On the day of the MOT test
Information on how to prepare and what to expect on the day of your MOT test.
Temporary Exemption Certificates (TECs) – private cars only
From 1 June 2025 some vehicles will receive a Temporary Exemption Certificate (TEC), extending the validity of their MOT.
Further information can be found on the Guide to booking your MOT vehicle test page.
Preparing for a vehicle test
Your vehicle should be road-worthy and in full working order, so it is advisable to have it checked by a mechanic before the test. You must also make sure that the exterior, interior and underparts of the vehicle are clean, or the examiner may refuse to test it.
If your vehicle is not a standard production type car or has been modified to sit lower to the ground - or has any part which may sit too low to the ground such as a front spoiler, exhaust or mud flaps you should contact your local test centre for guidance before bringing the vehicle for its annual test.
You can see the Vehicle Inspection Manuals online at:
Who can bring the vehicle to the MOT test
Anyone can present the vehicle for the test on the registered keeper's behalf – if you are the registered keeper you do not have to go in person.
When you arrive at the test centre
- Drive to the test hall and park in the lane shown on your booking confirmation, make sure your vehicle’s engine is at the normal working temperature for the test
- Make sure your vehicle is presented in a hygienic state and free from any unhygienic matter such as used tissues, gloves or wipes
- There are no set rules for the underside of the vehicle to be washed before a vehicle test but in line with law, the examiner may refuse to conduct the test if the exterior of the vehicle or any other motor vehicle with it, or any equipment of the vehicle is so dirty it makes it unreasonably difficult for the inspection to be carried out
- When presenting the vehicle for test, you should come alone - do not bring pets, children or anyone else with you
- You will have to exit the vehicle before it enters the test hall and Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) staff will take the vehicle through the full test
- You should stay in the designated waiting area whilst the vehicle is being examined
- If you are unable to exit the vehicle, call Driver & Vehicle Agency - vehicle test booking, so that other arrangements can be made
- Bring your own sanitiser and/ or wipes to clean and sanitise all internal surfaces after the test
If you are late for your MOT test
It is strongly recommended that you arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment time. If you arrive late, the test may not take place. If this happens, you will lose your fee and have to make another appointment.
Vehicle damaged during the MOT test
If your vehicle is damaged during the test, you should report it as soon as possible to the centre manager who will inspect the damage. If the vehicle has already left the premises the centre manager will arrange a time for you to return with the vehicle for inspection.
You will be given a claim form which you should then send to the centre manager along with three quotes showing the cost of repairing the damage.
The circumstances in which you can claim compensation are set out in procedures below:
Adverse weather on the day of the MOT test
Vehicle testing is not normally affected by adverse weather conditions. In exceptional circumstances, where you are unable to go to the test due to adverse weather, you should email the booking enquiries team at the link below before your scheduled appointment. Your test will then be rescheduled at no additional cost.
If you do not go to your vehicle test appointment
If you fail to go to your appointment, DVA’s policy is that you forfeit the payment (already made) and have to rebook and pay again.
If you do not cancel or change your appointment within the stated timeframe you forfeit the payment and have to rebook and pay again.
You can choose to make a Fail to Appear (FTA) appeal.
A FTA appeal asks the DVA to consider your explanation for failing to go for a vehicle or driving test.
You must provide supporting evidence with the appeal.
The appeal should be made to DVA's customer services team at:
Vehicle MOT re-check policy
Your vehicle could be randomly selected for a re-check by DVA centre management. If your vehicle is chosen, it will go back through the MOT testing process as part of a quality control to make sure that standards are maintained.
Re-check
Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) complies with all statutory requirements whilst conducting vehicle inspections.
This policy is to make sure that vehicles are issued with a certificate or failure notice as appropriate and high standards are maintained.
The workings of a vehicle re-check
Once the vehicle inspection is carried out and before the certificate or failure notice is issued, the centre manager will signal to the examiner that your vehicle has been chosen for a re-check.
The examiner will then tell you that your vehicle has been randomly chosen as part of the DVA’s quality regime and a re-check of the vehicle is going to take place.
If you disagree with an MOT result
If you disagree with the test result, try to resolve the issue with the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) test centre manager before you leave.
If you aren’t satisfied with the outcome, you can appeal the result in one of two ways, whilst at the test centre or after you’ve left the centre.
More information on how to appeal the result can be found at the link below: