Updated May 2026

How much does an MOT cost in the UK?

A standard Class 4 MOT in the UK costs up to £54.85 — that's the maximum fee set by the DVSA, and most cars and small vans fall into this class. At MOT Checkup we recommend running a free MOT history check before booking, so you know what last year's test flagged and can fix the cheap stuff first.

TL;DR

Class 4 (cars, small vans up to 3,000kg) — £54.85 max
Class 7 (vans 3,000–3,500kg) — £58.60 max
Class 1/2 (motorbikes) — £29.65 max
Partial retest free at the same station within 10 working days
Garages may discount well below the cap; the test itself is identical

The DVSA fee caps in full

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency sets the maximum a test station can charge for an MOT. The cap depends on the vehicle class:

Class	Vehicle	Max fee
Class 1	Motorbikes up to 200cc	£29.65
Class 2	Motorbikes over 200cc	£29.65
Class 3	3-wheeled vehicles up to 450kg	£37.80
Class 4	Cars, taxis, small vans up to 3,000kg	£54.85
Class 5	Private buses (13+ seats)	£59.55+
Class 7	Goods vehicles 3,000–3,500kg	£58.60

The figures are unchanged for 2026 and have been since the last uplift. See our full 2026 MOT cost breakdown for the historic record.

Why the price you actually pay varies

Discounting. Independent garages routinely offer £30–£45 MOTs to draw repair work. The test itself is identical to a £54.85 booking.
Bundles. An MOT-and-service combo can drop the MOT to £20 or less when added to a £150 service.
Time of year. Quiet weeks (mid-January, late September) often see the deepest discounts.
Council sites. Local authority test centres can sit at the cap because they don't do repairs and can't cross-subsidise.

The free retest rule

If your car fails its MOT, you don't automatically pay the full fee twice. The DVSA's retest scheme works like this:

Leave the vehicle at the test station and have it retested before the end of the next working day — free partial retest.
Take the car away and bring it back within 10 working days for a partial retest — usually free at the same station, but check before booking.
Return after 10 working days — pay the full Class 4 fee again.

A "partial retest" only re-checks the items that failed. A full retest covers everything and is charged at the standard rate. See advisory vs fail vs dangerous defect for what counts as a failure.

What the cost doesn't cover

Repairs to fix any failures or advisories.
Replacement bulbs, wipers, and tyres if the test rejects them.
A separate service or interim service — the MOT only checks roadworthiness on the day, not service intervals.
Premium check products such as outstanding finance or a stolen-vehicle check — these are separate paid services.

Our methodology page explains how we source DVSA fee data and what we cross-check it against.

Frequently asked questions

Is £54.85 the maximum I can be charged for an MOT?

Yes. The £54.85 figure is the DVSA's statutory maximum for a Class 4 vehicle (most cars and small vans up to 3,000kg). A test station cannot legally charge more than the cap for the test itself, although they can charge separately for repairs, retests outside the free retest window, or extras such as collection.

Why do garages offer MOTs for £30 or less?

Garages can charge anything up to the cap. Many discount the MOT because they make their margin on follow-up repairs, especially when a fail throws up advisories. A cheap MOT is rarely a worse test — DVSA testers all follow the same inspection manual — but you should pick a station you trust on price-and-quote integrity.

Is the retest free if my car fails?

A partial retest is free if you leave the car at the same test station and the retest happens before the end of the next working day. If you take the car away and bring it back within 10 working days, the partial retest is also normally free, although policies vary by station. Outside that window, the full fee applies again.

Are MOTs cheaper at council-run test stations?

Council-operated stations sometimes charge close to the £54.85 cap because they don't repair vehicles, so they can't subsidise the test. Independent garages often discount to win repair work. Cheaper isn't always better — the test itself is identical, but you may pay more for repairs at a council site.

Does the MOT fee include VAT?

MOT fees are exempt from VAT when the test is performed by a DVSA-authorised station. If the test is sub-contracted to another garage, VAT may apply on the difference between the cap and what the booking garage charges you. The £54.85 figure is what you actually pay.