What Car? Q&A - Can my garage refuse to do an MoT?

Q: I recently took my 12-year-old Vauxhall to have an MoT, but the garage said that it wasn't willing to test it. Can it do this?
Stan Collins

A: There are a few reasons why you could be refused an MoT. These include: not presenting the V5 document with the car; if the car is excessively dirty; if it cannot be driven or has insufficient fuel; if it emits excessive smoke; or the doors, boot or bonnet cannot be opened.

They can also refuse to test on the grounds that the car is mechanically unsafe and it would be dangerous to try and examine it.

If your car has been refused an MoT, the examiner should inform you why.