The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is preparing to challenge the government for a substantial increase to the statutory MOT test fee, warning that the current pricing structure has become commercially unsustainable.
With formal discussions set, the trade body will argue that the maximum fee cap, which has remained frozen at £54.85 since 2010, must rise to at least £95 to reflect modern operational realities.
A recent survey of IGA members confirmed overwhelming sector support for an immediate fee revision, with business owners warning that maintaining MOT capacity at current rates is no longer viable.
The trade body warns that prolonged inaction from policymakers is already distorting the market.
Feedback from testing stations indicates a growing number of businesses are actively reducing their MOT slot allocations or mothballing test lanes in favour of more profitable service and repair work.
If the cap remains unchanged, the sector faces severe bottlenecks, leading to longer booking lead times, reduced local availability, and restricted choice for vehicle owners.
Mounting operational pressures
While headline inflation over the past 16 years has severely eroded margins, the IGA highlights that the cost burden extends far beyond general cost-of-living increases.
Testing stations have absorbed steep rises across every facet of operation, including:
Workshop overheads: Soaring commercial rent, energy tariffs, and fuel costs.
Equipment & tech: Significant capital outlay for connected testing equipment, calibration, and bay maintenance.
Staff & compliance: Increased expenditure on skilled labour, continuous tester training, quality management, and administrative compliance.
Stuart James, Chief Executive of the Independent Garage Association, said: “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.
“As the representative body for the independent garage sector, the IGA will continue to challenge the government to deliver an acceptable resolution to this issue before it causes a level of consumer detriment.”
The association stresses that an urgent, realistic fee adjustment is critical not only to protect testing infrastructure, but to safeguard the UK’s road safety record.
