In the UK We have the MOT Test – But What About Other Countries?

The MOT test or the Ministry of Transport test is an annual test of vehicle safety and roadworthiness that is required for most cars in the United Kingdom over three years old and used on public roads.

MOT test certificates are currently issued in the UK under the auspices of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, or VOSA, which is an agency operated under the Department for Transport.

Other countries have their own versions of the MOT test that vehicles driven in the country must pass before they are considered legally safe enough to be driven on the open road.

In Ireland the National Car Test is given and in Japan there is the annual Motor Vehicle Inspection.

The MOT test in the UK and Similarities with Northern Ireland's National Car Test

In the UK the MOT test can be given at any local MOT centre, as well as at designated car garages - located throughout the UK - which are authorised to perform the test and issue a certification.

If there are any issues with the vehicle that make it unsafe to be driven on public roads, then the owner must take steps to deal with these issues before the car can be issued an MOT test certificate - showing that they have passed and that the vehicle is perfectly fine to be driven.

In Northern Ireland, all of the National Car Tests are performed at local DVA test centres only. There are 42 centres located across Ireland and the tests cover various aspects of vehicles such as the tyres, brakes and shock absorbency.

Similarities between the UK MOT test and the Japanese Motor Vehicle Inspection test

In Japan, the Motor Vehicle Inspection test was put in place to help ensure that all vehicles that are on Japanese roads are properly maintained and safe to be driven at all times.

Another reason for this type of test is to determine if the vehicle has been illegally modified. Those cars that have been determined to be illegally modified in Japan will be deemed unsafe by the police and will be given a red sticker with the date on it, showing that the vehicle has been declared not suitable enough to be driven.

Areas covered by an MOT test and other tests

An MOT test in the UK will typically cover all of the lighting and signaling equipment, the steering, the suspension, the brakes, the tyres and road wheels, all of the seat belts inside of the car, the body, structure, the exhaust, fuel and emissions and the driver's view of the road.

The National Car Test, like the MOT test, will pay close attention to the tyres, brakes and shock absorbers as well as test the exhaust fumes for compliance with EU emissions standards. Mechanics will also take a look at the vehicle's other safety features such as the spare tyre, seat belts and lights when carrying out this test.

The Motor Vehicle Inspection test in Japan takes a thorough look at the exterior of the car and covers such items as the tailpipes, fenders and windows. The speedometer, headlamps, exhaust and emissions are also looked at as well as the suspension and interior.

On many occasions older vehicles in Japan will not pass the inspection; these vehicles are usually exported to be destroyed or recycled.

Carried out a huge number of times each year, most car owners in the United Kingdom are well aware of the MOT test. This article takes a closer look at the MOT test, as well as its foreign equivalents.