A Halifax MOT tester must complete 150 hours of unpaid work after being convicted of issuing fraudulent MOT certificates.
Pavanraj Singh Samra, 36, of Hightown, Liversedge, was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on July 9 after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud by false representation.
The offences took place at Surefix Motoring Centre in Halifax between January 2 and March 31, 2025.
Samra issued fraudulent MOT certificates with a combined test fee value of £385.95. He has been banned from carrying out MOT tests for five years.
The court imposed a 12-month community order requiring him to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work.
Samra was also ordered to pay £1,406 in prosecution costs and a £114 victim surcharge. The total of £1,520 must be paid at £130 a month, with the first payment due within 28 days.
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DVSA monitors unauthorised MOT system access
Marian Kitson, DVSA director of enforcement services, said: “The MOT helps keep us all safe by helping ensure vehicles are roadworthy and environmental standards are maintained.
“DVSA is committed to taking action against anyone who undermines the integrity of the MOT and compromises road safety and has systems in place for monitoring unauthorised access to the MOT testing service (MTS).
“We’re really pleased to have secured a conviction in this case and continue to investigate cases that are reported to us.”
The MOT Testing Service is the digital system used by testers to record MOT results and holds all MOT data in the UK.
DVSA said the service meets government security standards and is regularly tested, with no known instances of the central system being hacked.
The agency monitors unauthorised access and cancels any fraudulent “ghost” MOTs it identifies.
It is also urging testers to use two-factor authentication to reduce the risk of their accounts being compromised.
MOT fraud prosecutions continue to rise
DVSA brought 35 MOT fraud prosecutions in 2025/26, up from 32 the previous year and 18 in 2022/23.
During the last financial year, DVSA issued 173 cessations to authorised examiners, including 98 linked to serious breaches such as dishonesty or significant failures in standards.
A further 376 tester cessations were issued, with 215 relating to similar serious breaches.
DVSA said the enforcement action represented a small proportion of the approximately 23,500 MOT garages and 60,000 testers operating across the network.
Garages found to be issuing fraudulent MOT certificates can face disciplinary action, including being banned from testing for up to five years and criminal prosecution.