PRICE GUIDE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · 2026–2027
MOT and service cost in the UK
£30–£54.85 per test. Typically £48.
The MOT fee for a car is capped at £54.85 in Great Britain, and most drivers pay less: about £48 on average, or near £30 when booked with a service. Garages discount the test to win repair and servicing work, so prices vary from street to street.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does an MOT and service cost in the UK?
| Low end | £30 | an MOT booked together with a service |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £48 | what most people pay |
| High end | £54.85 | a standalone MOT at the legal maximum fee |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the garages, mobile mechanics and valeters near you.
What moves the price
- The legal maximum — DVSA caps the MOT fee for a car, so no test centre can charge above it
- Booking with a service — many garages discount the MOT heavily when it is booked with a car service
- Competition — MOT prices fall where many test centres compete, and rise where there are few
- Type of vehicle — motorcycles, larger passenger vehicles and some vans have different MOT fee caps
- Retest rules — a free partial retest within ten working days depends on the defect and where the car is left
- Repairs after a fail — the MOT fee is fixed, but repairs needed to pass are charged on top
Vehicle maintenance prices in the UK are up 38% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Maintenance and repairs, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical mot / nct service would have cost about £35 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7ED →
WHAT YOU GET
What a MOT and service booking includes
Takes: About 45 minutes to an hour for the test; longer if repairs are carried out the same day. Not included: Repairs needed to pass, servicing and tyres are priced separately from the MOT test — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common MOT jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
MOT and Service near you, with prices shown
The garages, mobile mechanics and valeters that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
How to pay less
- Book the MOT with a service, as many garages cut the MOT fee when the two go together
- Check bulbs, tyres, wipers and screenwash yourself before the MOT, as these cause many fails
- Test the car up to a month before the MOT expires and keep the same renewal date
Before you book
- Check your MOT due date online, as driving without a valid MOT can bring a large fine
- Ask the garage to call before carrying out any MOT repairs, so you can get a second quote
- Clear the boot and seats, as testers need access to seat belts and the spare wheel well
- Check no warning lights are lit on the dashboard before the MOT test
MOT and Service cost: questions people ask
No more than £54.85, the legal maximum for a car in Great Britain. Most drivers pay less, about £48 on average, and some pay around £30 when the MOT is booked with a service.
About 45 minutes to an hour. If the car fails and the garage repairs it on the spot, allow longer.
By the third anniversary of its registration, then every year. Northern Ireland has its own MOT rules for vehicles registered there.
Only if the old certificate is still valid and no dangerous defects were found. A car with a dangerous defect must not be driven until it is repaired.
Any repairs, servicing, new tyres or parts needed to pass are charged separately, as the fee covers only the test itself.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, based on the published DVSA fee cap and garage booking data. They are a national range, not a quote, and garages near you may charge less than the cap.
MORE GUIDES