The Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981

Changes over time for: Section 13

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Changes to legislation:

There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to The Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

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Changes and effects yet to be applied to Regulation 13:

reg. 13 substituted by S.I. 2003/1698 reg. 5

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Instrument associated Parts and Chapters:

Blanket amendment words substituted by S.I. 2011/1043 art. 3-6 8-10

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Instrument (including any effects on those provisions):

Sch. 2 para. 1(c) inserted by S.I. 2003/1698 reg. 9(3)
Sch. 2 para. 3(b) item 27A inserted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(2)(b)
Sch. 2 para. 2(e) inserted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(1)
Sch. 2 para. 4(b) item 32 omitted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(3)(b)
Sch. 2 para. 5(e) omitted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 15(b)
Sch. 2 para. 2(d) substituted by S.I. 2003/1698 reg. 9(4)
Sch. 2 para. 5(a) word inserted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(5)
Sch. 2 para. 5A(a) word inserted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(6)
Sch. 2 para. 3(b) word substituted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(2)(a)
Sch. 2 para. 3A(a) word substituted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(3)
Sch. 2 para. 4(a) words inserted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(3)(a)
Sch. 2 para. 4A words inserted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(4)
Sch. 2 para. 3(b) table words inserted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(2)
Sch. 2 para. 4(a) words substituted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(3)(a)
Sch. 2 para. 4A words substituted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 4(4)
Sch. 2 para. 1(c) item 13A words substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 5(2)
Sch. 2 para. 2(b) item 22 words substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 5(3)
Sch. 2 para. 2(d) item 27 words substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 5(4)
Sch. 2 para. 4(a) words substituted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 12(4)
Sch. 2 para. 3(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 11(a)
Sch. 2 para. 3A(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 12
Sch. 2 para. 4(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 13(a)
Sch. 2 para. 4A words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 14
Sch. 2 para. 5(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 15(a)
Sch. 2 para. 5A(a) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 16
Sch. 2 para. 5(f) words substituted by S.I. 2019/453 reg. 24(3)(c)
Sch. 2 para. 5A(c) words substituted by S.I. 2019/453 reg. 24(3)(d)
reg. 5(6) inserted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 4(b)
reg. 5(6)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2020/818 Sch. 6 para. 8(2)
reg. 6(1)(xxi)(b) substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 5(a)
reg. 6(1)(xivA) inserted by S.I. 2006/594 Sch. para. 6
reg. 6(1)(xxvi) and word inserted by S.I. 2012/2652 reg. 3(3)
reg. 6(1)(xxvii)(xxviii) inserted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 5(d)
reg. 6(1)(xxix) inserted by S.I. 2020/382 reg. 2(2)
reg. 6(1)(xxix) revoked by S.I. 2020/382 reg. 3
reg. 6(1)(xxvi) substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 5(c)
reg. 6(1B) inserted by S.I. 2020/382 reg. 2(3)
reg. 6(1B) revoked by S.I. 2020/382 reg. 3
reg. 6(1B)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2020/790 reg. 2
reg. 6(3)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 6
reg. 7A(2) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(4)
reg. 8A(a)(ii) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(5)
reg. 8B(c) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(6)
reg. 8C(b) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(7)
reg. 8C(c) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(7)
reg. 8D(a)(ii) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(8)
reg. 8D(b) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(8)
reg. 8E(c) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(9)
reg. 13(1)(m) words substituted by S.I. 2019/453 reg. 24(3)(a)
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(c)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(d)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(e)(ea) substituted by S.I. 2012/307 reg. 3(2)
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ca) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1632 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2006/2680 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1402 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/643 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(da)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1879 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/2341 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1461 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/802 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(3) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(i) word substituted by S.I. 2014/2114 reg. 3(4)
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2004/1879 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2005/2341 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2007/506 reg. 3(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2008/1461 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2009/802 reg. 2(2) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) sum substituted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(3) Table
reg. 20(1)(ea)(ii) word substituted by S.I. 2014/2114 reg. 3(5)
reg. 20(3)(3ZA) substituted by S.I. 2007/1161 reg. 2(2)
reg. 20(3)(3ZA) substituted for reg. 20(3) by S.I. 2006/1998 reg. 2(2)
reg. 20(3B)(3C) substituted by S.I. 2006/1998 reg. 2(6)
reg. 20(4)(i) words omitted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(6)(a)
reg. 20(4)(ii) words omitted by S.I. 2010/449 reg. 4(6)(a)
reg. 23(1)(c) word substituted by S.I. 2014/480 reg. 3(11)
reg. 23(3)(b) substituted by S.I. 2005/1832 reg. 4
reg. 25A(3A)(3B) inserted by S.I. 2003/1698 reg. 8(2)
reg. 31 inserted by S.I. 2013/271 reg. 13
reg. 31(2) words substituted by S.I. 2017/850 reg. 8

Requirements as to vehicles submitted for examinationsE+W+S

13.—[F1(1)] [F2An authorised examiner, a section 66A examiner, a nominated tester and an inspector] F3... shall not be under any obligation to carry out an examination of a motor vehicle where—

(a)on the submission of a vehicle for an examination the applicant does not, after being requested to do so, produce the registration book issued under the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licencing) Regulations 1971 relating to the vehicle, or other evidence, acceptable to the examiner, inspector [F4or nominated tester, as the case may be] or Secretary of State, of the date of the vehicle's first use or manufacture and the chassis or serial number given to the vehicle by its manufacturer and, if the manufacturer has also given the vehicle an identification number, that number also;

(b)the vehicle or any part thereof or any of its equipment is so dirty as to make it unreasonably difficult for the examination to be carried out in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations;

(c)the examiner or inspector [F5or nominated tester, as the case may be] is not able with the facilities and apparatus available to him at the place at which the examination would otherwise be carried out to complete the examination without the vehicle being driven and the vehicle is not when submitted for examination, either for want of fuel or oil or for any other reason, fit to be driven to such extent as may be necessary for the purposes of the carrying out of the examination;

(d)before the carrying out of an examination of a motor vehicle any things which are on the vehicle, and are not part of its equipment or accessories, are required by the examiner or inspector [F6or nominated tester, as the case may be] to be removed from the vehicle or to be secured in such manner as he may think necessary and the things are not removed or secured accordingly; F7...

(e)in a case where the fee for the examination is payable in advance of the examination the examiner, or inspector [F8or nominated tester, as the case may be], F3... is not satisfied that the fee payable for the examination has been paid as required by Regulation 20(2)(a) or (b)(i); F9...

[F10(f)in the case of a [F11Class VI or VIA] vehicle—

(i)the vehicle is not submitted for examination at the time and date fixed for the examination; F12...

(ii)the driver of the vehicle is requested to remain in it or its vicinity throughout the examination, to drive it, to operate its controls, to remove or refit its panels or to open or close its doors and he declines to do so [F13; or

(iii)wheelchair restraining devices are not installed in the vehicle at the time it is submitted for examination]];

[F14(g)the vehicle emits substantial quantities of avoidable smoke;

(h)a proper examination of the vehicle cannot readily be carried out as a consequence of any door, tailgate, boot lid, engine cover, fuel cap or other device designed to be capable of being readily opened, being locked or otherwise fixed so that it cannot be readily opened; F15...

(j)without prejudice to sub-paragraph (c), the condition of the vehicle is such that, in the opinion of the examiner or inspector [F16or nominated tester, as the case may be], a proper examination of the vehicle would involve a danger of—

(i)injury to any person, or

(ii)damage to the vehicle or any other property] [F17; F18...

(k)in the case of a vehicle propelled by a compression ignition engine, to which regulation 61(10BA) of the Construction and Use Regulations applies, the exhaust system has been so altered that the examiner or inspector [F19or nominated tester, as the case may be] is not able, with the facilities and apparatus available to him at the place at which the examination would otherwise be carried out, to determine whether Part II of Schedule 7B to those Regulations applies to the vehicle];

[F20(l)the vehicle—

(i)does not have a registration mark, vehicle identification number, chassis number or serial number; or

(ii)has one or more of those marks and numbers, but either none of them is legible or such one or more as is legible is in a script other than English.]

F21(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1Reg. 13 renumbered as reg. 13(1) (9.10.1995) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/2438), regs. 1, 5(1)

F2Words in reg. 13(1) substituted (1.6.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1113), regs. 1(1), 7(a) (with reg. 1(3))

F3Words in reg. 13(1) omitted (9.10.1995) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/2438), regs. 1, 5(1)(a)

F4Words in reg. 13(1)(a) inserted (1.6.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1113), regs. 1(1), 7(b) (with reg. 1(3))

F5Words in reg. 13(1)(c) inserted (1.6.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1113), regs. 1(1), 7(c) (with reg. 1(3))

F6Words in reg. 13(1)(d) inserted (1.6.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1113), regs. 1(1), 7(d) (with reg. 1(3))

F7Word in reg. 13 omitted (1.11.1991) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/2229), regs. 1(1)(c), 4(a)

F8Words in reg. 13(1)(e) inserted (1.6.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1113), regs. 1(1), 7(e) (with reg. 1(3))

F9Word in reg. 13(1) omitted (9.10.1995) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/2438), regs. 1, 5(1)(b)

F10Reg. 13(f) added (1.11.1991) by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/2229), regs. 1(1)(c), 4(c)