(1)A person who uses on a road at any time, or causes or permits to be so used, a motor vehicle to which this section applies, and as respects which no test certificate has been issued within the appropriate period before that time, is guilty of an offence.
In this section and section 48 of this Act, the “appropriate period” means a period of twelve months or such shorter period as may be prescribed.
(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (5) below, the motor vehicles to which this section applies at any time are—
(a)those first registered under the [1971 c. 10.] Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971, the [1962 c. 13.] Vehicles (Excise) Act 1962, the [1949 c. 89.] Vehicles (Excise) Act 1949 or the [1920 c. 72.] Roads Act 1920, not less than three years before that time, and
(b)those which, having a date of manufacture not less than three years before that time, have been used on roads (whether in Great Britain or elsewhere) before being registered under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 or the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1962,
being, in either case, motor vehicles other than goods vehicles which are required by regulations under section 49 of this Act to be submitted for a goods vehicle test.
(3)As respects a vehicle being—
(a)a motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers and with more than eight seats, excluding the driver’s seat, or
(b)a taxi (as defined in section 64 (3) of the [1980 c. 34.] Transport Act 1980), being a vehicle licensed to ply for hire, or
(c)an ambulance, that is to say, a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted, and primarily used, for the carriage of persons to a place where they will receive, or from a place where they have received, medical or dental treatment, and which, by reason of design, marking or equipment is readily identifiable as a vehicle so constructed or adapted,
subsection (2)(a) above shall have effect as if for the period there mentioned there were substituted a period of one year.
(4)For the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above, there shall be disregarded the use of a vehicle before it is sold or supplied by retail.
(5)This section does not apply to vehicles of such classes as may be prescribed.
(6)The Secretary of State may by regulations exempt from subsection (1) above the use of vehicles for such purposes as may be prescribed.
(7)The Secretary of State may by regulations exempt from subsection (1) above the use of vehicles in any such area as may be prescribed.
(8)For the purposes of this section the date of manufacture of a vehicle shall be taken to be the last day of the year during which its final assembly is completed, except where after that day modifications are made to the vehicle before it is sold or supplied by retail, and in that excepted case shall be taken to be the last day of the year during which the modifications are completed.
(9)The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument direct that subsection (2) above shall have effect with the substitution, for three years (in both places), of such other period (not being more than ten years) as may be specified in the order.
An order under this subsection shall not have effect unless approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.