Government Says No Current Plans to Increase MOT Fee Despite Growing Garage Pressure
The Government has said it has “no current plans” to increase the maximum MOT test fee, despite mounting pressure from independent garages and industry bodies for the 16-year freeze on MOT pricing to end.
The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed its current position following renewed calls for the maximum Class 4 MOT fee to rise from £54.85 to at least £95.
However, the Government has stopped short of ruling out a future increase.
The DfT says the MOT fee remains under constant review and that it is working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the wider industry to balance affordability for motorists against the financial sustainability of MOT garages.
That distinction is important.
While there may be no immediate Government plan to increase the fee, pressure for a review is continuing to build – and an industry roundtable involving the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and DVSA is due to take place on 21 October 2026.
DfT: No Current Plans to Increase MOT Fee
Responding to the latest industry campaign, a Department for Transport spokesperson said:
“We have no current plans to increase the MOT fee, but keep it under constant review, working with the DVSA and the sector to balance affordability for motorists with the financial sustainability of garages.”
For MOT testing stations hoping that recent industry pressure would result in an imminent increase, the statement will inevitably be disappointing.
But “no current plans” should not be interpreted as the Government permanently rejecting a review.
The second part of the statement is potentially just as significant.
The DfT acknowledges both the financial sustainability of garages and its ongoing work with DVSA and the sector.
That comes as industry bodies prepare for further discussions about the economics of MOT testing.
Maximum Car MOT Fee Remains £54.85
The statutory maximum MOT fee for a Class 4 car remains £54.85.
That figure has not increased since 2010.
MOT garages are allowed to charge less than the statutory maximum, and widespread discounting means many motorists already pay considerably below £54.85.
The DVSA MOT Testing Guide confirms that the statutory figures are maximum fees rather than mandatory prices.
An Authorised Examiner can therefore charge less for an MOT, although the full test must still be completed correctly regardless of the price charged.
This combination of a frozen maximum price and aggressive discounting has become one of the central issues in the industry’s campaign for reform.
IGA Wants the MOT Fee Increased to at Least £95
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has called on the Government to increase the maximum MOT fee to at least £95.
The organisation argues that the economics of MOT testing have changed dramatically since the current fee was established.
Garages have faced increases in wages, energy, rent, equipment, training and other operating costs while the statutory maximum price of the test has remained unchanged.
The IGA says some garages are already reducing their MOT capacity because workshop time can generate better returns when allocated to servicing and repair work.
That raises a bigger concern than simply whether garages make enough money from an individual MOT.
If testing becomes commercially unattractive, fewer garages may be willing to devote bays, technicians and equipment to MOT work.
In some areas, that could eventually affect motorists’ ability to obtain convenient MOT appointments.
Why £95?
The IGA’s proposal would increase the maximum Class 4 fee from £54.85 to at least £95.
That is a substantial increase for motorists, which helps explain the Government’s cautious public position.
However, the garage industry’s argument is that comparing £54.85 with £95 in isolation ignores what has happened to business costs since 2010.
The current maximum has effectively been eroded by 16 years of inflation.
During the same period, workshops have had to continue investing in equipment, premises, technician training and increasingly sophisticated vehicle technology.
The IGA therefore believes the current fee no longer properly reflects the cost of providing a professional statutory vehicle inspection.
A Higher Maximum Would Not Necessarily Mean Every MOT Costs £95
One point that can easily become lost in consumer coverage is that the MOT fee is a maximum.
Increasing the statutory ceiling to £95 would not automatically require every garage to charge £95.
Under the existing system, garages can charge less than the maximum.
That means competition between MOT centres could continue even if the cap were raised.
However, some industry representatives have questioned whether continued heavy discounting is itself part of the problem.
Garages sometimes use low-cost MOTs to attract customers in the hope of generating servicing or repair work.
While that can be a legitimate commercial strategy, critics argue that very cheap MOTs risk undervaluing the professional time, equipment and regulatory responsibilities involved in carrying out the test.
IMI Says MOT Fee Review Is ‘Urgently Overdue’
Pressure is not coming from the IGA alone.
The Institute of the Motor Industry has also called for the MOT fee structure to be reviewed.
IMI chief executive Nick Connor has said the fee structure has failed to keep pace with the costs faced by MOT garages, including inflation, energy bills, equipment and technician training.
The IMI believes a review is urgently overdue.
More importantly, the organisation is working with DVSA to host an industry roundtable on 21 October.
Trade associations, road safety organisations and other stakeholders are expected to participate.
The stated aim is to examine the financial pressures facing MOT garages while also considering what is fair for motorists.
October Roundtable Could Be the Next Key Date
The 21 October meeting is now likely to become a key date in the MOT fee debate.
The existence of the roundtable makes the Government’s wording particularly interesting.
On one hand, the DfT says there are no current plans to increase the fee.
On the other, DVSA and industry representatives are actively preparing to discuss the economic pressures surrounding MOT provision.
That does not guarantee a fee increase.
But it does demonstrate that the issue remains very much alive.
The IMI also plans to survey its members about the pressures affecting investment in equipment and training for MOT services.
Evidence gathered from garages could therefore play an important role in future discussions.
Government Has Already Acknowledged Pressure on Garages
The Government’s recognition of the issue predates the latest £95 campaign.
In April 2026, the Department for Transport responded to a Parliamentary question concerning independent MOT stations, the Class 4 fee and testing capacity in rural and remote areas.
The DfT acknowledged that rising inflation and operational costs had put pressure on garages.
It also said the Government keeps the MOT regime – including the fee and provision of services across Great Britain – under review.
Significantly, the response said any changes would need to balance garages’ ability to invest against motorists receiving value from the MOT.
That is broadly consistent with the Government’s latest position.
The question therefore appears to be less about whether ministers recognise that garage costs have increased and more about whether they believe those pressures justify increasing the statutory fee.
MOT Testing Is Becoming More Demanding
The financial debate is also taking place against a changing MOT landscape.
Testing stations are being asked to operate within an increasingly digital and closely monitored system.
DVSA has continued updating MOT procedures and technology, including the national rollout of vehicle photographs during tests as part of its efforts to tackle MOT fraud.
Modern vehicles are also becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Electric vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems and software-controlled vehicle functions are changing the skills and equipment required across the wider workshop industry.
Not all of those technologies currently add substantial additional requirements to the statutory MOT itself.
Nevertheless, MOT centres still operate as part of workshops that must invest in the equipment, training and technical capabilities required to work safely on the modern vehicle parc.
For many independent garages, the economics of operating an MOT bay cannot therefore be considered completely separately from the wider cost of running the workshop.
Could Garages Simply Charge the Full £54.85?
The Government could reasonably argue that many MOT centres have room to increase prices without any change to the statutory cap.
Some garages continue to advertise tests well below £54.85.
For those businesses, moving closer to the existing maximum could improve margins immediately.
That is one reason the debate is more complicated than simply saying the Government must raise the fee.
However, garages operate in highly competitive local markets.
A business that increases its MOT price significantly while competitors continue discounting may fear losing customers.
The MOT is also frequently used as a customer acquisition tool, with garages accepting a low margin on the test in the expectation that servicing and legitimate repair work will make the overall customer relationship profitable.
This leaves the industry facing two related questions.
Is the statutory maximum itself too low?
And has years of discounting created an expectation among motorists that an MOT should cost considerably less than the work required to provide it?
What Would an MOT Fee Increase Mean for Motorists?
Affordability is clearly central to the Government’s position.
Millions of motorists are legally required to obtain an MOT each year, meaning any increase has a direct impact on household motoring costs.
Moving the maximum from £54.85 to £95 would represent an increase of more than £40.
At a time when motorists already face insurance, servicing, repair, fuel and vehicle taxation costs, ministers will understandably be cautious about supporting another mandatory expense.
The counterargument from garages is that an MOT testing network must remain financially viable.
If garages progressively reduce MOT capacity because testing does not provide an adequate commercial return, motorists could ultimately face fewer testing locations, longer journeys or reduced appointment availability.
The policy challenge is therefore finding a balance between an affordable test and a sustainable testing network.
What Happens Next?
For now, nothing changes for motorists or MOT stations.
The maximum Class 4 car MOT fee remains £54.85.
There has been no Government announcement confirming an increase and no timetable for changing the statutory fee.
The next significant development is likely to be the industry roundtable scheduled for 21 October.
Garages should therefore be cautious about claims that a £95 MOT is coming.
It isn’t currently Government policy.
Equally, it would be premature to conclude that the fee debate is over.
The Government itself says the issue remains under constant review, while DVSA and major industry organisations continue discussing the financial sustainability of MOT testing.
The Bottom Line
The Government’s statement that it has “no current plans” to increase the MOT fee is a setback for garages hoping for an immediate change, but it is not the same as permanently ruling out an increase.
The maximum Class 4 fee remains £54.85, where it has effectively stood since 2010.
Meanwhile, the IGA is campaigning for a maximum of at least £95, the IMI says a review is urgently overdue, and an industry roundtable involving DVSA is scheduled for October.
The next few months could therefore prove important.
For MOT garages, the question is no longer simply whether £54.85 is enough.
It is whether Government and industry can agree on a pricing structure that keeps MOT testing affordable for motorists while giving garages a sustainable reason to continue investing in the people, equipment and facilities needed to provide it.
Internal Links
https://motester.co.uk/iga-calls-for-mandatory-54-85-mot-fee-as-pressure-mounts-to-end-discounting/
https://motester.co.uk/iga-demands-mot-fee-increase-in-four-key-requests-to-government/
External Sources
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-testing-guide/l-accounts-and-fees
https://www.theimi.org.uk/industry-latest/news/imi-set-host-industry-roundtable-address-mot-fees
https://www.catmag.co.uk/article/industry-calls-for-mot-test-fee-rise
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