Can you Tax a Car with no MOT?
Published on: Wednesday, 26th August 2020 | 
Author: Bradley Jando
Drivers must tax their car every year and prices of tax can vary depending on the emissions from your car, as well as the year, make, and price listed for the vehicle. Some cars are actually exempt from paying tax, such as electric vehicles. You can check your tax rates on the government website for more information.
What is Car Tax
Car tax is often referred to as ‘road tax’, which is very misleading as many people are unsure what the tax actually pays for and many believe that the tax is for road work and maintenance. This is not the case, however, as road tax is actually dependent on the vehicle and how harmful it is to the environment and consumers. Road maintenance is paid for by the local council and the Department of Transport and not directly by the ‘road tax’ that drivers pay.
Car Tax Rates
Depending on your vehicle's CO2 emissions, you could either be paying up to £2,245 or nothing at all. The type of fuel your car uses and how much it costs will also be taken into consideration when charging you for tax.
Vehicles that produce over 255g/km of CO2 emissions will be taxed up to £2,245. On the other hand, a car that produces 0g/km of CO2 emissions (an electric car) will not have to pay any road tax. If your car uses petrol or diesel to run then you’ll be charged an additional cost and if the vehicle has a list price of over £40,000 then you can also expect to see higher tax prices.
MOT
Every year you must book your car for an MOT test at a certified garage. The MOT consists of checks to ensure the vehicle is meeting the legal safety standards. If your vehicle doesn’t pass the test then you usually need to make repairs before you’re allowed to drive on roads again.
Driving without a valid MOT certificate is actually illegal. As such, you don’t need to pay tax on a car that’s not being driven on roads because it’s a tax for driving on roads.
What happens to road tax when failing an MOT
If your car fails its MOT test and it’s no longer safe to drive, you should be able to reclaim your unused road tax. You will still have to pay tax on the months up until the failed MOT but you will be refunded for the months remaining.
Make sure that your car is taxed and has a valid MOT certificate. For further information or to book your car in for an MOT, contact your nearest Tyre Pros branch.