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

CB11 4SG
CB11 4SH
SG9 0AY
CB11 4SD
CB11 4SQ
SG9 0AX
SG9 0AZ
CB11 4RT
CB11 4RS
CB11 4SJ
CB11 4PU
CB11 4RR
SG9 0AU
CB11 4RP
SG9 0BA
CB11 4SF
CB11 4RU
CB11 4RW
CB11 4SB
CB11 4RL
CB11 4RX
SG9 0BD
SG9 0BB
CB11 4SL
CB11 4PX
CB11 4PS
CB11 4SA
SG9 0BQ
CB11 4PR
CB11 4PP
SG9 0AT
SG9 0BG
CB11 4PT
CB11 4RN
CB11 4SW
CB11 4RZ
CB11 4PN
SG9 0AP
SG9 0AS
CB11 4RY
SG9 0AW
SG9 0AN
SG9 0AR
SG9 0BH
SG9 0HL
SG9 0HJ
CB11 4FF
SG9 0HF
SG9 0HG
CB11 4PJ
SG9 0HR
CB11 4PY
CB11 4PW
CB11 4PL
SG9 0HE
SG9 0HQ
CB11 4PQ
CB11 4QB
CB11 4QE
CB11 4QD
SG9 0HA
SG9 0HN
SG9 0HH
SG9 0AL
CB11 4QX
CB11 4PZ
CB11 4QL
SG9 0HW
CB11 4PH
CM23 1AR
CB11 4HH
CB11 4QW
CB11 4QN
CB11 4QY
CB11 4PF
SG9 0HP
CB11 4PE
CB11 4QR
CB11 4QP
CM23 1AW
CB11 4SN
CM23 1AP
CB11 4PB
CB11 4US
SG9 0AJ
CB11 4FB
CB11 4FU
CB11 4HQ
SG9 0DG
CB11 4QS
SG9 0AQ
CB11 4WA
CB11 4WG
CB11 4FZ
CB11 4HA
CB11 4SE
CB11 4QZ
CM23 1AG
SG9 0BJ
CB10 4QZ
CB11 4QU
CB11 4UX
CM23 1AN
CM23 1BX
CB11 4PG
SG9 0HT
CM23 1AL
SG9 0DE
CB11 4QT
CM23 1AH
CB11 4HJ
CM23 1AF
SG9 0HU
CB11 4HU
CB11 4HN
CB11 4HS
CM23 1AJ
CB11 4HG
CM23 1AE
SG8 8LZ
SG8 8BW
SG9 0DF
CM23 1AX
CM23 1AS
SG8 8LU
CB11 4EU
SG9 0HZ
CB11 4HB
CM23 1AT
SG8 8LT
CB11 4FY
SG9 0HX
CB11 4EX
SG9 0JA
SG8 8NB
SG8 8PE
CM23 1AU
CB11 4EZ
SG9 0BL
SG9 0PB
SG9 0HY
CB11 4UU
CM23 1AY
CB11 4EY
SG8 8NA
SG9 0BW
SG8 8LR
SG8 8LS
SG9 0DB
SG9 0BX
SG9 0BP
CB11 4HE
CB11 4UY
CM23 1AD
SG9 0BF
SG9 0JD
SG9 0DD
SG9 0DA
CB11 3UN
SG9 0BN
CB11 4UT
SG9 0JB
SG9 0BY
CB11 4HF
SG9 0BE
SG9 0TJ
SG8 8RH
CB11 4UR
SG9 0DH
CB11 4HD
SG9 0BZ
CM23 1BB
CB11 4XW
SG9 0DJ
CM23 1BE
CM23 1AB
CB11 4XA
CB11 4XN
SG8 8RG
CB11 4UZ
SG9 0JX
CB11 3UL
SG9 0JJ
SG8 8RA
CM23 1BA
SG9 0DL
CM23 1BD
SG9 0BS
CB11 3UH
CB11 3UJ
SG8 8RF
SG8 8ND
SG9 0JY
CB11 4UP
SG8 8PD
CM23 1AZ
SG9 0NU
SG8 8RE
SG9 0DN

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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