in the UK, a compulsory annual roadworthiness test for motor vehicles older than a certain age. In general, MOT tests are compulsory for motor vehicles three years old and over; for taxis, ambulances, large goods vehicles, and large passenger-carrying vehicles, they are compulsory from one year onwards
a certificate to show that a vehicle has passed such a test
[short for Ministry of Transport, the government department that introduced the test, now called Department of Transport]