The MOT fee has remained static for 16 years and the Independent Garage Association (IGA) is now calling for an urgent review to look at an increase.
It is urging on the government to look at the current £54.85 fee as it “firmly believes it should be significantly higher”.
The organisation has written to senior officials at both the Department for Transport and the Treasury asking then to put up the MOT fee, which has been capped since 2010.
Since then, says the IGA, costs have increased due to inflation alone. However, independent garages have also incurred additional cost pressures including labour, rent, equipment, fuel, energy, compliance and administration.
While the DVSA recently announced MOT fee increases for buses, coaches, HGVs and trailers, the fee for regular class 4 cars has not been increased.
As a result, say garages, MOT work is becoming unsustainable.
MOT shortages?
Stuart James, CEO of the IGA, said: “Our members are advising us that the current situation, relating to the stagnant MOT fee cap, is leading to garages setting up their facilities to prioritise more profitable work, reducing the number of bays available for MOT testing and therefore reducing the national capacity.
“We need to ensure that independent garages are able to prioritise the availability of workshop facilities and resources for this vital service.
“If the MOT does not remain economically viable for garages, this would have a significant impact on consumer choice with regards to accessibility, locality and convenience of available MOT test stations.”
More MOT misery
MOTs have been in the news recently, with research earlier this month indicating that the price of MOT repairs has spiralled in recent years.
Although MOT pass rates are increasing, the cost of repairs for those whose cars fail the test is up 70 percent since 2022.
The number of ‘ghost MOTs’ is also on the up, while millions of drivers are also illegally skipping MOTs.
Alarmingly, separate figures have shown 1 in 4 vans are now failing their first MOT – a failure rate more than twice that of cars.
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