How much does an MOT cost?

For drivers in England, Scotland and Wales who want to know the most a test centre can charge for an MOT.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

Test centres can charge up to a maximum set by law. The maximum fee is £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle. There's no VAT on the fee.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Car: up to £54.85
Motorcycle: up to £29.65
No VAT

Maximum MOT fees by vehicle

The law sets the most a test centre in England, Scotland or Wales can charge. Many garages charge less, so it is worth shopping around. You do not pay VAT on the fee.

Vehicle	MOT class	Maximum fee
Motorcycle (any engine size)	1 or 2	£29.65
Motorcycle with sidecar	1 or 2	£37.80
3-wheeled vehicle up to 450kg	3	£37.80
Car (up to 8 passenger seats), motor caravan, quad	4	£54.85
Taxi or ambulance	4	£54.85
Goods vehicle up to 3,000kg	4	£54.85
Private passenger vehicle, 9 to 12 seats	4	£57.30
Private passenger vehicle, 13 to 16 seats	5	£59.55
Private passenger vehicle, over 16 seats	5	£80.65
Goods vehicle 3,000kg to 3,500kg	7	£58.60

Most cars need their first MOT when they are 3 years old. Taxis, ambulances and vehicles with 9 or more passenger seats need one from 1 year old.

What a failed MOT costs you

If your vehicle fails, the cost of the retest depends on where and when it is retested.

What you do	Retest cost
Leave it at the test centre for repairs, retested within 10 working days	Free partial retest
Take it away and bring it back by the end of the next working day, for certain items only	Free partial retest
Take it away and bring it back within 10 working days	Partial retest fee may be charged
Any other case	Full MOT fee again

The items that qualify for a free next-day retest are mostly simple fixes. They include lamps, the horn, mirrors, seatbelts, seats, wipers and washers, number plates, doors, the bonnet and boot, and wheels and tyres (not on motorcycles).

Worked example

Your car fails on a broken brake light. You take it home, fix it and return to the same centre the next working day. Lamps are on the free retest list, so you pay nothing more. Your total MOT cost is the original fee, at most £54.85.

If instead you came back 3 weeks later (more than 10 working days), you would need a full retest and could pay up to £54.85 again, so up to £109.70 in total.

If you live in Northern Ireland

MOTs in Northern Ireland are done at Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) test centres, and the fees are different.

Vehicle	Full test	Retest
Car (Class IV)	£38.00	£29.50
Motorcycle (Class I or II)	£34.00	£29.50

If you cannot keep your DVA appointment, give at least one clear day's notice or you lose your fee.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Fees are the current maximums shown on GOV.UK and nidirect on 5 October 2026.

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Book an MOT

Common questions

Can garages charge less?

Yes. These are maximum fees, so centres can charge less.

Source: Getting an MOT: MOT costs

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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