Originally an MOT stood for Ministry of Transport and was the ancestor of the current Department of Transport, but the name remains in the form of the certificate required to drive on the UK roads. The test was introduced in 1960 and only applied to cars 10 years old or more however in today's society it has become a regular check to determine the safety standards of your car are all there working properly and within regulations.
An MOT is a test performed every 12 months to determine that the vehicle still performs to certain standards whilst on the road in the UK. An exception to this is the first 3 years after a car is made the industry standards should mean that most parts and functions of the car are already up to standard. There is no reminder letter for the owner, you must keep a clear idea of when this is due and arrange for your car to be inspected by a registered mechanic.
During the test the cars basic functions are thoroughly checked to ensure everything is basically working as it should be, lights, breaks, electrics, horn, mirrors, tyres, engine and exhaust fumes are checked to ensure the car is not emitting too many harmful gasses.
Most of the checks performed will be focused on the safety features of the car, the ones without which it would be dangerous to drive so even windscreen wipers are checked as they provide visibility. This does not mean the car has been serviced, which is when the engines functionality is put to the test and faults may be found.
An MOT simply gives an overall safety inspection. If it passes a car is awarded an MOT certificate but if it fails VT30 and will have to be brought up to standard and usually a free re-test is given when the work is carried out on the premises of the garage you have been tested in.
There are certain things you can check before your car goes into the MOT test, check all lights including the colours are working properly, make sure seat belts and interior seating is stable and in good working order, registration plates are securely fixed onto the vehicle and legible and that all fluids are topped up, washer, break, coolant and oil. You can also test your own tyre pressure and look at the condition of the wear, make sure these are all within the recommended guidelines in the manual.
If you have done everything you can to prepare the car for the MOT then you might also want to find a garage via a recommendation by a friend or with research on the internet before you commit to getting the MOT test performed or and subsequent work carried out. If your garage is quoting a very high amount for the work required to get the MOT certificate then you can always shop around at this point. You will require a VT17 form done and take your vehicle elsewhere however the re-test will need to be carried out in 5 days.
VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) set the guide prices for the MOT tests but cannot control the prices on any work done at a particular garage. The MOT in itself does not guarantee you against repairs for the next 12 months but it does mean that on this day it is safe to be on the roads in the UK.