MOT checks for lights and signals on motorcycles are divided into seven sections. Please click on a link below to skip to the section of interest.
front and rear position lamps :: headlamps :: stop lamps :: rear reflectors :: indicators :: headlamp aim :: audible warnings
note: the front position light, or sidelight, is considered separate from the motorcycle’s headlight and at least 50% of all light sources within a lamp must function. If lamps are obscured by other parts of the bike they will fail.
If a motorbike has no lights at all, or they are taped, painted or permanently disconnected so as to emit no light whatsoever you can still get an MOT pass but you will receive an advisory note stating that the bike should only be used during the hours of daylight and not during times of seriously reduced visibility.
The motorcycle MOT does not cover rear fog lights or amber lights within the indicator lens of your bike.
Only one or both headlamps need to illuminate for either dipped or main beam and they must be mounted one on top of the other or symmetrically and no more than 200mm apart.
For the purposes of the MOT mopeds are only required to have a functioning dipped beam.
If your bike was built before 1 January 1931 it doesn’t need a headlight at all but if there is one it must function correctly.
Bikes which cannot exceed 25mph do not have to have a stop lamp fitted nor do mopeds which were first registered before 1 April 1986 but if fitted they must function correctly.
Only one reflector is required for the MOT but your bike will not fail for having more. Unfortunately reflective tape is not considered satisfactory.
Any motorcycle first registered before 1st August 1986 does not need indicators to pass an MOT
Bikes which cannot exceed 30mph or off-road bikes designed to carry just the rider do not need indicators but if fitted they must function correctly.
note: a specialist piece of equipment is needed to correctly check the aim of your motorbikes headlight but if you follow the guidelines below we would be happy to make minor adjustments if necessary free of charge.
front and rear position lamps :: headlamps :: stop lamps :: rear reflectors :: indicators :: headlamp aim :: audible warnings
Hi fasttrack, just a couple of questions about brake and running lights. i) Can a standard running light (which has only one filament) also be re-purposed as a brake light? I.e. could I mount separate brake and running light units, both units having the same spec? What are the technical characteristics required for each? ii) What requirement govern visibility from the side? I.e. what level of light output is required when viewed from a 90 degree angle? Thanks very much for any advice!!!
Hello Ben,
Yes, as long as you can see a steady red light (tail light) and a brighter red light when the brake is applied and it is visible from the rear of the vehicle it is fine. It doesn’t matter if it is one or two units. It doesn’t matter if you cant see the brake light from the side.
All the best,
FMTC
Hi, I have a engine management light showing on the dash of my 2009 Triumph Street Triple, it it due to the AIS valve being removed as its cant work with the Dynojet Power Commander V and Auto Tune as its skews the readings for the Auto Tune. I don’t have a dealer nearby to clear this/deactivate the AIS valve in the ECU. Would this cause a MOT Fail? I do intend to get it cleared as the soonest opportunity, just may not get the chance before the bike is due its next MOT
Hi Stuart,
engine management lights are not a fail, so as long as the rest of the bike in good order you should get a pass certificate. Then in your own time have the light turned out.
Thanks
FTMC.
Hi I have a 76plate yam xs 650 do the indicators need to stay on when the switch is activated or can you hold it in flashing position by hand?they work great when its held in position but cancell as soon as the switch is released. I thought it was ok but i’m told not???
Hi Alan,
Because of the age of the bike you don’t need indicators fitted, but if they are fitted then they must work correctly. So them only working by being held on would be an MOT fail.
All the best
FTMC
Hi Alan,
Because of the age of the bike you don’t need indicators fitted to pass an MOT. But if they are fitted they must work correctly, having to hold them on would be an MOT fail.
All the best,
FTMC
Hi, will my bike pass with a headlight with no high beam switch. Horn and kill switch buttons?
Hello,
You will need high beam and a continuous tone horn to pass, kill switches are not required.
Thanks
FTMC
Hi there,
You need a high beam and continuous horn to pass, kill switches are not required.
Thanks,
FMTC
Hi there!
The Givi Spotlights mounted on my anti crash bars have for whatever reason decided to no longer work just days before my MOT. Standard bad luck. All other lights on my bike work fine and (to my knowledge) my bike should sail through it’s MOT.
I have the ability to switch on and off my spotlights from a switch on the handlebars, so at the moment I just have them permanently switched off.
My questions are 1) Are spotlights MOTable? – I haven’t been able to find the answer to this anywhere. And 2) If yes, will my spotlights in their current condition cause the bike to fail?
Cheers in advance!
Hi Andrew,
Spotlights are not an MOT item, so yours not working wont cause you to fail as long as your headlights work correctly.
Thanks,
FTMC
Hello,
Could you please give me some idea as to how long (or short) a flat seat should be before it is NOT considered as incorporating a “pillion” seat? I am building a street bike without pillion footrests so I want mine considered to be a solo seat. Many thanks in advance if you are able to help.
Hello Tim,
There is no set size for a riders seat that doesn’t incorporate a pillion seat. Physically only one person should be able to fit on the seat, this should eradicate anybody questioning it being a pillion seat.
Thanks,
FMTC
Hi there,
I have a 2001 Honda CBR600F & want to install LED headlights, what are the current MoT regulations on this and will I get pulled by the feds for having them installed
Hello Mark,
The LED headlights wont get you pulled by the police, but to meet MOT standards they would have to have a clear beam pattern, be height adjustable and have high and low beam.
Thanks,
FMTC
Hello there.
I have a couple of questions in regards to the MOT issue. I have seen that people have asked before but that was a while ago and I know that laws change. Can you run your bike still without mirrors? Also with regards to indicators can I remove the front ones and run bar end indicators? Also I take it the integrated tail lamp units are still a fail.
Many thanks for taking the time to read and I hope to get these points clarified in my head.
Hi there,
Yes you can still pass with no mirrors and bar end indicators are still a pass. And yes you are correct an integrated tail unit is a fail, if the indicators interfere with the rear/brake light in any way.
Hope this clears everything up for you.
Hi there. I’m currently customising a 98 xv535. I am fitting a side mounted number plate unit with integrated stop and tail light that’s e-marked so I know this is legal. However I’m planning on fitting another stop tail light on my rear mudguard . It’s only DOT approved but can I use this in the UK. I can’t find a definitive answer anywhere on .gov.uk websites. Thanks in advance…
Hi Martyn,
The stop & tail light is fine in the number plate mount, as long as you don’t have any integrated indicators and emits a steady red light then you will be fine.
Thank you,
FTMC
I have a Suzuki Volusia 2001 that was professionally converted to a trike, it has no hazard lights but has passed the MOT test for years. I have recently been advised that it will not pass now without fitting hazard lights, is this correct?
Hi Mick,
It depends on weight and a couple of of other items as to whether it needs hazards, but we are not sure as we don’t do the class. You need to try a 3 wheeler MOT station. Sorry we can’t give you more help.
Thanks
Hi, I own a ktm 990 and I was looking at purchasing a bkmoto single HID projector light unit. This has a halo around the light and wold have orange led strips for turn signals as well. I will still have the original turn indicators. Does this meet the requirements for UK road laws as the unit is built into a Ktm original headlight unit?
Hello Kris,
as long as the headlight meets UK specification in terms of beam pattern and kick up of beam pattern, is adjustable up and down to meet the headlight aim requirements it will be fine.
Thanks
FTMC
Hi there, I recently had a MOT which my bike failed it’s a 2003 Honda Cbr 600rr. It failed because I have a integrated rear indicator/ brake light unit which I purchased from demon tweeks it is E stamped. What’s your thoughts thanks J
Hi,
Under British MOT law a integrated tail unit will fail if the indicators affect the brake light. So if your indicators are not in separate compartments it wont matter if it’s E stamped or not it’s still a fail.
Hope this helps
hi, i am considering swapping out my headlight but the replacements i am looking at, although dipped & high-beam (E-marked for road use), im not sure they have a fitted side-light. Is the sidelight a requirement for mot ?
I have always believed the side light to be a legal requirement… is this not actually the case ?
cheers
Hi there,
Side lights have to be fitted in order to pass an MOT.
Thanks
Could you please clear this up for me?
I have a 1985 Honda H100S with rubbish electrics. I’m wanting to turn it into a cafe racer style bike. If I remove all lights and just leave horn, speedo, numberplate and rear reflector will it still pass an mot?
Also planning on removing front mudguard, chain cover and removing pillion pegs and fitting a single seat. Would this still pass also? Are there any rules for amount of rear mudguard covering rear wheel?
Sorry for so many questions.
Hi Richard,
If you want to remove the lights then you would have to put in for a daylight MOT. You would have to remove all the lights and indicators fitted. If you remove the pillion pegs and just have a single seat it would be a pass. For the rear mudguard, it doesn’t matter how much is covering the rear wheel, as long as it doesn’t have any sharp edges etc and is secure. You can remove the front mudguard completely and you would probably get an advisory but still pass. If you have removed the pillion pegs, then you wont need the chain guard, but again might get an advisory.
Hope this answers all your questions
Hello I have a dtr 125 the rear running light has stopped working do I need one for mot the brake light and everything else works fine
Hi there,
If you are going for a full MOT and have all other lights then you would definitely need to have a rear running light. If you were going for a daylight MOT then you would have to remove all lights and indicators.
Thanks
hi I currently have a 50cc moped the headlight turns on with the ignition as it should but when I use the main beam ‘flash’ switch as I release it the headlight turns off completely would this fail?
Hi Callum,
the Headlight would need to stay illuminated once the high beam pass light has been released for it to pass the MOT.
Thanks
FTMC
Are side lights counted as part of motorcycle mot?
Replacement headlight unit does not have one, or place to install one.
Headlight comes on auto when engine started.
Thanks
Hi there,
You will need side lights fitted to the bike to pass an MOT.
Thanks
Hi my scooter is due an MOT and I was gonna take it down tomorrow but the rear tail light is cracked not on the main facia so that to obscure the light but at top connection it’s currently taped on will it fail the MOT I have the part ordered just not getting delivered for a few days I really have to use the bike can you help me please
Don’t panic! It should be fine as long as no white light shows through the cracks – use black insulation tape but don’t obscure the part of the light that shines red from the rear 🙂
Thanks that’s really appreciated I was a bit worried not wanting fail or get pulled over IV searched everywhere for somewhere in Glasgow that sells scooter parts but no luck so I ordered straight from the manufacturer but thanks for the feed back
Hi fastrack great service by the way, can I sit my number plate and lights on top of my rear mudguard would it be ok for mot. Thanks.
Hi Mike,
Yes it would be fine as long as the number plate is close to vertical and must be illuminated by a small number plate light.
Thanks
chinese integrated indicators brake light, will the pass if not e marked?
Hi,
To be 100% certain we’d have to see it, and is it a lens cluster or are all the bulbs withing the same lens because they need to be in a separate lens compartment.
Thanks
Hi I’m just wondering if my bike will fail its mot due to not having rear pavilion foot pegs its a learner bike so I can’t carry passengers anyways but would it fail nether the less?
Hi,
You always need to have pillion pegs if you have a rear seat. If you have a seat cowl/cover or a road legal enduro bike then rear pegs are not needed.
Thanks