Since Jan. 1, 2021, MOT exemption for vintage cars 50 years or older

Since Jan. 1, 2021, vehicles 50 years old or older no longer need to be MOT tested. Initially, this only applied to cars manufactured before Jan. 1, 1960. Subsequently, it is expected that between 10,000 and 15,000 vehicles will be exempted from the MOT requirement each year as they reach the age of 50.

Vintage cars 50 years or older are exempt from MOT requirements

Since Jan. 1, 2021, it is no longer about the "date of birth" of the vehicle, but an age limit of 50 years or older. In 2008, the MOT was abolished for cars before 1960. So now it is for cars over 60 years old. This 1960 limit meant that cars logically had to be older and older to be exempted from MOT. Therefore, a moving limit of 50 years has now been chosen. APK does remain mandatory for old cabs, ov cars and ADR (hazardous materials) vehicles, due to the function of these types of vehicles.

Why a limit of 50 years and older?

The main reason for this new limit is that many vintage cars aged 50 years and older are owned by enthusiasts who maintain the car very well and drive it relatively little. Moreover, many MOT inspectors often do not have the proper knowledge to perform a MOT inspection on cars of such an age. Therefore, 50 years was chosen when setting the limit.

Owners receive an MOT exemption letter

People with an oldtimer aged 50 years or older receive a so-called MOT exemption letter from the RDW. Since every day there are oldtimers that reach the age of 50, the number of vehicles with an APK exemption is increasing every day. The RDW therefore checks the register daily.

Compare vintage car insurance

A vintage car is a precious possession. After all, you don't buy an old-timer to drive it every day, but to look at it, maintain it well and take an occasional drive. As the proud owner of an oldtimer, you naturally want to make sure it is insured as well as possible. You can find the best vintage car insurance for your beautiful car by comparing insurance policies. You can do this easily with our online comparison tool. After filling in some information about yourself and the oldtimer, choose the desired coverage for your insurance and you will immediately be shown the top 5 cheapest providers. This way, comparing only takes a few minutes of your time.