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How Much Is an MOT in the UK?
The legal maximum for a car MOT is £54.85, but most garages charge £30-45. The fee covers the test only, so the real cost of MOT day depends on whether your car passes.
How much is an MOT?
A car MOT (Class 4) is capped at £54.85 by the DVSA, but most UK garages charge £30-45, with promotional deals from £20-25. Motorcycles are capped at £29.65 and larger vans (3,000-3,500kg) at £58.60. The cap is a statutory maximum, so a garage can charge less but never more, and it covers the inspection only, not any repairs needed to pass.
Source: DVSA published MOT test fee schedule on gov.uk. Re-verified 24 August 2026.
MOT Cost by Vehicle Type
Each figure below is a statutory DVSA maximum. Garages set their own price up to that ceiling, and most charge well under it.
| Vehicle type | Max legal fee | Typical charge |
|---|---|---|
| Car (Class 4, up to 3,000kg) | £54.85 | £30-45 |
| Motorcycle (with or without sidecar) | £29.65 | £20-29 |
| Van (up to 3,000kg, Class 4) | £54.85 | £35-50 |
| Large van (3,000-3,500kg, Class 7) | £58.60 | £40-55 |
| Motor caravan / motorhome | £54.85 | £35-50 |
| Three-wheeled vehicle (up to 450kg) | £37.80 | £28-37 |
No VAT is charged on the MOT test fee itself (it is charged on repairs). See the full schedule on the fees by vehicle type page.
The Headline Fee Is Not the Real Cost
The £54.85 cap is only the price of the inspection. What most drivers actually spend on MOT day depends on two things the fee ignores: the chance of failing, and the cost of the repairs that follow.
The test fee
£30-45
What most garages charge for the inspection. You pay this whether you pass or fail.
Full fee guideChance of failing
~27%
Around 27% of cars fail their initial test (26.75% in the latest DVSA quarter). The rate climbs steeply with age.
Failure rate by ageRepair bill if it fails
£150-300
The average repair bill for a failed MOT. BookMyGarage data shows £332-£425 for 3-8 year cars.
Average repair costPut together, the expected true cost of MOT day for a typical car is around £75-125 once the odds of a failure and repair are counted, well above the headline fee, and higher again for older cars. See the full method on the true MOT cost page.
What Drivers Actually Pay on Average
The average MOT price for a Class 4 car in 2025 was around £35 across all bookings, rising to about £46 for a standalone test with no service attached. Both sit below the £54.85 cap. The blended average is low because most drivers bundle the MOT with a service, against which the test is discounted as a loss leader, an MOT booked with a major service averaged just £26.92.
Source: BookMyGarage 2025 platform data (reported February 2026). See the full average MOT cost breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an MOT in the UK?
A car MOT is capped at £54.85 by the DVSA, but most UK garages charge between £30 and £45, with promotional deals from £20-25. The fee is a statutory maximum, so a garage can charge less but never more. It covers the test only, not any repairs needed to pass. Motorcycles are capped at £29.65 and larger vans (3,000-3,500kg) at £58.60.
Why do garages charge less than £54.85?
£54.85 is the legal maximum, not a set price. Most garages use the MOT as a loss leader: a cheap test gets your car through the door, and they make their margin on any repairs the inspection uncovers. That is why the typical charge is £30-45, and why an MOT bundled with a service is discounted even further.
What is the average price actually paid for an MOT?
The average MOT price for a Class 4 car in 2025 was around £35 across all bookings, rising to about £46 for a standalone test with no service attached (BookMyGarage platform data, reported February 2026). The blended figure is low because most drivers bundle the MOT with a service, against which the test is heavily discounted (an MOT with a major service averaged just £26.92).
Is the MOT fee the same across the UK?
The £54.85 car cap is identical across England, Scotland and Wales, because all three use the DVSA fee schedule. Northern Ireland is different: MOTs there are run by the DVA at government test centres, with a fixed fee of £38. Real garage prices still vary by region within Great Britain, with London tending toward the cap and the north of England often cheapest.
Does the MOT fee include repairs?
No. The fee pays for the inspection only. If your car fails, you pay separately for any repairs needed to pass, then a retest. Around 27% of cars fail their initial test, and the average repair bill for a failed MOT is £150-300, so the true cost of MOT day is usually higher than the headline fee.
How much should I budget for MOT day in total?
Budget the test fee (£30-45 typical) plus a contingency for repairs. With roughly a 27% chance of failure and an average repair bill of £150-300, the expected true cost works out around £75-125 for a typical car in a typical year, higher for older cars where failure is more likely and repairs cost more.
Find the cheapest MOT near you
Chain headline prices, comparison-platform deals and when the retest is free.
Cheapest MOT Guide