Partial vs Full MOT Retest: When Is It Free?
Quick Answer
If your car remains at the test centre and is repaired before the end of the next working day, the partial retest is free for most items. If you bring it back within 10 working days, the partial retest is capped at £27.43. After 10 working days, a full retest at the full £54.85 fee applies. Rules are set by DVSA.
Failing your MOT does not have to mean paying for a whole new test. The DVSA retest rules give you two windows to fix problems and pay little or nothing. Miss them and you pay full price all over again. This guide explains the partial vs full retest rules with worked examples and links to a free MOT history check so you can confirm your retest result.
The three retest windows
DVSA rules define three retest scenarios with different fees: a free same-day partial retest, a £27.43 partial retest within 10 working days, and a full new £54.85 test after 10 working days. The right window depends on whether the car left the premises and which items failed.
Working days exclude Sundays and bank holidays but include Saturdays. The clock starts the working day after the original test.
Free same-day partial retest
A retest is free if the vehicle stays at the same test centre and is presented for retest before the end of the next working day, AND only certain limited items failed.
The free retest items list (Annex 9 of the MOT Testing Guide) includes lamps, registration plates, horn, mirrors, wipers, washers, fuel filler cap, seatbelt installation checks, and similar straightforward repairs. Brake balance and emissions retests are generally NOT on the free list because they require equipment time on the rolling road or gas analyser.
Partial retest within 10 working days: £27.43 max
If the car leaves the test station for repair, you can still bring it back within 10 working days at the same VTS for a partial retest, capped at £27.43 (half the Class 4 fee).
The retester only re-checks the items that failed plus anything visible during reassembly. They are not re-running the full Inspection Manual, which is why the fee is half. Many garages charge less, particularly if they did the repair work themselves.
Retest scenarios at a glance
The table below summarises every scenario. Always confirm the fee with the test station before booking the retest, because some apply discretion within the DVSA caps.
- Same VTS, same day, eligible item: FREE partial retest
- Same VTS, next working day, eligible item: FREE partial retest
- Same VTS, within 10 working days, repaired off-site: £27.43 max partial retest
- Same VTS, within 10 working days, requires brake or emissions rerun: £27.43 max
- Same VTS, after 10 working days: £54.85 full new test
- Different VTS for retest: £54.85 full new test (always)
- Vehicle taken away then returned same day: usually £27.43 partial
- Failure on multiple categories: full retest at discretion of station
Worked examples
Example 1: Your Vauxhall Astra fails on Tuesday morning for a blown headlight bulb. The garage replaces it that afternoon and re-presents the car at 4 pm. Result: free retest. Your existing certificate covers you.
Example 2: Your Ford Focus fails on Monday for two front coil springs and a worn brake pad. You take it home, fit new parts at the weekend, and return on the following Friday (4 working days later). Result: £27.43 partial retest. Example 3: Same Ford Focus, but you do not get to the repair for three weeks. Result: full £54.85 new MOT, no credit for the original test.
Tips to avoid the full fee
Book the retest at the same VTS as the original test. A different garage cannot honour the partial fee; they have to start a new test from scratch.
Keep the original VT30 fail certificate, repair items in the order listed, and aim to return well within the 10-working-day window. If you cannot, talk to the garage early. Check the common faults database for your model so you can DIY simple items like bulbs, wiper blades and washer fluid before re-presenting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MOT retest always free if returned the same day?
Only for items on the DVSA limited free retest list (lamps, plates, horn, mirrors, wipers and similar). Items needing emissions or brake rolling-road rerun usually attract the partial fee.
What is the partial retest fee in 2026?
The maximum partial retest fee is £27.43 for a Class 4 car, set as half the £54.85 full fee. Lower-class fees scale similarly: motorbike partial is £14.83.
Does the 10-working-day window include the test day?
No. The clock starts the next working day. Sundays and bank holidays are excluded; Saturdays count if the garage is open.
Can I take my car home and return it for the partial retest?
Yes, but only if your old MOT is still valid (driving home from a fail with no MOT is illegal except to a pre-booked repair). Within 10 working days you keep the partial fee.
Do all garages charge the partial fee?
Most do, but it is a cap not a mandate. Friendly local independents sometimes waive it if they did the repair work themselves.
Knowing the retest rules can save you up to £27 every time something fails. Run a free MOT history check after any retest to confirm DVSA has updated your record correctly.