Will the MOT Fee Rise to £95? What UK Garages Need to Know

No, not yet. The maximum fee for a car MOT is still £54.85, the same as it has been since April 2010, and the government has not announced any change. The £95 figure is a proposal from the Independent Garage Association (IGA), which wants the cap raised by around 73% to reflect 16 years of rising costs. The Department for Transport says it keeps the fee under review but has no current plans to increase it.

The story has been widely reported in recent weeks, with some headlines naming Prime Minister Andy Burnham. To be clear, no decision has been made by him or anyone else in government. This guide sets out the official position, the case garages are making, and the developments that could bring a review closer.

What is the maximum MOT fee today?

The maximum fees are set in regulations and published on GOV.UK. The most common ones are:

There is no VAT on the MOT fee. These are maximums, not fixed prices. The DVSA's MOT testing guide confirms that test centres can charge less, which is why so many garages advertise discounted MOTs.

When did the MOT fee last change?

The car MOT fee last went up on 6 April 2010, when the Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 raised the Class 4 maximum from £54.00 to £54.85. That was an 85p rise. It has not moved since.

Over the same period, almost everything that goes into running a test bay has become more expensive: technician wages, rent and business rates, energy, testing equipment and its calibration, training, insurance and software. The fee a garage can charge has stayed exactly where it was.

Who is calling for £95, and why?

The call comes from the Independent Garage Association, which represents independent garages across the UK. It wants the maximum Class 4 fee raised to at least £95, an increase of £40.15.

Stuart James, the IGA's chief executive, told LBC: "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." He has since said that "this issue can no longer be kicked down the road."

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has backed a review. Nick Connor of the IMI told LBC that, with garages facing greater demands such as the electric vehicle mileage checks coming in 2028, "a review of MOT fees is urgently overdue."

The argument is simple. When the fee is frozen and costs rise, every test is worth less to the garage. Some sites stop testing altogether, and the ones that remain lean more heavily on repair work to make the bay pay.

What has the government said?

The official position has been consistent through 2026: the fee is under review, but no increase is planned.

In Parliament

On 20 April 2026, transport minister Simon Lightwood answered a written question from Angus MacDonald MP about independent test stations closing and the effect of the Class 4 fee on testing in rural areas. The answer accepted that "rising inflation and operational costs have put pressure on garages" and said: "The Department keeps the MOT regime, including the fee and the provision of service in all areas of Great Britain under review."

It added that the department balances "the needs of garages and their ability to invest against the interests of drivers in receiving value from the MOT." It also said it is not possible to count how many test centres have closed since 2010, because sites can stop testing and start again later, sometimes under new owners.

In response to the £95 call

Asked about the IGA's proposal, 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." That statement was given to the press, as reported by LBC, rather than published on GOV.UK.

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026. Since then, neither Number 10 nor the Department for Transport has announced any change to the MOT fee, so treat any headline suggesting otherwise with caution.

Why electric vehicle mileage checks could change things

The strongest official signal that the fee may eventually move comes from a different direction: Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED).

From April 2028, electric cars will pay 3p per mile and plug-in hybrid cars 1.5p per mile. The government's consultation response, published by HM Treasury on 13 July 2026, confirms that mileage will be checked through the existing MOT network. When a vehicle has its MOT, a verified odometer reading will be taken and compared with the mileage the keeper has declared.

Crucially for garages, the response says: "The government will continue to work closely with the MOT industry to minimise the impact of these changes and ensure that fees or payments for work reflect costs."

Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson repeated this in a written answer on 20 May 2026, describing "a commitment to engage with garages on the costs of mileage checks and MOT fees." It is not a promise to raise the fee, but it is the first time in years that ministers have tied extra MOT work to the question of what garages are paid.

What a higher cap would mean for drivers

If the cap did rise to £95, it would not mean every driver pays £95. The figure is a maximum, and plenty of garages already charge well under today's £54.85 to win customers. Competition between local test centres would still set the price most people actually pay.

What a higher cap would change is the room garages have to price the test fairly for the work involved, rather than relying on repairs to cover the cost of the bay. For drivers, the risk of a frozen fee is fewer test centres nearby and longer waits for a slot, particularly in rural areas. Those are the trade-offs ministers say they are weighing when they talk about balancing affordability with the sustainability of garages.

What happens next?

Three things are worth watching over the coming months:

• The industry roundtable. An IMI and DVSA roundtable on MOT economics has been reported for 21 October 2026. Any shift in tone from DVSA afterwards will be telling.
• eVED delivery details. As the government works out how mileage checks will run inside the MOT, look for any mention of how garages will be paid for the extra work.
• Formal consultation. Any change to the maximum fee needs new regulations, which would normally follow a public consultation on GOV.UK. Until one appears, the £54.85 cap stands.

What garages can do now

Whatever happens to the cap, the test itself is unlikely to pay the bills on its own. The garages that do well from MOTs treat the test as the start of the customer relationship rather than the whole job.

1. Know your real cost per test. Add up tester time, bay time, equipment, calibration and admin. If you are discounting heavily, check you are not losing money on every test.
2. Review your own price. The cap is a maximum. If you charge well below it, make sure that is a deliberate choice that brings in repair work, not a habit.
3. Make retests clear. GOV.UK sets out when retests are free or charged. A vehicle left with you for repairs and retested within 10 working days is free, and some minor items are free if brought back by the end of the next working day. Explaining this upfront avoids awkward conversations at the counter.
4. Turn advisories into bookings. Every advisory is a reason to contact the customer again. Record them properly and follow them up.
5. Keep customers coming back. A customer who returns every year for their MOT is worth far more than one who shops around on price.

AutoChain's garage management software helps with the last two. Automated MOT reminders bring customers back when their test is due, and digital vehicle health checks make it easy to show customers the work that needs doing. You can see all features or book a demo and we will show you how other independent garages use them.