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 Essex

CM7 4DT
CM7 4DS
CM7 4DB
CM7 4DA
CM7 4DU
CM7 4DD
CM7 4ES
CM7 4DE
CM7 4DF
CM7 4EQ
CM7 4EN
CM7 4DG
CM7 4DL
CM7 4DQ
CM7 4EP
CM7 4DN
CM7 4EW
CM7 4EH
CM7 4EJ
CM7 4DR
CM7 4DH
CM7 4EL
CM7 4AH
CM7 4DP
CM7 4DX
CO9 3LZ
CM7 4AN
CM7 4AJ
CM7 4DJ
CM7 4BD
CM7 4DW
CM7 4AG
CM7 4AE
CO9 3LU
CM7 4BA
CM7 4AP
CM7 4AW
CM7 4AF
CM7 4BB
CM7 4EG
CM7 4AD
CM7 4BZ
CM7 4AQ
CM7 4AL
CM7 4BE
CO9 3LX
CM7 4EE
CM7 4ED
CM7 4BX
CM7 4BY
CM7 4BS
CM7 4EF
CO9 4EN
CM7 4BU
CM7 4EY
CM7 4GH
CM7 4EB
CM7 4AU
CM7 4AT
CM7 4BT
CM7 5HS
CM7 4BP
CM7 4GX
CM7 4BL
CM7 5JJ
CM7 5HW
CM7 4AZ
CM7 5HP
CM7 5HR
CM7 4PJ
CM7 5HN
CO9 3NA
CM7 5HL
CM7 4BN
CM7 5HH
CM7 5HT
CM7 5HY
CM7 5HJ
CM7 5JL
CM7 5HB
CM7 4AY
CM7 5JH
CO9 1SD
CO9 3LT
CO9 1SQ
CM7 5HU
CM7 5JQ
CO9 3LS
CM7 4BW
CM7 5JG
CM7 5GN
CO9 1SB
CM7 5JA
CM7 5JF
CM7 4AR
CM7 5JB
CO9 1SG
CM7 5HZ
CM7 5HQ
CO9 3RP
CO9 3LJ
CM7 5HE
CO9 4EL
CM7 5HF
CM7 4PB
CM7 4PA
CM7 5JD
CM7 5FU
CM7 4NU
CM7 4QP
CM7 5FB
CM7 5JE
CM7 4NX
CM7 4LH
CM7 4PD
CM7 4QW
CM7 5HD
CM7 4NZ
CO9 3LD
CM7 5EZ
CM7 4QN
CO9 3LR
CO9 4EJ
CM7 4NY
CO9 3LP
CM7 5HX
CM7 5EY
CM7 5HG
CM7 5FA
CM7 5FL
CO9 1RZ
CO9 4EH
CM7 4QT
CO9 3RN
CM7 5HA
CM7 4QL
CM7 4QJ
CO9 4EG
CO9 1SA
CO9 3RR
CO9 3LG
CO9 3LN
CM7 4LQ
CM7 4SW
CM7 4GD
CM7 4HB
CM7 4RD
CM7 4DY
CM7 4EA
CM7 4EZ
CM7 5BG
CM7 4QU
CM7 4QH
CO9 3LB
CO9 1SE
CO9 3LH
CO9 1SF
CM7 4QX
CO9 3RS
CM7 4NS
CM7 5BA
CO9 1SH
CM7 4QQ
CO9 4LZ
CO9 3RX
CO9 3LA
CO9 3LL
CM7 4PE
CO9 3RY
CM7 4LG
CO9 4ED
CM7 5AZ
CO9 1PN
CM7 4QF
CM7 4LJ
CM7 4QY
CO9 3NR
CO9 1TG
CM7 4QD
CM7 4AB
CO9 3LE
CM7 4PH
CM7 4LF
CO9 1UG
CM7 4LE
CO9 1TQ
CM7 4NR
CO9 3JH
CO9 3JS
CM7 4QR
CO9 3NP
CO9 1UD
CM7 4AA
CO9 4EB
CO9 1TH
CO9 1PL
CO9 3NS
CO9 3JU
CO9 1SY
CM7 4PL
CO9 3NL
CO9 1TD
CM7 4NT
CO9 3NT
CM7 4JA
CO9 3NN
CO9 3JX
CM7 4LD
CO9 1TB
CO9 1PJ
CM7 4JB
CO9 3RT
CO9 3JR
CO9 3JG
CO9 1UP
CO9 3RL
CO9 1PH
CM7 4BQ
CM7 4PQ
CO9 1SX
CO9 3JZ
CO9 3JJ

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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