On August 3, 2026, the DVSA announced a national rollout of MOT test photos, following a successful trial. It’s a real step forward for MOT testing. Photos will help stop fraudulent certificates and stop honest garages getting undercut by those who cut corners, writes Amanda Webb, CEO at FixMyCar.
But that raises an obvious question: if the DVSA can move this fast to tackle fraud, why hasn’t the MOT fee cap moved since April 2010?
Modernising the MOT can’t just mean better tech. It has to mean a fairer deal too – and proper recognition of the skill it takes to do the job right.
Proof the system can modernise
Around 2,500 UK garages are being included in first wave of the DVSA’s photo rollout. This means these testers can now photograph vehicles during the test and upload the images straight to the DVSA.
This change matters. Not only because it cuts fraud by verifying the vehicle was actually there, clamping down on the so-called “Ghost MOT”, but also because it builds public trust in the whole MOT system which has been neglected for too long.
While it is currently optional, it is being “strongly recommended” by the DVSA, so it worth garages noting that this could be a pre-cursor to it becoming mandatory in the future.
It is proof that the DVSA and the industry can adapt and improve when they want to. So why has the MOT fee cap sat frozen for 16 years, despite rising inflation and cost of living?
The £54.85 MOT Fee Cap
The Class 4 MOT fee cap has sat at £54.85 since April 2010, that’s 16 years without a single increase.
In real terms, adjusted for inflation, that fee has lost roughly a third of its value. In fact, according to the Bank of England’s Inflation Calculator, had the MOT cap been adjusted for inflation it would today cost £87.31. Meanwhile garages have absorbed rising technician wages, energy costs, equipment calibration, premises costs, and new investment needed for EV testing and safety kit.
Everything from Royal Mail postage stamps to NHS prescription costs have been allowed to rise in prices over the last 16 years, often citing a strain on their services making the increases necessary. Yet garages have not been afforded the same flexibility, despite a now well-documented strain on their businesses.
Some changes have been made that can be viewed positively. This year HGV, bus and coach MOT fees were increased by the DVSA, which had almost unanimous support from test centres. Class 4 MOTs, which capture around 85% of all UK MOT tests, are yet to receive the same treatment.
So significant is this problem to the auto repair industry that industry bodies are now loudly and regularly calling on the Government to make a change. Stuart James, CEO of the Independent Garage Association warns that squeezed margins are pushing garages to prioritise more profitable work over MOT testing, shrinking national test capacity.
And who can blame them? For years, MOT testers have kept their prices low and testing standards high, all while absorbing the cost themselves. But facing the current cost of living, rising inflation and increasing supplier costs, it has become unsustainable for many garages.
Why this matters beyond the forecourt
The DVSA oversaw 42.5 million MOT tests in the last year. That’s a huge share of the country’s road safety net running on a fee that hasn’t changed in well over a decade.
If margin pressure keeps pushing independents out of testing, then MOT capacity shrinks. This means fewer MOT bays for drivers to book into, longer waits, and likely rural areas losing local access altogether. That hits people who depend on their vehicle for work the most. Tradespeople, carers, delivery drivers and small business owners will feel it first, but it will not take long for a backlog of MOTs to affect every UK driver.
Worse still, fewer local MOT testers also risks pushing more people toward untested or poorly tested vehicles, which feeds back into road safety and insurance costs for everyone.
A shrinking and financially squeezed independent garage sector means less local employment, less high-street presence, and more consolidation into a handful of large chains. With that comes less choice and, over time, higher prices for drivers.
Modernising the MOT test and adjusting the price cap is ultimately about keeping essential vehicle safety checks affordable and accessible for all, not just about garage margins.
What real modernisation looks like
If the DVSA is to truly revamp and modernise MOTs for today’s reality, then there are a few options they should be considering.
First, every digital step forward for MOTs including the new photo rollout, future e-certificates or telematics should be paired with a fair, sustainable funding model for the people delivering the tests. Each change should be reviewed for impact and benefit on both sides of the MOT.
Next, the fee cap should be reviewed on a regular, inflation-linked cycle rather than left to whims of political agenda for over a decade at a time. This would prevent this problem for reoccurring in the future and ensure fair, data-backed price capping for drivers and mechanics.
Finally, the DVSA must recognise garages as the backbone of road safety, not just small businesses. The auto repair industry and its independent garages are worth the same long-term planning that the DVSA is applying to fraud prevention.
Final Thoughts
Garages have been squeezed by a system that’s stopped keeping pace with the rapid changes happening to the industry. Repairers have shown they’ll adopt new tools and higher standards without complaint, even now they race to invest in expensive training for their staff to support the Government’s push towards electric vehicles.
It’s time the fee structure matched their commitment and energy.
Author: Amanda Webb, CEO, FixMyCar
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