MOT testing is one of the most effective and essential ways of looking after your vehicle, but how much do you actually know about MOTs?
Page Contents
What Is an MOT?
An MOT test is issued by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
It is a mandatory annual inspection designed to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and meets certain environmental and safety standards.
Once your vehicle is over three years old, it must have a valid MOT certificate to be legally drive on public roads.
An MOT certificate is a document which confirms that your vehicle has met certain appropriate legal road safety and environmental standards.
If you lose your MOT certificate, you can get a replacement online.
MOT testing was introduced several decades ago to test vehicle safety, roadworthiness and exhaust emissions.
The MOT tester will check several essential components, like the brakes, lights and tyres during the test.
If your car passes, you will receive a paper copy of your MOT certificate and you will not have to have the vehicle tested again for another year.
You can renew your MOT certificate up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and your renewal date will stay the same.
Certain vehicles may be MOT exempt, for instance if they were registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes made in the last 30 years.
What Does MOT Stand For?
MOT stands for Ministry of Transport, which was the government department which first introduced the MOT test back in 1960.
How Much Is an MOT?
In the table below, you can see the maximum MOT fee for each type of vehicle.
| Type of Vehicle | MOT Class | Maximum MOT Fee |
| Motorcycle with sidecar, engine size up to 200cc | 1 | £37.80 |
| Motorcycle without sidecar, engine size up to 200cc | 1 | £29.65 |
| Motorcycle with sidecar, engine size over 200cc | 2 | £37.80 |
| Motorcycle without sidecar, engine size over 200cc | 2 | £29.65 |
| 3-wheeled vehicle, up to 450kg unladen weight | 3 | £37.80 |
| 3-wheeled vehicle, over 450kg unladen weight | 4 | £54.85 |
| Car with up to 8 passenger seats | 4 | £54.85 |
| Caravan/Motorhome | 4 | £54.85 |
| Quadbike, up to 400kg max unladen weight | 4 | £54.85 |
| Dual purpose vehicle | 4 | £54.85 |
| Private hire/public service vehicle with up to 8 seats | 4 | £54.85 |
| Ambulance | 4 | £54.85 |
| Taxi | 4 | £54.85 |
| Private passenger vehicle/ambulance with 9-12 passenger seats | 4 | £57.30 |
| Goods vehicle, up to 3,000kg gross weight | 4 | £54.85 |
| 9-12 passenger seat Class 4 vehicle with a seatbelt installation check | 4a | £64 |
| Private passenger vehicles and ambulances, with 13+ seats | 5 | £59.55 |
| Play bus | 5 | £80.50 |
| 13+ seat passenger Class 5 vehicle with a seatbelt installation check | 5a | £80.50 |
| Goods vehicle, 3,000-3,500kg gross weight | 7 | £58.60 |
These MOT prices are set in the UK by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
The maximum cost of an MOT for a car is £54.85. A standard motorbike MOT will cost a maximum of £29.65.
Please know that you do not need to pay VAT on the MOT fee.
Is an MOT a Fixed Price?
MOT charges are based on the type of vehicle you own.
The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has set a price cap, meaning so you should never expect to pay more than the maximum price stated above for your vehicle's MOT.
At the same time, be wary of incredibly cheap MOT prices.
Unfortunately, some garages may attempt to lure you in with a £10 MOT, just to overcharge you for expensive and sometimes unnecessary repairs.
Always do your research when looking for a discount on your MOT. You can read honest reviews from real customers on our website to help you decide which garage is the best for you.
Most importantly, you can save money on your MOT by comparing deals through BookMyGarage.com and choosing one of the lower-cost options. Go on, enter your reg and postcode below to see how much you can save.
When Is the Earliest You Can Get an MOT?
Once your vehicle is 3 years old from the date of its registration, it will need its first MOT test.
The vehicle will then need to be retested each year on the anniversary of the last MOT test.
You can have your vehicle MOT tested up to a month - minus a day - before it runs out if you wish to keep the same renewal date.
You can find the date of expiry on the MOT test certificate, provided the vehicle passed the test.
When Is My MOT Due?
You can find out when your MOT runs out by checking the gov.uk website.
Checking the MOT history of your car can tell you other details about previous tests, such as:
- If the vehicle passed or failed
- The mileage when it was tested
- The date of the test
- Any failures or minor issues reported
- When your next MOT is due
Alternatively, if you want to easily check when your next MOT is due, you can use our handy free MOT checker.
On BookMyGarage, you can compare prices in your local area by entering your reg plate and postcode into the booking tool below.
Browse local garages and compare them by price, distance, availability and ratings to find the best garage to perform your MOT.
If you want, you could even book an MOT alongside a service to give your car the best chance of passing.
