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 4PX
CM7 4PR
CM7 4PP
CM7 4PU
CM7 4PS
CM7 4PT
CM7 4SG
CM7 4SF
CM7 4TY
CM7 4SE
CM6 3QP
CM7 4SD
CM7 4UB
CM7 4TT
CM7 4RY
CM7 4TS
CM6 3BT
CM7 4SJ
CM7 4BJ
CM7 4UA
CM7 4SB
CM7 4SA
CM7 4SN
CM7 4TR
CM7 4TU
CM7 4RE
CM7 4SL
CM7 4RA
CM7 4TH
CM7 4TZ
CM7 4EU
CM7 4TJ
CM7 4UE
CM7 4RT
CM7 4TP
CM7 4SP
CM7 4RX
CM7 4RF
CM7 4TN
CM7 4RU
CM7 4PY
CM7 4RZ
CM7 4RG
CM7 4RS
CM7 4RP
CM7 4FB
CM7 4FA
CM7 4SR
CM7 4TW
CM7 4SS
CM7 4RH
CM7 4RQ
CM7 4RN
CM7 4RW
CM6 3BU
CM7 4UD
CM7 4RR
CM7 4TX
CM7 4ST
CM7 4SU
CM7 4GB
CM7 4RL
CM7 4SX
CM7 4SY
CM7 4TA
CM7 4QA
CM7 4SZ
CM7 4RJ
CM7 4TL
CM7 4SQ
CM7 4QB
CM7 4TB
CM7 4QG
CM7 4TD
CM7 4PZ
CM6 3BS
CM6 3QJ
CM7 4TE
CM7 4TF
CM6 3QH
CM6 3BW
CM6 3QL
CM6 3QA
CM6 3QY
CM6 3QW
CM7 4TG
CM6 3QN
CM6 3QQ
CM6 3RY
CM6 3BP
CM6 3QG
CM7 5EG
CM7 5EE
CM7 5EF
CM7 5EQ
CM7 4QR
CM7 4QD
CM7 4QQ
CM7 4QE
CM6 3BN
CM7 5EH
CM6 3RX
CM7 4LJ
CM7 4QH
CM6 3BX
CM7 4SH
CM7 4LW
CM7 5ED
CM6 3QR
CM7 5EJ
CM7 4QJ
CM7 4QL
CM6 3RU
CM6 3PZ
CM7 4LL
CM6 3QB
CM7 4QF
CM7 4TQ
CM6 3RT
CM6 3RR
CM6 3RP
CM6 3RN
CM6 3QF
CM6 3RL
CM6 3PX
CM6 3BY
CM6 3QS
CM6 3PY
CM7 4RD
CM7 4SW
CM7 4HB
CM7 4EZ
CM7 4EA
CM7 4DY
CM7 4GD
CM6 3RW
CM6 3QZ
CM6 3RS
CM6 3RF
CM7 4LQ
CM7 4QN
CM7 4LY
CM7 4QW
CM6 3SA
CM6 3TU
CM6 3RJ
CM7 4LP
CM7 5EB
CM7 4LG
CM7 4LX
CM7 5EL
CM7 4LZ
CM7 4LT
CM7 4JR
CM6 3RE
CM7 4LR
CM7 5EA
CM7 4LU
CM6 3RZ
CM7 4JZ
CM7 4LS
CM7 4JY
CM6 3RD
CM7 4QP
CB10 2QH
CM6 3RH
CM7 4LA
CM7 4LB
CM7 4JS
CM6 3BZ
CM7 5DZ
CM6 3DA
CM7 4LF
CM6 3RQ
CM7 4JX
CM6 3PU
CM6 3RG
CM7 4JW
CM7 4LD
CM6 3RA
CM7 4NN
CB10 2QJ
CM7 4NW
CM7 4JU
CM7 4NP
CM7 4JT
CM7 4LE
CM7 5HX
CM7 4BQ
CB10 2QL
CM7 5DY
CM6 2NU
CM7 4NA
CM6 3SH
CM7 4NT
CM7 4ND
CM7 4NB
CM7 4LH
CM7 4NR
CM7 4PL
CM7 5EN
CM6 3RB
CB10 2QW
CM7 4NG
CM7 4NF
CM7 4NE
CM6 2LR
CM6 2LN
CM6 3QE
CM6 3SQ
CM6 3BL
CM6 2DW
CM6 3QU
CM7 4BW
CM6 3QT
CM7 5EW
CM6 3SG
CM7 4NQ
CB10 2QN
CB10 2QQ
CM6 3SF
CM6 2JU
CM6 3SL
CM6 3SN
CM6 3SJ
CB10 2FN
CM6 3QD
CM6 3SE
CM7 4NH
CM7 4NS
CM6 2LS
CM6 3SS
CM6 3SR
CM7 4AR
CM6 2LP
CM6 3TH
CM6 3SP
CM7 5GY
CM7 4HZ
CM6 2FQ
CM6 2LY

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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