Finding out that your impounded car has failed its MOT can make the situation even more complicated. While it’s still possible to recover the vehicle, you can’t simply drive it away as if it were roadworthy. The rules depend on the reason for failure, how serious the defects are, and whether the car is insured and booked in for repair or retesting.

Can you still collect the car?

Yes, you can still collect a vehicle from the pound even if it has failed its MOT. The pound only requires that the car is insured and that whoever removes it has legal authority to do so. However, if the failure makes the car unsafe or illegal to drive, you’ll need to arrange recovery by a truck or trailer rather than driving it home yourself.

Driving an unroadworthy vehicle on public roads may result in penalty points, fines, or even prosecution. The pound will not accept responsibility if you choose to drive a failed vehicle away, so it’s important to plan the removal safely and lawfully.

Driving directly to a pre-booked MOT retest

The law allows a car without a valid MOT to be driven on public roads only in two circumstances:

• to a pre-booked MOT test appointment;
• or to or from a place of repair following a failed test.

If you plan to drive the car from the pound straight to a garage, you must have a confirmed appointment and be able to show proof of booking if stopped by police. It’s also essential that the vehicle is still roadworthy — meaning no dangerous defects such as faulty brakes, damaged tyres, or broken lights.

Even with an appointment, you still need valid insurance and tax to drive legally. Most impound-specific policies provide temporary cover suitable for short journeys like this, but you should double-check the certificate wording before leaving the site.

When recovery is the only option

If the MOT failure lists any dangerous defects, the vehicle cannot legally be driven on the road under any circumstance, not even to a testing centre. In that case, you must use a professional recovery service or motor trader to transport it. They’ll need trade insurance that covers the movement of unroadworthy vehicles from police compounds or garages.

This may cost extra, but it’s far cheaper than risking further penalties or points for driving a vehicle deemed unsafe. The pound may also require confirmation that the collection will be done by recovery truck before release.

What to do after taking the car home

Once the car is off the pound site, have it inspected and repaired as soon as possible. When it’s roadworthy again, book and pass a fresh MOT test to bring it back into compliance. You can then switch from temporary impound insurance to a standard annual policy for ongoing use.

If you decide that the car isn’t worth repairing, you can legally scrap it through an authorised treatment facility. Always get a Certificate of Destruction to prove you’ve disposed of it properly; this prevents future tax or ownership issues.

Tips to prevent further issues

• Keep copies of all MOT results and repair invoices — they may be needed if there’s any dispute later.
• Don’t assume short-term impound cover automatically includes the right to drive unroadworthy vehicles; check the policy wording carefully.
• If in doubt, arrange transport rather than risk another fine or seizure.

Final note

An impounded car that’s failed its MOT can still be recovered, but driving it away is only legal if it’s roadworthy and heading directly to a pre-booked test or repair. Otherwise, use a recovery truck or trader. Fix the faults quickly, retest the vehicle, and keep the paperwork — it’s the simplest way to get fully legal again and avoid future trouble.

Check here for more useful information about impounded cars!

Please note: impound rules, collection windows and fee structures are set locally and can change at any time. Details on this site offer a broad outline only and are not guaranteed to match the requirements of any individual pound or authority.