The rise of the ‘Ghost MoT’: Fraudulent tests double as rogue garages charge full price for zero work
Thu, 30 Apr 2026
Think your car is safe because it has a fresh MoT? Think again. Shocking new figures from the DVSA reveal that Ghost MoTs – fraudulent certificates issued without a single tool touching the car – have nearly doubled in just 12 months.
It means thousands of motorists could unknowingly be driving death traps while rogue garages pocket the £54.85 fee for doing absolutely zero work.
In the past 12 months, the number of ghost MoT cases recorded by the DVSA has nearly doubled, from 976 to 1809.
Ghost MoT reality could be far worse
Responding to the DVSA figures, Halfords suggests that the number of ghost MoTs are potentially far higher.
“Ghost MoTs are a clear example of rogue garages and MoT testers taking advantage of the system," says Andy Turbefield, MoT expert and Head of Quality at Halfords.
"The only way to be 100% 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... The reality is that we may have already had accidents and deaths as a result of ghost MoTs and we simply don’t know.”
Halfords explains that the DVSA uses its own enforcement team, data supplied by the MoT testing Service (MTS) and by members of the public raising MoT appeals to hunt down perpetrators of ghost MoTs.
They then take into account unusually high MoT pass rates, unrealistic numbers of MoTs taking place or tests being completed too quickly before taking action.
The DVSA found one MoT tester alone had issued 223 ghost MoTs for vehicles that were never tested, potentially indicating the much larger scale of MoT fraud occurring.
Halfords top tips for reducing the risk of a ghost MoT:
- Do checks yourself after the MoT. For example, test your tyres. The legal limit for tyre tread in the UK is 1.6mm, but if they are below 3mm you should get an MoT advisory. If they are below 3mm and nothing was mentioned, something might be up.
- Use established, trusted garages. A reputable garage is unlikely to risk their business. Go for reliable, trusted brands with a large volume of positive reviews
- Beware a quick turnaround. An MoT should take 40-50 minutes. If they tell you to come back in 20 minutes or less to collect the car, that’s a warning
- Be cautious of MoT history on a secondhand car. Secondhand cars often come with a 12-month MoT. If the MoT certificate was issued the day you collect your car, that could be a red flag
