Comprehensive MOT Test Centre Information Near Me

Find the nearest MOT Test Centres. Enter your postcode in the search box and we'll find all the MOT Stations near you ordered by distance. In addition to a handy map we will also include booking telephone numbers and, where possible, opening times. If you have a car, van, motor bike, private passenger vehicle or, even, a trike, we'll list all the M.O.S. Test Centers near you.

MOT Test Centre Counties

UK MOT Test Centres in Dorset

DT11 0YA
DT11 0YP
DT11 0ST
DT11 0TJ
DT11 0TL
DT11 0SU
DT11 0SS
DT11 0SR
DT11 0SG
DT11 0TY
DT11 0TZ
DT11 0RH
DT11 0SX
DT11 0TW
DT11 0SY
DT11 0TQ
DT11 0TX
DT11 0SF
DT11 0SN
DT11 0TG
DT11 0TH
DT11 0TB
DT11 0SJ
DT11 0YX
DT11 0XZ
DT11 0WX
DT11 0TT
DT11 0TD
DT11 0YF
DT11 0SL
DT11 0SZ
DT11 0SQ
DT11 0SP
DT11 0SH
DT11 0QR
DT11 0SW
DT11 0RZ
DT11 0QU
DT11 0TE
DT11 0SE
DT11 8EU
DT11 0QT
DT11 0RA
DT11 0QS
DT11 0SA
DT11 8HH
DT11 0TU
DT11 0PH
DT11 0QZ
DT11 8EW
DT11 8HQ
DT11 0TF
DT11 8EP
DT11 8ER
DT11 8HL
DT11 8HN
DT11 0TA
DT11 7YQ
DT11 8EB
DT11 8ET
DT11 8DU
DT11 0QX
DT11 8DY
DT11 8EL
DT11 8ES
DT11 8EN
DT11 8EJ
DT11 8FH
DT11 8DZ
DT11 8DS
DT11 0QY
DT11 8EH
DT11 8EA
DT11 0QP
DT11 8ED
DT11 8DX
DT11 8EE
DT11 8EF
DT11 8DT
DT11 8EG
DT11 8HS
DT11 8EX
DT11 0RB
DT11 8HU
DT11 8EZ
DT11 8EY
DT11 8FG
DT11 8HT
DT11 8FZ
DT11 8HP
DT11 0QW
DT11 8HA
DT11 8EQ
DT11 8HG
DT11 8HD
DT11 8HE
DT11 8HR
DT11 0RD
DT11 0PL
DT11 8HB
DT11 8PS
DT11 0LW
DT11 0RJ
DT11 0RL
DT11 8HF
DT11 0RE
DT11 0RY
DT11 8HJ
DT11 0RF
DT11 0RG
DT11 0SD
DT11 0RN
DT11 0RQ
DT11 0FF
DT11 0RX
DT11 8QY
DT11 0TS
DT11 8QX
DT11 0SB
DT11 0TP
DT11 8QP
DT11 0RW
DT11 8QR
DT11 0TR
DT11 0EF
DT11 8PR
DT11 0QF
DT11 8PY
DT11 8TJ
DT11 0RR
DT11 8PZ
DT11 8RG
DT11 0RP
DT11 8TH
DT11 8QA
DT11 8TQ
DT11 8TL
DT11 8QB
DT11 8QE
DT11 8QW
DT11 8RF
DT11 8QQ
DT11 8QD
DT11 8TW
DT11 8RQ
DT11 0QE
DT11 8QF
DT11 8TG
DT11 8QG
DT11 8PP
DT11 8PX
DT11 8PU
DT11 8JZ
DT11 8QJ
DT11 8TN
DT11 8QH
DT11 8QL
DT11 8TR
DT11 8SS
DT11 8TB
DT11 8QZ
DT11 0RS
DT10 2BX
DT10 2BU
DT11 8RD
DT11 8PW
DT11 8TF
DT11 0QD
DT11 8TE
DT11 8TD
DT11 0EE
DT10 2BY
DT11 8TA
DT11 8TP
DT11 0QB
DT11 0QA
DT11 8HW
DT10 2BZ
DT10 2DA
DT10 2DB
DT11 0QQ
DT11 0QH
DT11 0PZ
DT11 0EG
DT11 0PY
DT11 8PT
DT11 8SZ
DT11 0EH
DT11 0EQ
DT11 0RU
DT11 0QG
DT11 8RB
DT11 8QS
DT11 0RT
DT11 0QN
DT10 2HF
DT10 2HJ
DT11 8RA
DT11 8QT
DT11 0DY
DT10 1EX
DT11 8SY
DT10 2HG
DT10 2HE
DT10 2HL
DT11 0QL
DT11 8DR
DT11 8QN
DT11 8DW
DT10 2HD
DT11 8NL
DT10 1DN
DT11 8LW
DT10 1EY
DT11 8LN
DT11 8LL
DT11 8PH
DT11 8QU
DT11 8NA
DT11 0EB
DT11 8PJ
DT11 8PQ
DT10 1EZ
DT11 8LZ
DT11 8NB
DT11 8LP
DT11 8LX
DT11 8LY
DT11 0EA
DT11 8NE
DT11 8WE
DT11 8ND

When to get an MOT

The MOT test is designed to check that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards defined by the Department for Transport.

The rules that determine when you need to MOT your vehicle depend on the type of vehicle you have and what you use it for. These rules are grouped into Classes which currently include 1, 2, 3, 4, 4a, 5, 5a and 7. Broardly speaking you need to MOT your vehicle on;

  • the third anniversary of its registration
  • the anniversary of its last MOT, if it's over 3 years old
The exception to this is vehicles that are categorised as Class 4, 5 and 5a which need to be MOT tested every 12 months.

Driving a vehicle without an MOT can attract a fine of up to £1,000

Expired MOT certificate

It is not acceptable to drive a vehicle if its MOT has certificate expired. Doing so can result in a prosecution. Exceptions to this rule are;

  • to or from somewhere to be repaired,
  • to a pre-arranged MOT test1.

1A pre-arranged MOT test is one that has been arranged in advance. If you are stopped on the way to a drop in MOT test centre without an appointment you may not qualify for an exemption.

MOT renewal

An MOT lasts for a calendar year. The MOT expiration date is printed on the MOT pass certificate.

It is important to ensure your vehicle's MOT test certificate is renewed before the MOT test due date. This is can be done as early as a month minus 1 day before the expiration of the current certificate or anniversary of the registration of the vehicle. It is acceptable to get a new MOT test certificate at any time, however, the start date of the certificate will change if the renewal date is more than a month minus a day before the expiration of the current certificate.

MOT Test Fees and Class Descriptions

The Department for Transport has specified maximum fees that MOT test centres can charge. These are broken down by the Class of the vehicle as this roughly equates to the amount of effort required by the MOT Test Centre to carry out the test. The following table explains the Classes and associated costs.

ClassVehicle TypeAge before
MOT (years)
Maximum
Fee
1Motorcycle (engine size up to 200cc)3£ 29.65
1Motorcycle with sidecar (engine size up to 200cc)3£ 37.80
2Motorcycle (engine size over 200cc)3£ 29.65
2Motorcycle with sidecar (engine size over 200cc)3£ 37.80
33-wheeled vehicles (up to 450kg unladen weight)3£ 37.80
43-wheeled vehicles (over 450kg unladen weight)3£ 54.85
4Cars (up to 8 passenger seats)3£ 54.85
4Motor caravans3£ 54.85
4Quads (max unladen weight 400kg - for goods vehicles 550kg and max net power of 15kw)3£ 54.85
4Dual purpose vehicles3£ 54.85
4Private hire and public service vehicles (up to 8 seats)3£ 54.85
4Ambulances and taxis1£ 54.85
4Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (9 to 12 passenger seats)1£ 57.30
4Goods vehicles (up to 3,000kg design gross weight)3£ 54.85
4aClass 4 vehicles (9 to 12 passenger seats) with a seat belt installation check£ 64.00
5Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (13 to 16 passenger seats)1£ 59.55
5Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (more than 16 passenger seats)1£ 80.65
5Playbuses1£ 80.65
5aClass 5 vehicles (13 to 16 passenger seats) with a seatbelt installation check£ 80.50
5aClass 5 vehicles (more than 16 passenger seats) with a seatbelt installation check£ 124.50
7Goods vehicles (over 3,000kg up to 3,500kg design gross weight)3£ 58.60

Test Failures and Retests

If your vehicle has failed its MOT Test you may qualify for a free or reduced retest.

If the MOT Test Centre carries out the repair then ordinarily they would retest the vehicle at a reduced cost or no cost at all, depending on the nature of the work and the time between the two MOT tests.

If you decide to take your vehicle away for repair you will need to ensure that your vehicle's current certificate is still valid. If your certificate is no longer valid then you will only be able to take your vehicle to a repair agent to get the defects corrected and to an MOT Test Centre with a pre-arranged MOT test appointment. You will not be able to take your vehicle to any other location.

If you have taken your vehicle away for repair and manage to return it to the same test centre before the end of the next working day for a retest, the MOT Test Centre will not charge for the partial retest, assuming the repair is one or more of the following items;

  • access panels
  • battery
  • bonnet
  • bootlid
  • brake pedal antislip
  • break glass hammer (class 5 vehicles only)
  • doors (including hinges, catches and pillars)
  • door open warning device (class 5 vehicles only)
  • dropsides
  • electrical wiring
  • emergency exits and signs (class 5 vehicles only)
  • entrance door remote control (class 5 vehicles only)
  • entrance/exit steps (class 5 vehicles only)
  • fuel filler cap
  • headlamp cleaning or levelling devices (that doesn’t need a headlamp aim check)
  • horn
  • lamps (excluding headlamp aim)
  • loading door
  • main beam 'tell-tale'
  • mirrors
  • rear reflectors
  • registration plates
  • seatbelts (but not anchorages), seatbelt load limiter and seatbelt pre-tensioner
  • seats
  • sharp edges or projections
  • stairs (class 5 vehicles only)
  • steering wheel
  • tailboard
  • tailgate
  • trailer electrical sockets
  • towbars (excluding body around anchorage points)
  • tyre pressure monitoring system
  • vehicle identification number (VIN)
  • windscreen glass, wipers and washers
  • wheels and tyres (excluding motorcycles and motorcycles with sidecar)
If the repair is for another fault or you do not get your vehicle back within the time period then you are eligible for a charge.

If you return your vehicle, after a repair, within 10 working days of the original test then the MOT Test Centre can complete a partial test which may be free or at a reduce charge. If it is not within this period then the MOT Text Centre will need to carry out a full test for which a full charge can be made.

Booking an MOT

MOT Test Centres offer a variety of methods for booking your vehicle in for a test. The primary means of booking is by phone. Our website offers a handy click to call facility if you are using a compatible device saving the need to save or write the number down. It is also worth noting that many sites now have online booking capabilities making it quick and easy for you to book your car in for a test.

MOT Test Centre maximum fees are controlled. Familiarise yourself with the Class of your vehicle and ensure that the MOT Test Centre does not charge you more than the maximum fee specified.

How does the MOT Test work?

An MOT test is an annual check of qualifying vehicles by an approved agent of items the Department of Transport has deemed essential for the safe operation of the vehicle on the public highway. Checks vary by vehicle category but all include essential items like headlights, seatbelt and tyres.

The MOT Test is designed to ensure the vehicle meets road safety and emission standards as defined by the Department for Transport. The test ensures your vehicle is in appropriate condition for use on the road. The MOT Test focuses on elements of the vehicle that ensure the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users. The Test does not concern itself with the condition of the vehicle's engine or gearbox, for example, but does focus on items such as seat belts, breaks and lights. For a full guide please read the MOT Inspection Manual.

Whilst the MOT Test is being performed you are allowed to view the Test from the MOT Public viewing area. You are not, however, allowed to interact with the Tester during the course of their duties.

MOT Test Completion

When the MOT Tester has completed the inspection you will be issued with a certificate. This can be an MOT Certificate, if the vehicle has passed, or a refusal of an MOT Test Certificate. In either case the outcome, along with the vehicles odometer reading will be recorded in the MOT test database, which is a national register.

If the vehicle has passed the MOT Test the MOT Certificate will be issued with, amoungst other things, the epiration date of the Certificate. You will need to repeat this process again before this date.

If the vehicle has NOT passed the MOT Test the refusal of an MOT Test Certificate will be issued which contains the reasons why the vehicle failed the test. If you decide to take the vehicle away for repair then please ensure you have familiarised yourself with the rules related to retesting your vehicle, especially if your MOT Test Certificate has expired.

If you feel you vehicle has been incorrectly failed then you may lodge an appeal with the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) by calling them on 0300 123 9000 week days between 7:30am to 6pm. You should also contact them if you think your MOT Test Certificate is not geniune or if you think your vehicle has passed when it shouldn't have.

Driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition can attract a fine of up to £2,000, a driving ban and 3 penalty points
Information on this site is correct at time of publication. We assume no responsibility for any incorrect data, ommissions or errors.
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