Cost of an MoT could rise after lobbying from garages
Wed, 22 Oct 2025
The cost of an MoT is under review and set for industry-wide consultation after garages highlighted growing financial pressures caused by the long-static fee.
The Department for Transport (DfT) will consult with stakeholders later this year, following a series of meetings between the Independent Garage Association (IGA) and Minister for Local Transport Lilian Greenwood.
The maximum MoT fee is £54.85 for cars and £29.65 for motorcycles. Remarkably, it has remained static for 15 years, despite rising costs.
"The current system places unsustainable pressure on businesses that are essential to maintaining road safety across the UK," says IGA CEO Stuart James.
"We are pleased that the Minister has recognised the invaluable contribution of independent garages and the Department for Transport is now actively reviewing the MoT fee structure."
James hopes the review will lead to a "fairer, more sustainable framework for MoT testing that reflects the real costs faced by garages."
The IIndependent Garage Association says it has already provided plenty of evidence to the DfT on the impact of the long-static MoT fee and will "advocate for a fair and sustainable future" for independent garages.
While the £54.85 fee, set back in 2010, is a maximum fee, garages are able to charge less. Larger organisation can charge as little as £10 for an MoT, if it's carried out at the same time as a service.
However, smaller garages have less flexibility to provide such offers. They are also under pressure from the rising cost of living in areas such as salaries, which is why the long-awaited MoT fee review has finally been given the green light.
The development comes as latest research shows MoT pass rates have risen 20% in the last decade.
