A ‘daytime MOT’ is the popular rather than official term used for a Ministry of Transport vehicle test which confirms your motorcycle is legally roadworthy for use only in daylight and conditions of clear visibility. If your bike meets the test criteria you will be issued with a normal MOT certificate but with an advisory note (a VT32) which confirms the daytime/ visibility restriction which applies. If you have a daytime MOT you may not legally use your bike on the public highway outside of daylight hours or at times of seriously reduced visibility.
To qualify for a daytime MOT your bike must “
have neither front nor rear position lamps, or have such lamps permanently disconnected, painted over or masked.” This applies to headlamps, position lamps and indicators. The situation with stop lamps is significantly more complicated. Machines do not need to have a stop lamp fitted if they cannot exceed 25mph, were first used before 1
st January 1936 or were first used before 1
st April 1986 and do not exceed 50cc. Those first used before 1
st April 1986 must have a stop lamp that operates from at least one brake control and those used on or after that date must have a stop lamp operated from both brakes. There is an added if not widespread complication for bikes first used from 1
st April 1986 which were approved with a stop lamp activated by one control. There were very few of these and test inspectors are instructed to fail a bike only if they are certain the stop lamp was designed to be operated by both brake controls and isn’t.
Hope this helps