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 Regions | England | Essex | Ardleigh

UK MOT Test Centres in Essex

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.

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