Fraudulent MOT certificates are a growing problem in the UK, with a dramatic increase in the number of so-called ‘ghost MOTs’.
A ghost MOT occurs when an MOT test pass certificate is created without the vehicle it applies to having been tested.
This allows rogue MOT testers to charge for issuing a certificate without actually making an inspection.
Whether done with the owner’s knowledge or not, issuing a ghost MOT now accounts for some 80 percent of all fraudulent test certificates according to the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency).
Research by Halfords found the number of ghost MOT cases recorded by the DVSA has doubled, from 976 to 1,809 during the past 12 months.
Phantom MOT certificates
However, Halfords believes that such numbers barely ‘scratch the surface’ of the ghost MOT problem, in part due to the way that issues are reported to the DVSA.
Identifying rogue MOT testers relies on members of the public raising an appeal about a test certificate, or from analysing data supplied by the DVSA’s own MOT Testing System software.
The latter can potentially identify individual testers with unusually high levels of MOT pass rates. It may also spot inspections being completed unfeasibly quickly, or an unrealistic number of certificates being issued.
Such reporting cannot cover all instances of ghost MOTs, but is able to highlight the most dramatic instances. These include one single tester found to have issued 233 ghost MOTs alone.
Fraud reporting saw the DVSA take action to stop 156 garages and 335 individuals from undertaking MOT testing during the latest 12-month period. In addition, 32 were prosecuted for MOT malpractice between 2024 and 2025.
However, potential collusion between vehicle owners and testers to obtain test certificates without an inspection could mask the problem.
A ‘huge impact’ on road safety
Last year saw the DVSA trial a system that requires testers to photograph a car during the MOT process to prove the vehicle was actually present.
Where there is suspicion of a ghost MOT certificate being issued, ANPR cameras can also be checked to see if a vehicle was in the vicinity of the testing location at the right time.
Andy Turbefield, MOT expert at Halfords said: “Ghost MOTs are a clear example of rogue garages and MOT Testers taking advantage of the system. The only way to be 100 percent sure an MOT has been conducted is to do another one via the DVSA appeal process. This difficulty in spotting if a car has had a ghost MOT means the official figures likely only scratch the surface.
“However, the impact on motorists can be huge in terms of safety. MOTs check key safety components like tyres and brakes. It’s a matter of time until someone is killed. The reality is that we may have already had accidents and deaths as a result of ghost MOTs and we simply don’t know.”
Have you been affected by fraudulent MOT activity? Let us know in the comments below.
