Hi Im on holiday and my MOT has expired. Ive tried the British Consulate for advice and they’ve redirected me to DVLA. Has this happened to anyone?
It may be possible to obtain a temporary “controle du vehicle” ?
Can anyone help? Thanks
Have you checked that your insurance will cover you without an MoT? If not, ask them whether they would cover you if you obtained a contrôle technique, the French equivalent of an MoT. You can obtain a CT for a UK-registered car (I did), but perhaps only if you intend to register the car in France.
Welcome, anyway.
You should not be driving a car that it wouldn’t be legal to drive in the UK. A fine would be the least of your problems, if you were caught.
Have you checked the status of your insurance? Worst case scenario you have to get the car trailered back to UK.
If you import your car into France and pay all the charges then you can get a French contrôle technique - but this seems a bit drastic as well!
Right - ignore what I said about CT! Thanks, @JaneJones
AIUI there are garages around Dover familiar with having to MOT cars returned from France.
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In the UK, it’s pretty much impossible to void the 3rd party element of insurance even with no MOT, though I suspect all bets are off while in France.
As others say, your car should be completely UK road legal to be driven in France and a CT won’t cut it.
Technically, it would need to be trailered to a port and then you could drive it in the other side to a pre-booked MOT.
Ignoring technicalities your real problems will arrive when you return to the U.K. ANPR cameras will read your numberplate and flag the lack of a current MOT. The advice that others have given is the best advice, arrange a MOT test near to your port of arrival for the day you return.
To be frank, the ANPR risk is trivial as the penalty is only a fine, assuming everything else is in order.
The real problem could come much sooner if the OP has a collision in France while driving a vehicle that isn’t road legal.
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I would be inclined not to contact your insurers right now as if you tell them you currently have no MOT it might trigger them to invalidate your policy.
In UK law having an expired MOT does not automatically invalidate your insurance, but there might be a clause in your insurance policy that specifies that you must have a valid MOT in order to maintain cover, in which case it would. I assume you have your policy documents with you?
If I were in your shoes I would make an appointment with a garage near to whichever port in the UK your are returning to and then very gingerly drive there ASAP. If you obey all the normal French road traffic rules you are very unlikely to get stopped.
As @JohnH mentioned ANPR is probably not too much of a concern - a few years ago I forgot to get my MOT done (and DVLA did not send me a reminder - they expect you to remember!) so actually drove around MOT-less for a couple of months before I realised…
The road traffic act makes it virtually impossible for an insurer to wriggle out of 3rd party liability after the event, so if they find out after a mishap then it’s tough luck on the insurer. Which is not to say that they might not come after the insured for reimbursement if the contract permits it.
And, as we say in my motorcycle group, DFC (Don’t Flipping Crash, or words to that effect).
Provided you book in for a UK Mot the day you arrive then you wont have a problem with ANPR as pre booked Mot journeys are ok. Doesnt help you if you are stopped in France but chances are you wont.
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While we’re being frank you seem to be out of date when it comes to ANPR. Yes, if a car is picked up by a roadside camera a fine might be sent in the post. If however the camera is on a passing police car the lack of MOT shill be shown and the car will be stopped. The current procedure in the U.K. is to remove that vehicle from the road. That involves recovery costs, release costs and hassle.
I have lived on mainland Europe for 39 years and during that time I have had a few scrapes and the very rare brush with the law. Not once in those 39 years have I ever been asked for a roadworthiness certificate. Even stranger I have only had to show proof of insurance after a collision. Roadside stops have at most asked for a driving licence and registration document. I’m quite up to date on that side of things, my car, stopped at the side of the road, was hit by a passing car less than two weeks ago. Nobody asked for a CT certificate. The two insurance companies are dealing with the claim.
Personally I would prefer that all cars were 100% legal but unfortunately I do not live in that world. 1.
So long as you drive directly to it with no deviation, hesitation, etc.
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A lot of your decision will be based on your attitude to risk 
Whatever you decide, ANPR is a factor you shouldn’t discount, given that all traffic cars and some others are equipped with the kit. So do get your MoT test booked.
Bon courage.
As AM said there is an Mot station just by the pub on the roundabout at Dover but any pre book as you said you drive to, its not specified where that is. Resonable has a very wide interpretation
Edit: just checked google street view and looks like that MOT station has moved further into town.
Needs to be a prebooked appointment, to be absolutely clear, to cover you.
I don’t believe that there is power of seizure for no MOT, perhaps you could cite the relevant legislation?
I will let you do that. If you re read my original reply you will see that I had already given the trump card to avoid ANPR. 2
Here you go:
You’ll note that lack of MOT isn’t one of the criteria.
You’ll also note that I simply questioned your assertion that a car would be seized for no MOT. Anecdotes about your driving experiences in France are neither here nor there.