Government proposes delaying first MOT to ‘cut costs for drivers’

Planned changes include 4-1-1 testing and improved monitoring of emissions

Government proposes delaying first MOT to ‘cut costs for drivers’

The government has put forward 4-1-1 MOT plans, changing the date at which the first MOT for cars is required from three to four years.

In its public consultation, the DfT says the change would “save motorists across Great Britain around £100 million a year” in MOT fees.

The consultation also seeks views on the frequency of MOTs and how to improve monitoring of emissions to tackle pollution to bolster the environmental efficiency of vehicles.

Potential new measures include introducing testing of pollutants such as particulate number (PN) and NOx to ensure diesel, petrol and hybrid cars always meet emissions requirements throughout their lifespan.

Among the proposals, the consultation will consider whether electric vehicles’ batteries should be tested to improve the safety and reliability of EVs, if additional measures should be introduced to tackle excessively loud engines, and how the DVSA can continue to crack down against MOT and mileage fraud.

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Following the launch of the consultation, the Independent Garage Association (IGA) said it will be carrying out a “full impact assessment” of the proposed changes and will be consulting with its members and the wider industry to ensure that full, robust and representative feedback is provided in response.

Stuart James, IGA chief executive said: “The MOT has been in the government’s spotlight for some time and the IGA were expecting a review of this type, however the far-reaching nature of the consultation announced this morning goes deeper and wider than anticipated.

“A common-sense approach to the consultation will be needed, with road safety being of paramount importance above gaining votes in the next election.

“Vehicles are becoming more complex and the environmental impact of road transport plays an ever-increasing role in the UK Government’s commitment to Net Zero.

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“While the number of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles on the road relates to less than 2.5 per cent of all vehicles on the road, it is inevitable that the MOT will need to adapt to provide a 21st-century solution to these challenges.

“The MOT plays a vital part in keeping the UK’s roads amongst the safest in the world, and the IGA will work closely with the government to safeguard this record and ensure a fair, viable and safe future for the MOT system which protects all road users.”

The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has said it will fight any proposals to extend the MOT test frequency.

It warns that any increase in the first test frequency will see the number of defective vehicles on UK roads rise, which could also lead to more road accidents and fatalities.

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As for advancements in technology, the IAAF notes that MOT failures are disproportionately high for electric vehicles when they are first tested at three years.

Evidence also shows MOT and servicing is often done at the same time as each other, so a reduction in test frequency means a reduction in servicing, further separating a motorist’s responsibility on a vehicle’s roadworthiness.

Mark Field, IAAF chief executive, said: “The DfT has put forward no credible argument for changing the MOT first test from three years to four years.

“It’s bad for the motorist, the environment, the public and motor industry and we will fight any measures that threaten road safety.”

12 Comments

  1. If the people proposing these changes had seen the state of even a fraction of the ‘first MOT’ Cars I’ve seen, they’d be changing the system to be based on time-or-mileage rather than just time! I’ve seen plenty of vehicles in for their first ever test with well over 100k on the clock, but still maintained on a shoestring. This is nothing to do with road safety, this is so they can say ‘older cars are dangerous because more are failing the MOT than ever before…we had better get them all off the road and get people into financially crippling lease plans so we can control their every move’. If they truly wanted to cut costs for drivers, they’d lower fuel duty.

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  2. When we do the first MOT of a vehicle it’s incredible how bad some vehicles are and the owner is completely unaware, changing to four years is an irresponsible step.

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  3. stupid idea , it saves the customer a test fee !! that’s all it does and leaves dangerous cars on the road,you should see the state of cars at three years old and younger in some cases cords hanging out of tyres lights not working wiper blades split, and the customer gets an even bigger bill , who dreams these things up ? get into the real world

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  4. Fuel duty should be a priority to lower, to save motorists money.
    Iv filled in the online gov questionnaire to object to the change proposed, and encourage people to do the same, its a good detailed questionnaire.
    The uk mot test is a proven safety check that keeps cars and people safe, why change it.
    The gov need to look at the mot stats produced from the mot testing scheme, as testers we see the fail rates of vehicles and components.
    It is not a legal requirement to have a vehicle serviced, so a vehicle having its first mot on 4 years could of, based on the average mileage from google of 14k per per year would of done a average of 56k before it sees a garage, tyres, brakes and many other components do not have that much life in them.
    The loss of revenue not just from the mot fee but from the mot repairs to garages will be huge, also the gov will loose out on vat money from mot repairs, have they thought of this.
    Why is it the motor trade that is always hit, like the covid mot extension, this extension led to lots of unsafe vehicles on our roads, ridiculous.

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  5. Absolutely ridiculous having owned MOT STATIONS for 35 years plus if they spent time in the workshops to see the condition of vehicles that have not been mot tested until three years old they would be gobsmacked.If they have a once of sense in their heads they should be bringing it forward to two years or miles carried out.For me this is a ridiculous and unsafe way to go.

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  6. ITS AMAZING THAT PEOPLE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE AND EVEN LESS COMMON SENSE ARE PUTTING THIS FORWARD I SEE CARS COMING IN WITH 30000 MILES ON THE CLOCK FOR THE FIRST MOT AND THE STATE OF THE BRAKES AND TYRES ARE SOMETIMES A SIGHT TO BEHOLD, THE PRICE OF AN MOT HAS NOT INCREASED SINCE 2008 THE PRICE SHOULD BE OVER £80 AND ENFORCED THEN YOU WOULD SEE WHO THE HONEST MOT STATIONS ARE MINISTERS TRYING TO SAVE £1000000 EVERY YEAR ITS A JOKE THEY ARE GOING TO COST MORE IN FIXING PROBLEMS CAUSED BY VEHICLES DRIVEN TO DISTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHECKED PROPERLY. £10000000 SAVED BETWEEN 20000000 CARS £5 WHICH GENIUOSE THUGHT THIS UP

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  7. So to save a cost of £54.85 a year when that extra year could result in a repair bill for lets say £200 the following year because something has been missed by an extra year? This government needs to focus on saving people real money by lowering council tax, gas and electric prices, road tax or even the price of fuel. That would do far more for people than saving a pitiful £54.85 per year. Dumbest suggestion ever

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  8. another superb example of a badly managed country who think we are all going to use electric cars or the bus never going to happen
    thease people need to visit us the mot garages to see what we deal with every day
    then they might understand the issues

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  9. To the person who wants to approve the first mot to 4 years, come and spend March watching us mot 3 year old cars and you can witness what us testers find. Bring a coat as it’s probably not as warm as your deluded warm office.

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  10. Have we left the EU yet ? This seems to me we are following another EU directive

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  11. There are approx 65800 testers employed by 23000 ish stations and less than 3000 have signed the petition WHAT is wrong with YOU people ? It takes less than 25 minutes to do both don’t complain if this goes through and you have not signed it

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  12. Save the customer a one time test fee and create redundacies with in the motor trade GENIUS!!!!

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