Rolling 40 years as at January - eg. My donor was registered in feb 1978 - so went mot free this year.

I’m still unclear reading this. Though mine is now old enough, I think I have to fill in a form to go mot and tax free? Is that still the case?

Edit- ignore that last bit, just read the full fhbc web page. Do still need the form.

[nealgs]

was yours pre-SVA alex - my donor was 1975, so should, in theory, be mot exempt, but aint as it was built 2000. Not that it makes any difference as i'd still get it MOT'd anyway.

Gary

[Darnpistonbroke]

Even though the donor may have been over 40 years old, the car it became was registered after it was built. Mine was registered in 2004 but its donor was registered in 1978. So mine will not MOT exempt for another 25 years.
It may be different for pre SVA cars though which have a 'questionable' V5.

[nealgs]

exactly what i was thinking Darnpistonbroke (name?????)

[Darnpistonbroke]

Sorry.

David.

[AlexB74]

was yours pre-SVA alex - my donor was 1975, so should, in theory, be mot exempt, but aint as it was built 2000. Not that it makes any difference as i'd still get it MOT'd anyway.

Gary

Yep, mine is pre-sva. And I’m with you, happy to pay no tax, but mine will always go through an MOT type check every year - I think it’s nuts not to.

[KevinW]

Mine is a Y reg but registered 2019.
I fully expect to be dead before the car becomes an historic vehicle in 2059.

[Darnpistonbroke]

Just a follow up on my last post. My car is actually registered as a 1978 although it passed SVA and was registered as a Dax in 2004.
Now my memory has kicked in I was reading up on the regs and a car of 40 years is exempt the MOT, UNLESS it has been radically modified. In my opinion our cars come under that category. However I do believe mine can become tax exempt. I'll be finding that out later this year.

David.