MOT price could almost double to £95 under garage industry plans

A major MOT price hike is now being proposed

At the moment, garages cannot charge more than £54.85 for a standard car MOT, a maximum that has been in place since 2010. 

The Independent Garage Association (IGA) wants the Government to reconsider that figure when representatives meet with the Department for Transport on 21 October.

According to the IGA, keeping the price frozen for 16 years has become increasingly difficult as garages face higher bills for wages, rent, equipment, fuel and energy. The organisation argues that the MOT fee has not kept up with the wider rise in costs.

Even the £95 figure being proposed is not far removed from what the original fee would be worth today. A Bank of England inflation calculator puts the 2010 price at approximately £87.54 in today’s money, although the IGA believes £95 is now needed to reflect the costs faced by garages.

Any increase would ultimately be passed on to motorists, adding another expense for households already dealing with a growing list of higher bills and charges.

Why garages want the MOT price raised

IGA chief executive Stuart James said the amount garages can charge for an MOT has fallen well behind the rising cost of carrying out the test.

"It is a fact that the current MOT fee has remained static for 16 years. We are being advised by garage owners that without a significant increase to the MOT fee, they cannot continue to sustain this ever-increasing cost burden."

- Stuart James, chief executive, Independent Garage Association

The Department for Transport, however, has no immediate plans to change the price. A spokesperson said the MOT fee is “under constant review”, with the department working alongside the DVSA and the industry to find a balance between keeping the test affordable for motorists and making sure garages can continue to cover their costs.

The IGA is due to join other industry groups at talks with the DfT in October, according to the Mirror. So, while drivers should not expect a price increase just yet, the future of the 16-year-old MOT price cap is now firmly on the agenda.