MOT tests are legal requirements for cars and vans over three years (or four in Northern Ireland). They ensure the vehicle is fit for the road and maintained to a safe standard. Regular maintenance is vital to passing.

 or not notice that the certificate has expired, leading you to ask, "Can you drive without your MOT?" 

Whether you want to avoid accidentally driving without an MOT or are worried about driving to your test, we’re here to help. This article covers whether you can drive your car without an MOT, what happens if you fail your test and other MOT-related FAQs. 

 However, it’s not always that simple. 

For example, you can drive to a pre-booked MOT test at an authorised centre. But you can’t pop down to the shops. 

Driving without a valid MOT - What you need to know

Here are a few common scenarios to help you understand when you can or can’t drive without an MOT. 

If you miss your MOT and have an expired certificate, you will be prosecuted if you’re caught driving. 

Book in for an MOT as soon as possible and keep your car serviced to ensure it’s road-safe. 

Bumper is here to help you split with 0% car repair or service finance. 

Sometimes, cars fail the MOT test even though the current certificate is still in date. 

In this situation, only ‘dangerous’ problems mean you can’t drive the car. You can drive the vehicle home and to repairs if it only has minor issues.

 at all times. Your mechanic will inform you if this isn’t the case.

Most cars only require an MOT certificate on their third registration anniversary (In Northern Ireland, four years). So, there’s no need to worry about MOTs for the first three years.

However, if you’ve bought a second-hand car, make sure to check its MOT status and plan ahead for the next test as soon as you take ownership. The next test might be sooner than you expect. 

Faults and vehicle recalls invalidate your current MOT certification. 

Recalls don’t happen without thorough research. If you’re unsure, contact your manufacturer. Otherwise, you should assume the problem is serious and affects the car’s safety.

Still unsure? Let’s take a closer look at the most common FAQs and when it’s fine for your car to have no MOT.

Can I drive my car without MOT if it’s booked in?

Yes, you can drive your car to a booked MOT test if your current certificate isn’t valid. 

However, you should check your insurance before you do so. Some insurers don’t cover driving the vehicle without an MOT, even if it’s just for the next test.

 on how far you can drive without a certificate. But you should always try to book an MOT nearby to minimise the distance. 

Can you drive your car after a failed MOT?

Driving after a failed MOT depends on whether your current MOT certificate is valid and if any major faults were found.

If your car has ‘dangerous’ or ‘major’ issues, you can't drive it until these problems are professionally fixed. 

In such cases, you’ll be given a ‘refusal of an MOT test certificate,’ but this won’t be recorded in the MOT database.

Don’t be tempted to drive after a failed MOT. You’ll get three points, a driving ban, and a hefty £2,500 fine.

Yes, your car can fail an MOT due to damage that wasn’t your fault. 

If you get into an accident, you should contact your insurance company. They will assess your damage and categorise the car into A, B, S or N. 

It depends. The DVLA uses a point system to determine whether your modifications will require a new registration number. 

If your car keeps the same number, you won’t need to apply for a new MOT. 

Is there a 14-day grace period after an MOT expires?

No, the 14-day grace period is a common misconception! There is no two-week MOT-free period. 

Once your MOT has expired, you are not legally allowed to drive your car from the very next day

Is there a penalty for driving without an MOT?

Yes, as mentioned above, driving without a valid MOT can lead to a fine and points on your licence. If your car is deemed to be dangerous, you could even face losing your licence.

What is the fine for driving without an MOT?

The fine for driving without an MOT is £1,000.

The cost goes up to £2,500 if your car has been deemed ‘dangerous’ by a failed MOT test. This fine will come with three points and a driving ban.

Yes, you can report vehicles being driven without an MOT. 

You should contact your local police and give them the following information:

If found, the police can investigate the certificate and charge the driver up to £1,000.

How do you get caught driving without an MOT?

There’s an MOT database with current information on passes, fails, and out-of-date tests. Anyone can access this information as long as they have 

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and police cars can also flag vehicles without a valid MOT test.

 can create a big dent in your budget, especially if they’re unexpected. 

If you find yourself with expensive repairs or high MOT costs, you might want to consider 

, you can spread the cost of any repairs at no extra cost. Get started today or 

Can You Drive Without an MOT in the UK?

The allure of a Range Rover is hard to ignore; a plush, luxurious interior, effortless style and the best ride quality in the segment. I find myself constantly checking the used markets for luxury bargains, but my head always intervenes with thoughts of expensive parts bills.

If you have the same thought process, why not take a look at the competition with less reliability woes, in this blog I've outlined some of the best Range Rover alternatives.

As the baby in the lineup, the Evoque is the cheapest Range Rover you can buy new, but for those looking for reliability too, these are some good options.

Marketed as a “Sports Activity Coupe” the 

 has a sweeping roofline akin to the Evoque. Whilst not the best for rear headroom or boot space, the sleeker side profile does give the X4 a more sporty look. 

Starting at £54,035, the X4 is a good bit more expensive than the base model Evoque but is in keeping with the Dynamic HSE and Autobiography level Evoques. Interior build quality is similar to the Range Rover, just with subtle differences in styling.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly stylish SUV, the 

 might be a good choice. Whilst it might lack some of the styling cues the Evoque has, the Skodas of recent years are not without their charm.

For reliability, the Skoda is a solid choice, 

 named Skoda at the 16th most reliable brand, whereas Land Rover products reached the top 10 (placed no. 5) as the most unreliable.

As well as reliability, value for money is another plus point for the Skoda, the base model at £36,645 comes with a fairly limited list of features, but the mid-range SE-L model comes with cruise control, a large touchscreen navigation system and LED headlight as standard, and it’s still on par with the cost of the Evoque.

If luxury and comfort are a priority, then the 

 should be on the shortlist, available with a very dependable petrol-hybrid powertrain, it offers all of the style and elegance as the Range Rover, without any of the build quality concerns.

The base model, the UX 300H Urban, comes with radar cruise control, 17” alloy wheels, and an 8” touchscreen nav system. If all-electric power is of interest, the UX will be available soon, starting at just over £40,000.

The Range Rover Sport was introduced in 2005 as a more sporty and less lavish version of the “full-fat” Range Rover. It still fits this description, but other manufacturers have cottoned on to the formula, and there are some great alternatives.

 was the German marque's biggest SUV and vehicle to date, but it's of similar size and prowess to the Range Rover Sport. Available with a range of powertrains including petrol, diesel and hybrid. The base spec is just over £70,000 on the road, with 298hp and a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds. This is slightly down on the Range Rover Sport, but at £20,000 cheaper I think it’s plenty of power!

Interior wise it’s typically BMW; high quality materials, precise German styling and loads of tech. Slightly less plush than the Range Rover, but just as well built, if not better.

As one of the hallmark luxury brands, the 

 is the perfect alternative to a Range Rover. The GLE is available brand new from £73,500, making it around £17,500 cheaper than the lowest-spec Range Rover Sport. 

For that you get a turbocharged 3-litre diesel engine, producing enough power to propel the GLE to 60mph in under 6 seconds. Power is delivered to all 4 wheels via a very sophisticated 9-speed automatic gearbox. The interior is suitably Mercedes, with stylish high-quality materials throughout. 

For something a little more left-field, the Maserati Levante offers a unique style that is certain to stand out amongst the crowd. Oozing Italian flair and style, the Levante is Maserati’s large SUV, the model I’d advise, coming in at just over £82,000, has a petrol hybrid powertrain offering 330 horsepower.

Not only does the Maserati look the part, it puts the driving feel at the heart of the experience, with supreme handling and road holding, thanks to the company's racing heritage. The model in question comes with 20” staggered wheels, heated seats and a flash nav system.

The biggest and most opulent Range Rover has been the flagship since the brand name was coined in the 70s. Significantly bigger than the Sport and the Evoque, with more power and more luxury, it also carries a larger price tag of over £100,000. Here are my alternatives.

Introduced in late 2018, the X7 is now the largest vehicle in the BMW lineup, at nearly 30 cm longer and 5cm higher than the X5, it is certainly on the same page as the full-size Range Rover in stature. 

Because the engines in the Range Rover were a joint development between BMW and JLR, the X7 and the Range Rover share most of the powertrain options. My pick would be the 3.0 turbo diesel for efficiency, or the 4.4 V8 petrol for sheer power. 

As the biggest SUV they make, the Merc GLS gives a Range Rover-like experience in a slightly different package. The GLS uses the same 3.0-litre diesel engine and 9-speed gearbox as in the GLE, somewhat surprisingly, still able to accelerate the much larger GLS to 60 mph in under 6 seconds.

A 7 seater as standard, the GLS is perfect for those with a larger family. When not needed the rearmost seats fold flat enabling a cavernous boot space. The levels of tech inside the cabin are where you would expect for a £105,000 car, with opulent lighting control and high-quality materials.

To round off the Range Rover alternative suggestions, another German full-size SUV, this time from Audi. The SQ7 is the sportier version of the Q7, fitted with a turbocharged petrol engine delivering over 500 horsepower and 770 Nm of torque, it certainly ticks the box for power. 

With a seamless touchscreen infotainment and climate control system in the dash, and sporty-looking carbon fibre accents on the dashboard, the interior is as purposeful and sleek as the exterior. At just over £94,000 on the road, the SQ7 sits a good bit below the Range Rover in cost, but not in style or performance. 

What Vehicle is comparable to a Range Rover?

Whilst many consider Range Rovers to be the peak luxury SUV, there are a few cars that can match the style and comfort:

The naming can be quite confusing, but ultimately there are currently 4 types of Range Rover:

As complex luxury cars, with many additional systems and features, Range Rovers can be on the expensive side to maintain and repair. Both parts and labour are also quite costly.

Have Your Luxury SUV Repaired With Bumper

Whether you have a full-fat Range Rover, a baby Evoque or one of the alternatives mentioned above, repairs can get costly. Bumper offers zero-per cent interest financing on repairs through any of our many 

9 Range Rover Alternatives

9 Alternativas al Range Rover

9 Alternativen zum Range Rover

August’s Dealership of the Month award goes to Brindley Kia West Bromwich who had their best ever month using Bumper’s PayLater to split the cost of service and repair bills into monthly payments. 

The team at Brindley Kia West Bromwich took a proactive approach to offering Bumper to their customers throughout August. 

As a result, they saw a 5% increase in conversion of red and amber work, an increase of £36 in their average invoice value and a £10 per hour increase in their recovery rate. 

The team also use PayLayer through Bumper’s Pinewood integration where customers can set up payments following their VHC video. 

Carlie Churchill, Service Manager at Kia West Bromwich, said, 'Bumper is a fantastic tool to have at our disposal. Customers love the flexibility, and it allows them to say yes to recommended work they otherwise might have declined. 

‘Since our team has taken a proactive approach to offering Bumper, we’ve seen a big increase in customer satisfaction, conversion of red and amber work, and an increased recovery rate.’

Service advisor, Melania, enjoyed how Bumper increased her customers’ confidence in making their purchases. She said, "Bumper is easy to use for both us and the customer. It enables our customers to spread the cost, making unexpected repair bills more manageable. 

‘Customers are more confident in their purchasing decisions knowing that they have a flexible and convenient payment option available to them.’

Adrian, service advisor at the West-Brom site, praised how Bumper protects his customers’ savings. He said, 'does not matter about your circumstances, put it on Bumper anyway. 

‘That way you can budget and pay for it out of your day-to-day account rather than dip into your savings, always harder to build back up your savings once you start dipping into it.’

Congratulations to Carlie, Adrian, Melania, and the whole team at Brindley Kia West Bromwich. 

Brindley Kia West Bromwich Named Dealership of the Month

Whether you're a keen driver who loves being behind the wheel or a nervous nellie who hates to drive outside your usual routes, we all need safe roads to drive on.

To have safe roads of course we must have rules and regulations keeping our driving in check. But what happens when the laws they come up with are a bit strange? 

Let's find out as we explore 9 of the strangest driving laws from here in the UK and around the world.

In the UK, it is illegal to sleep in your car whilst intoxicated, including the driver's and passenger seats. So next time you're leaving the pub after one too many pints, it's definitely best to call an Uber. If you take a nap in your car whilst you're over the legal limit, you could face up to 3 months in prison. That's one costly night out!

Using puddles to splash pedestrians can be considered a criminal offence here in the UK as it can be deemed careless and inconsiderate driving. Plus, nobody likes to be splashed with dirty rainwater. Of course, this wouldn't be an extreme case of careless driving exactly, but you could still face points on your license.

In Cyprus, it's illegal to consume any food or drink whilst driving, including water. In this sunny country reaching to the cup holder to take a quick swig of Evian is completely out of the question. However, there must be something in it as Cyprus is considered to be a relatively safe country for motorists.

Here in Britain, you must keep your number plate clean and visible at all times. If stopped by the police for an obscured registration plate, you could land yourself a hefty fine. So next time your little yellow rectangle is muddy from country roads make sure to give it a quick wipe before setting off.

It's hard to keep your cool behind the wheel. We've all experienced it at one time or another. But angry and aggressive driving on British roads can be considered disorderly conduct. Especially if it leads to a collision.

In case you haven't received the message yet, it's definitely not a good idea to drink and drive. To help motorists understand how much they've had, France requires drivers to keep their own personal breathalyser in their vehicles. 

Back to the UK now where it states in the highway code that you mustn't drive with excessive volume coming from your speaker. This rule is to make sure drivers can hear important signals from other road users, like horns and sirens from emergency vehicles.

The Swiss are prohibited from slamming car doors. Imagine a world without car doors being slammed late at night! However, gently closing a car door during an argument with your significant other wouldn't really have the same impact.

In the UK, it's illegal to use your phone at a drive-through. Most of us love the convenience of using Apple or Google Pay to quickly tap-and-go but their use whilst in your car is strictly prohibited. This is due to laws that have banned the use of mobile phones while in control of a motorised vehicle.

While at first glance some of these laws may seem strange, no drinking water at the wheel, no angry driving, no Apple Pay at the drive-through, it's obvious they're all in place for a reason, to keep our roads safer. 

So perhaps we can learn something from other countries. Or perhaps we will continue to slam our car doors every time we have a bicker about directions with our partners. I know which one I'm going to do.

9 strange driving laws from around the world

When you need your car to earn your living, deciding which make and model to pick is critical, unreliability and poor fuel economy will decimate your profits. Further to this, poor space in the rear or boot can make your passengers’ experience worse, leading to poor ratings. 

In this blog, we take a look at the 9 best cars for use as a Taxi or Uber, including some specialised ones for differing needs, such as 7-seaters and luxury vehicles.

Toyota Prius 2.0 Petrol Hybrid - £37,315

Favoured by Uber and Lyft drivers, the Prius offers great economy, space and reliability, all vital to a successful taxi business. Toyota’s Synergy Drive system is one of the simplest and most ingenious drivetrains ever used in a car. It is responsible for much of the Prius’ economy and reliability.

Alongside its great drivetrain, the Prius has some other useful features, such as a large boot for passenger’s luggage plus a comfy and spacious interior. 

 is available from £37,315 with its 2.0 petrol and plug-in hybrid battery system offering 223 horsepower and over 50 miles of electric-only range.

With its dependable drivetrain, great economy and ample passenger space, a new or second-hand Prius would be our pick for a taxi.

Best Estate and Saloon Cars to use as a Taxi

For longer journeys, such as airport runs, a diesel may be the best option for any aspiring rideshare entrepreneurs. 

 has always been a favourite of taxi drivers due to its great reliability and spacious interior.

The hatch-saloon offers great accessibility to the load area, but we’d generally recommend the estate for that bit more luggage space. The efficient diesel engine can achieve up to 65 MPG, great for keeping fuel costs low.

 is a similar package to the Octavia, even sharing the same platform, the VW comes available with more kit and luxury, ideal if you're aiming for the Lux market, 

The Passat is only available with the VAG group’s 1.5 TSI Petrol engine, although this still achieves a great MPG of 52. The DSG gearbox offers a smooth and ultra-efficient gear change.

7-seater taxis are very common in the UK, they can carry 6 passengers, or 4 with loads of luggage space, and they don’t usually take up much more room than an estate Here are 3 of the best 7-seater cars on the market.

 has been a mainstay in the 7-seater market, offering dependable, practical people-carrying ability. 

The new Touran, being a Volkswagen, comes available with all manner of tech, including adaptive cruise control and Apple car play. 

One of the standout features is the folding seats, which allows all 5 seats rear of the driver to fold perfectly flat. This means you can carry larger items such as passengers' wheelchairs or bikes without issue.

As a good compromise between a commercial vehicle and an MPV, the 

offers great people-carrying capacity with its van-derived flat floor, allowing all the rear seats to be completely removed if needed.

If fuel economy or Company Car Tax is a concern, the Tourneo Connect is available as a PHEV with up to 68 miles of range on electric power alone. A benefit of the Tourneo being a blend of car and van, is that the driving position and infotainment system is modern and refined.

 is based on a Citroen Van platform. Again, we see that as a plus though, it has a flat load bay when the seats are removed, and can carry 7 people (including the driver) in comfort. 

At a starting price of £22,250, the Berlingo is a much more cost-effective solution than the Ford, too. The base trim comes with active lane-keeping assist, safety braking and cruise control, a great selection of features for the price. 

If your main market is the high-end clientele, looking to make an impression with their arrival, you’ll need a high-end vehicle. These are some of the most popular luxury-segment vehicles to use as a taxi.

Mercedes is synonymous with both luxury and private hire taxi companies across the world, whether that's a dependable 90’s 190e in Spain or a stylish 

 in Mayfair. The latter can be bought today in 2024 for around £64,500, which is unsurprisingly the most expensive car on our list so far. 

That cost is understandable though, with great infotainment, safety and passenger comfort features. Heated seats and LED headlights are standard, as is the impressive level of build quality. Many engine options are available including a plug-in hybrid.

Another giant in the luxury saloon segment, 

 has been on the scene for years, since 1972 in fact. The recipe has stayed roughly the same but with more luxury and features. The M-Sport base model comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an automatic gearbox.

Equipped with LED headlights, BMW’s unique curved infotainment screen and driving assist, you do get a lot for your money. If more power or more economy is needed, there are a range of engine options including a 3.0-litre turbo petrol or a plug-in hybrid.

Ever since their first car in the late 90s, Lexus has cemented themselves as one of 

luxury brands. The Lexus ES is their mid-size saloon, offering ample passenger space but most of all excellent build quality and style.

Being a sister company to Toyota, you can be sure of the longevity and reliability, plus the hybrid system, like the Prius’, is super economical and very robust. Prices start at £43,595 which we think is great value when you consider the two German saloons above. 

Yes, so long as it’s licensed with your local council, this needs to be the same council that issued the taxi or PHV driver's licence, and meets the 

What does my car need to be used as a Taxi?

There are a few conditions that your car needs to comply with in order to be issued a private hire vehicle licence by your council. These checks will include:

Many councils also require the car to be Euro 6 compliant, and under 10 years old. 

Does my car need a taximeter to be used as a taxi?

Not always, alongside roof signs, colour schemes and a taximeter are determined by your licensing authority, aka the council area you wish to operate from. 

Check your local council website for more information.

Outside of the traditional black cabs now made by London EV Company Limited, the Toyota Prus is the most commonly used taxi vehicle.

The reasons for this are the same as ours for making it our top pick; it delivers great economy and has a very reliable drivetrain. 

If you’re expensing the cost of a car through a business, either as a limited company or self-employed, and you also use it for personal usage, you are technically in receipt of a 

, and as such will owe tax on that amount. 

If you only drive your taxi for work purposes, there is no company car tax due. 

We recently talked about company car tax in-depth and what cars to choose to avoid it.

Split the Cost of Repairing Your Taxi With Bumper 

If you have a big bill on the horizon, say a new clutch or cambelt is needed, being able to spread the cost of this over a few months can really help your cash flow. This is possible with Bumper, and at zero-percent interest. 

Best 9 Cars To Use As A Taxi

Congratulations to Brayleys Nissan Manchester, the latest site on the Bumper network to be named Dealership of the Month. 

Since joining the Bumper network in 2021, Brayleys have used Bumper’s PayLater to split the cost of their customers’ service and repair work. 

The team at Nissan Manchester also use PayLater via CitNOW, allowing customers to select their service work and flexible instalments within their eVHC and giving valuable time back to service advisors.

Chris Booth, Business Development Consultant for Bumper, is the site’s account manager. 

He said, “Congratulations to Brayleys Nissan Manchester. We've seen a big increase in conversion and customer retention with sites taking a proactive approach to offering Bumper, and Brayleys is no exception. 

“The team on site have put PayLater firmly into their everyday aftersales process and have now seen this reflected in their VHC stats and customer feedback.” 

A big well done to Tom, Billy-Jo, Jessica, and the whole team at Nissan Manchester on your win! 

Brayleys Nissan Manchester crowned Dealership of the Month 

Bumper has expanded its operations with the appointment of three new senior positions to support its ambitious growth plans in the UK and Europe. 

Alfie Sansom joins as finance director overseeing financial operations, credit and treasury management, tax structuring and capital allocation. He was previously head of finance at Conducktor and has worked at senior levels at PwC, Grant Thornton and Sky.

Jonathan Westwood has been appointed as Bumper’s head of legal and compliance. A general counsel with experience of international commercial contracts with Siemens and Experian, he joins from the Mortgage Advice Bureau where he was head of legal. He will spearhead Bumper’s risk, legal and compliance function 

as the company progresses towards regulated status.

Shreenidhi Subramanian joins as Bumper’s senior product manager. She has a background in fintech and will help scale and grow the business’ product portfolio.

Bumper is ranked at 281 in the FT1000 list of the fastest-growing companies in Europe and is the 49

 fastest-growing UK business across all sectors.

Headcount has grown significantly over recent years with 71 staff across t

he UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany and Netherlands and a further 16 in Turkey at the company’s dedicated 

Commenting on the appointments James Jackson, Bumper’s co-founder and CEO said: “We’re delighted to welcome Alfie, Jonathan and Shreenidhi to the team; all three bring a wealth of specialist and leadership experience to the business and we wish them every success in their new roles.

“As Bumper enters the next stage of its growth, which will see the number of repairs we help dealers to facilitate double this year to 500,000, we have created these new senior positions to support our expansion.”

Bumper announces new additions to management team as it accelerates growth plans

Bumper anuncia nuevas incorporaciones al equipo directivo

Bumper and Keyloop have launched the next phase of their integration by adding all payment types and automatic payment reconciliation for dealers. 

Bumper’s suite of digital payment solutions is included in the enhanced integration. Pay by link, payments made on the customers’ device via SMS or email; Pay by bank, an account-to-account open banking payment method; PayLater, interest-free monthly payments; and PayPads, the all-in-one point-of-sale device bringing together all payment types in a familiar mobile terminal. 

Increased payment flexibility at the checkout improves customer satisfaction and retention. A survey of Bumper customers found 90% would return to the same dealership because Bumper was offered as a payment option and 89% said they felt less stressed. 

This new solution is a major leap forward for retailers with reconciled payments within the Keyloop platform. Designed specifically for Keyloop’s dealer management systems, automated payment reconciliation saves all areas of the business time, from the advisors in the workshop to accounts teams in the back office. 

Payments automatically reconciled across all systems mean advisors no longer need to switch between platforms, minimising the risk of miskeyed information and improving efficiency. Currently available in the UK, further payment enhancements will be rolled out across Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands in the coming months. 

Bumper Co-Founder and CCO, Jack Allman, said, "This integration marks a major milestone in our mission to simplify and enhance the payment process for automotive retailers. We're excited to bring these advanced capabilities to Keyloop's network, driving greater efficiency and customer satisfaction." 

Sebastien Fabri, Partner Director at Keyloop said, “The new enhancement to the Bumper-Keyloop integration marks a significant step towards full digitalisation of payments and reconciliation in the automotive space. Consumers today demand flexible options at the checkout and Bumper affords them this opportunity. Whether that’s Buy Now Pay Later, paying remotely via link, open banking, or instore on the PayPad, this integration is an essential tool for any customer-centric dealer.” 

For more information on how the Bumper Keyloop integration can transform your dealership contact 

Alastair Shephard

Content Writer