Headlights aimed wrong could cause MOT failure
Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 08:47 · Archive
Headlights aimed outside permitted limits or with incorrect beam patterns can cause a car to fail its MOT test.
Headlights aimed outside the permitted limits can cause a car to fail its MOT test. The MOT inspection manual treats an obviously incorrect beam pattern as a major defect. The Department for Transport has issued guidance on reducing headlight glare, which can dazzle other road users. The Highway Code says drivers must not use lights in a way that dazzles or causes discomfort to others, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
MOT rules for certain replacement bulbs changed on 14 October 2026. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency says testers must now accept ECE-approved LED replacement bulbs, known as LEDr bulbs, in compatible halogen headlamp units. The change applies to class 3, 4, 5 and 7 vehicles fitted with existing halogen headlamps and approved LEDr bulbs.
The bulb must be approved for use in that specific lamp and have a corresponding manufacturer-issued approval sticker. The sticker must be permanently fixed to the vehicle and visible to the tester. A headlamp must be failed if the required sticker is missing, unreadable, appears to have been tampered with or clearly does not match the bulb fitted.
The change does not apply to class 1 and 2 motorcycles, halogen units converted to high intensity discharge bulbs, or full LED headlamp replacements. Complete replacement headlamp units manufactured with LED or high intensity discharge light sources are subject to other relevant MOT requirements.
To reduce glare, the Department for Transport advises drivers to dip their lights before passing other vehicles or road users and be ready to override automatic lighting controls.
How it is being reported
- Are your headlights so bright that you could fail your MOT?Find out how headlamp aim and approved LED replacement bulbs are checked at MOT, and how drivers can reduce glare.News & Star · 4 Nov, 08:21
- Are your headlights so bright that you could fail your MOT?Find out how headlamp aim and approved LED replacement bulbs are checked at MOT, and how drivers can reduce glare.NW Evening Mail · 4 Nov, 08:21
- Are your headlights so bright that you could fail your MOT?Find out how headlamp aim and approved LED replacement bulbs are checked at MOT, and how drivers can reduce glare.Westmorland Gazette · 4 Nov, 08:21
- Are your headlights so bright that you could fail your MOT?Find out how headlamp aim and approved LED replacement bulbs are checked at MOT, and how drivers can reduce glare.Whitehaven News · 4 Nov, 08:21
In this story: Department for Transport · Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency · Highway Code
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