MOT tester with a tablet inspecting the underside of a car raised on a vehicle lift

MOT Tester study notes

Previous Training Years (Group B)

Topics from earlier training years: refusing a test, first-used dates, electric and hybrid vehicles, vehicles of historical interest, retests and corrosion.

What this topic covers

Topics from earlier training years: refusing a test, first-used dates, electric and hybrid vehicles, vehicles of historical interest, retests and corrosion. The full MOT Tester Annual Assessment app contains 30 questions on this topic, each referenced to its section of the DVSA manual.

Worked examples

Here are a few practice questions from this topic. Try answering each before reading the explanation.

Example 1

A car is presented for test so heavily caked in mud underneath that examination would be unreasonably difficult. What should you do?

A. Refuse to test the vehicle and return any fee paid ✓ correct
B. Decline to test the vehicle and retain the fee paid
C. Test the accessible items and fail the remainder
D. Test the vehicle and record the underside as not tested

Explanation: A vehicle so dirty that examination is unreasonably difficult is one of the listed reasons to refuse, and where a reason to refuse applies the fee must be returned. Declining is a different route, reserved for vehicles outside your authorisation or that cannot be safely tested on the facilities. Testing part of the vehicle is not available, because a proper examination cannot be carried out. (Introduction, section 4, reason b)

Example 2

A vehicle presented for test has no registration mark and no legible VIN or chassis number by which it can be identified. What should you do?

A. Test the vehicle and record the VIN as absent
B. Refuse to test and issue a standard VT30
C. Decline to test and advise the presenter
D. Refuse to test and issue a handwritten CT30 ✓ correct

Explanation: Where a vehicle cannot be identified at all, the manual directs that a handwritten CT30 be issued containing as many vehicle details as possible, with a copy retained by the VTS. A VT30 is what is issued for the other refusal reasons where the test is registered on the service. Declining covers authorisation and facility limits, not identification. (Introduction, section 4, reason i)

Example 3

Which two conditions must both be met for a vehicle to be exempt from statutory MOT testing as a vehicle of historical interest?

A. Over 30 years old and not substantially changed
B. Over 40 years old and registered with a Q plate
C. Over 40 years old and not substantially changed ✓ correct
D. Over 25 years old and taxed as historic

Explanation: Exemption requires both that the vehicle is over 40 years old and that it has not been substantially changed. Age alone is not enough, which is the point most often missed. A Q plate relates to establishing a first-used date rather than to exemption, and the lower age thresholds do not appear in the manual. (Introduction, section 3)

Example 4

Where a vehicle's first-used date is known, how should the defect standards be applied?

A. The current standards should be applied to every vehicle
B. Only defects applicable to the vehicle's age should be used ✓ correct
C. The standards in force at the date of test should be used
D. The presenter should be asked which standards to apply

Explanation: Where the first-used date is known you should use only the defects applicable to the vehicle's age, which is why establishing that date correctly matters. Applying current standards to every vehicle regardless of age would fail vehicles against requirements that never applied to them. The choice of standard is not a matter for the presenter. (Introduction, section 6)

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More MOT Tester study notes

Get all 30 questions on this topic in the MOT Tester Annual Assessment app.