A campaign led by Ian Wills, Managing Director of The Test Centre, one of the UK’s largest dedicated MOT-only businesses, has prompted the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and the DVSA to convene an emergency industry roundtable on MOT test fees.
Ian, whose business conducts over 80,000 tests annually across two high-volume sites, sent an urgent open letter to the IMI and MPs highlighting the worsening financial squeeze on testing stations.
The core issue? The statutory maximum MOT fee has remained capped at £54.85 since 2010, while cumulative inflation over the past 16 years has climbed by 65-70%.
MOT fee concerns
Erosion of margins: Rising overheads, including the National Living Wage, employer National Insurance, business rates, energy bills, software, and equipment calibration, have sharply reduced margins under a frozen fee cap.
Flawed business models: Ian warned against the assumption that MOT losses can simply be absorbed through subsequent repair work, noting that a viable MOT sector requires independent, impartial inspections free from commercial pressure to generate repairs.
Workforce & recruitment pressures: Despite high levels of responsibility, annual assessments, and mandatory continuous professional development (CPD), static fee revenues restrict what garages can pay testers, worsening sector-wide skills shortages.
Emerging technologies: Demands such as EV mileage logging ahead of electronic Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) rules in 2028, alongside ADAS calibration and high-voltage training, require ongoing capital investment.
In response to the letter and mounting pressure across the aftermarket, the IMI has confirmed it is partnering with the DVSA to host an industry roundtable on 21 October 2026.
The event will gather trade associations, road safety groups, and industry stakeholders to address testing economics and rising technical demands.
Nick Connor, CEO, Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) said: “Last changed in 2010, the fee structure has clearly not kept pace with the costs faced by MOT garages… By hosting the roundtable, our goal is to provide a forum for all parts of the sector to discuss the cost pressures faced alongside motorists’ expectations and to identify the best solution.”
Ahead of the October summit, the IMI will launch an extensive member survey to gather hard data on equipment and training cost pressures.
The Department for Transport (DfT) responded to Ian noting that while the government has no immediate plans to raise the cap, it is actively monitoring testing network sustainability, capacity, and workforce retention alongside the DVSA.
Garages, testers, and stakeholders wishing to contribute evidence to the upcoming survey or register interest in the roundtable can contact the IMI directly at ceooffice@theimi.org.uk.
Let us know in the comments, what fee level would actually represent a fair, sustainable return for the equipment and training you invest in?
