Mot Emissions Fail

[brumster]

I suppose everything is clear cut apart from one important irregularity... the use of the term "first use". "First use" isn't something documented anywhere on a V5; you've got a manufacture date and a registered date - and on modern V5's you don't have the manufacture date any more, just 2 registration dates - an "original" and a "first time in the UK".

 

I would suggest the registration date is the nearest logical thing to first use, since "use" implies the point at which the car gets driven on UK roads rather than when it came out of a factory (or a garage).

 

This is unfortunate because obviously if there genuinely was a car that was produced in 1982 but sat unregistered for 30 years, there's little chance of it getting through modern-style emissions!

 

I would be guessing there is some wriggle-room with DVLA/VOSA with a well-written letter to argue the definition of "first use" but you'd probably need some evidence. At this point I'm talking in a generic fashion for all cars. For kits, it's probably a little more awkward. Either the owner/builder has knowingly skirted some of the regulations around IVA/SVA and registered it as the old donor, or otherwise the DVLA has made some genuine mistake in setting up the details on the V5... I wouldn't pretend that neither of these things happens out there in the real world ;)

[keith kelly]

I had this issue with one MOT tester in the past but when they put the details into the Computer the computer does state that the date of first use was 1986 which reading the kit car section of the MOT Guide is what it tells the testers to use for emissions if not detailed on the V5.

 

Last year a friend did my MOT but this year I Highlighted this to the tester before we began and he did a quick check and agreed.

[brumster]

Yeah, I suspect it's all online these days - the emissions testing kit is connected online and the tester just enters the car reg (I assume), and it looks up the requirements off the DVLA computers and tests to it. No-one has ever asked to see my V5!

[keith kelly]

I think taking your v5 with you just confuses things better off leaving it at home