How Can BookMyGarage Help Me Book a Cheap MOT Near Me?

We show the best MOT deals from thousands of fast-fit, independent and franchise UK garages. When you enter your vehicle reg and postcode into our online comparison site, we show you instant prices from test centres near you.

If you’re looking for a cheap MOT, you can filter your local test centres by price to compare deals and quickly book the best one. We also provide verified reviews, distance and availability information and ensure that each garage sets its own prices. That helps you make an informed choice and also ensures that the price you see is the price you pay.

 

What If I Want to Filter By Something Else?

We keep you in control, no matter what you need. You can filter by availability, distance, reviews and ratings or extra services offered and compare garages that way. We offer you complete transparency and ensure that you deal with the test centre directly throughout your MOT.

If you wish to add a car service or any other work to your MOT booking, just select the extra products from the list on the left-hand side. You can also select contact-free collection and delivery, loan cars or customer drop-off service to see which local test centres offer these options. The price of your booking will instantly update to reflect these additions.

If you want to double-check when your MOT is due before completing a booking, you can do so with our free and easy-to-use MOT checker. You can also use the widget below to sign-up for MOT reminder emails so you don’t miss your expiry date ever again. 

Please note that when you sign up for MOT reminders, we don’t use your email address for any other marketing purposes, unless you have specifically opted in for these communications.

 

 

How Do I Book an MOT Near Me?

1. Enter your vehicle reg and postcode.
2. Compare deals. You can sort garages in your area by whatever best suits your needs: price, distance, reviews and ratings or availability.
3. Pick a date and time for your appointment.

 

After you book your MOT, we send you a confirmation email with a summary of your booking. We also contact the garage and they may also contact you to confirm or ask for extra details.

You never pay for your booking until after all the work has been completed and deal with the garage directly after the initial booking process. You also have the ability to change or cancel your booking for free until the day of your appointment.

 

Why Do I Need to Book an MOT?

The MOT is a yearly legal requirement for all cars aged 3 or older in the UK. Failure to book a test before your vehicle’s expiry date can lead to police prosecution and invalidated car insurance. 

If caught without a valid MOT, you can receive a substantial fine if your car is also unroadworthy. These offences will also result in points being added to your license. The test will identify any of these issues and your car will not pass until it is road-legal.

Make sure you avoid the risk and book your MOT online today. You can book your MOT up to a year in advance or sign up for MOT reminders. This will help you avoid missing the date in the future. We will inform you when your expiry date is fast approaching so that you can book in plenty of time.

 

What Are the Benefits of Booking an MOT Near Me?

There are several benefits to booking an MOT at a local test centre if you’re wondering “does it make a difference if the MOT garage is near me or not?”.

When you choose a cheap MOT at a local garage, your journey will generally be shorter and the location convenient to your home or your workplace.

It also makes it easier to fit your MOT into your normal life. If you choose a local MOT centre, you may know a nearby supermarket or coffee shop where you can wait for the test to be completed. Alternatively, you can drop your car off on your way home and walk the rest of the way. This allows you to save money on travel costs as well.

 

Enter your vehicle reg and postcode into our online comparison site to compare and save on your next MOT booking today.

 

 

FAQs

What is an MOT Test?

An MOT test, or Ministry of Transport Test, is an essential annual vehicle check to assess roadworthiness and safety standards. It ensures all vehicles on UK roads are maintained to a certain standard, improving road safety standards in the process.

 

How Long Does an MOT Take?

An MOT usually takes between 45 and 60 minutes. Many garages offer an ‘MOT-while-you-wait’ service with waiting rooms and refreshments onsite.

If your car fails and needs extra repairs, it will take a lot longer. The test centre will be able to give you a time estimate based on the severity of your repairs.

 

Do I Need an MOT?

You will need an MOT, by law, if you drive a vehicle registered three or more years ago. This means that all drivers of vehicles registered in or before 2019 must book an MOT in 2022.

If your car is less than three years old, you do not need an MOT but you can choose to book one if you wish.

 

What is Tested In an MOT?

The following car parts are all checked during an MOT:

• Seats & Seat Belts
• Warning Lights
• Switches (position lamp, headlights, hazard lights)
• Windscreen Condition, Wipers & Washers
• Brake Controls
• Steering Wheel & Column
• Doors, Mirrors & Horn
• Speedometer & Driver Controls (Class 5 Only)
• Licence Plates
• Lights & Licence Plate Lights
• Indicators & Hazard Lights
• Headlights & Aim
• Brake Lights, Fog Lights & Reflectors
• Wheels & Tyres
• Shock Absorbers
• Mirrors, Wiper Blades & Fuel Tank Cap
• Glazing (Class 5 Only)
• Doors, Boot Lid, Loading Doors, Bonnet
• Towbars
• Bodywork Condition
• Chassis
• Brake System
• Exhaust & Fuel System
• Speed Limiter (if applicable)
• Steering & Power Steering Components
• Suspension Components
• Fuel Tank
• Drive Shafts (if applicable)
• Emissions
• Wheel Bearings

 

How Much is an MOT?

An MOT can cost as much as £54.85, but many test centres set their prices lower to encourage more customers to choose them. While you can pay less than the £54.85 for a class 4 test, you will never pay more as it is a fixed upper limit as set by the UK Government.

Class 4 covers all cars and light commercial vehicles registered in the UK.

 

How Early Can You Do an MOT?

You can book your MOT as early as you want, but most people choose to book it up to a month, minus a day, before the expiry date. This allows you to complete the same expiry date for the following year. For example, if your car was registered on the 1st of September, you could book your MOT between 2nd August and 1st September to keep the same expiry date. 

If you book your MOT early, you get more time to fix any faults and ensure your car is still legal to drive on UK roads. However, if you book your MOT earlier than a month in advance, the expiry date will become the date of your most recent test.

 

When is it Legal to Drive Without an MOT Certificate?

It is only legal to drive without a valid MOT certificate if you are on your way to a pre-booked MOT test or to have the failed defects fixed. If you are stopped by the police, you must be able to prove that you have a booked appointment and confirm it with the test centre or garage.

If you are caught on a public road without a valid MOT certificate, and you can’t meet the above criteria, you can be fined £1,000. There is a further £2,500 fine if your vehicle is found to be unroadworthy. You will also receive 3 points on your driving licence per fault. 

Driving without an MOT certificate also invalidates your car insurance. This brings an unlimited fine, potential disqualification from driving and 6-8 points on your licence.

 

Why Do MOT Tests Include an Exhaust Emissions Test?

The MOT test includes an exhaust emissions test to ensure that your vehicle’s engine is operating efficiently and producing minimal air pollution. It is part of an international effort to reduce the effects of harmful carbon emissions on the planet.

If your vehicle fails the exhaust emissions test or doesn’t have enough fuel to sit this test, the tester must record an automatic MOT failure.

 

How Long is MOT Valid?

An MOT is valid for 12 months. This is calculated from the date of your test to the exact same date the following year. 

If you book your MOT early, it becomes valid for up to 13 months (the 12 months from your expiry date this year to the following year, plus up to an additional 30 days. This depends on how early you booked your MOT).

 

What Do I Do if My MOT is Overdue?

If your MOT is overdue you must book a test immediately. It is illegal to drive on public roads in the UK without a valid MOT certificate.

You can book an MOT online today by entering your vehicle registration and postcode into our online comparison site.

 

 

Can I Drive After a Failed MOT?

You can only drive your car after a failed MOT if:

• The MOT certificate from the previous year is still valid
• No ‘dangerous’ faults were recorded during the failure

 

You must not drive your car after a failed MOT if it doesn’t meet the above requirements.

 

Do I Have to Pay For an MOT Retest?

An MOT retest is free if your car fails on one or more of the areas outlined in the table below and the repair(s) is completed within 1 working day.

• Access Panels
• Battery
• Bonnet
• Bootlid
• Brake Pedal Antislip
• Break Glass Hammer (Class 5 Only)
• Doors (including hinges, pillars and catches)
• Door Open Warning Device (Class 5 Only)
• Dropsides
• Electrical Wiring
• Emergency Exits & Signs (Class 5 Only)
• Entrance Door Remote Control (Class 5 Only)
• Entrance/Exit Steps (Class 5 Only)
• Fuel Filler Cap
• Headlamp Cleaning or Levelling Devices (that don't need a headlight aim check)
• Horn
• Lamps (excluding headlight aim)
• Loading Door
• Main Beam 'Tell-Tale'
• Mirrors
• Rear Reflectors
• Registration Plates
• Seatbelts (not anchorages)
• Seatbelt Load Limiter
• Seatbelt Pre-Tensioner
• Seats
• Sharp Edges or Projections
• Stairs (Class 5 Only)
• Steering Wheel
• Tailboard
• Tailgate
• Trailer Electrical Sockets
• Towbars (excluding body around anchorage points)
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Windscreen Glass
• Windscreen Wipers
• Windscreen Washers
• Wheels and Tyres (excluding motorcycles & motorcycles with sidecar)

 

If the repair is completed within 10 working days, either by the original garage or elsewhere and then you return to the original garage for a retest, you only need to pay for a partial MOT retest. This costs less than the full fee.

If you complete the repairs yourself and choose to take your car into a different test centre, you will need to pay for the full test again.

 

What Do I Need to Take To An MOT Test?

You do not need to take anything except your car to an MOT test. The tester will use the DVSA database to find your existing MOT details and any other information they may need about your car.

You may wish to provide a locking wheel nut in case any repairs are needed to the wheels or tyres.

 

What MOT Changes Were Made in 2018?

The main MOT changes in 2018 introduced new failure categories: minor, major and dangerous defects, alongside advisories. Another key MOT change made the emissions standards test more strict for diesel vehicles.

You can watch our video below for more details: