The short answer
£54.85 at most for a car
The maximum MOT fee for a car is £54.85. That cap applies to class 4 vehicles such as cars with up to 8 passenger seats.
GOV.UK publishes a maximum for each vehicle type rather than a set price, so a test centre can charge less but should not charge more. The maximum for a standard motorcycle is £29.65, and you do not pay VAT on the fee. A retest after a fail can be free, carry a partial retest fee or cost the full fee again, depending on how quickly the vehicle goes back.
MOT test cost by vehicle class
The table repeats the maximum fees on the GOV.UK MOT costs page. Find your vehicle in the first column rather than guessing its class: several quite different vehicles, from motor caravans to goods vehicles up to 3,000kg, share the class 4 maximum.
| Vehicle | MOT class | Maximum MOT fee |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle (engine size up to 200cc) | 1 | £29.65 |
| Motorcycle with sidecar (engine size up to 200cc) | 1 | £37.80 |
| Motorcycle (engine size over 200cc) | 2 | £29.65 |
| Motorcycle with sidecar (engine size over 200cc) | 2 | £37.80 |
| 3-wheeled vehicles (up to 450kg unladen weight) | 3 | £37.80 |
| 3-wheeled vehicles (over 450kg unladen weight) | 4 | £54.85 |
| Cars (up to 8 passenger seats) | 4 | £54.85 |
| Motor caravans | 4 | £54.85 |
| Quads (max unladen weight 400kg, or 550kg for goods vehicles, and max net power of 15kW) | 4 | £54.85 |
| Dual purpose vehicles | 4 | £54.85 |
| Private hire and public service vehicles (up to 8 seats) | 4 | £54.85 |
| Ambulances and taxis | 4 | £54.85 |
| Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (9 to 12 passenger seats) | 4 | £57.30 |
| Goods vehicles (up to 3,000kg design gross weight) | 4 | £54.85 |
| Class 4 vehicles (9 to 12 passenger seats) with a seat belt installation check | 4a | £64 |
| Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (13 to 16 passenger seats) | 5 | £59.55 |
| Private passenger vehicles and ambulances (more than 16 passenger seats) | 5 | £80.65 |
| Playbuses | 5 | £80.65 |
| Class 5 vehicles (13 to 16 passenger seats) with a seatbelt installation check | 5a | £80.50 |
| Class 5 vehicles (more than 16 passenger seats) with a seatbelt installation check | 5a | £124.50 |
| Petrol, diesel and hybrid goods vehicles (over 3,000kg up to 3,500kg design gross weight) | 7 | £58.60 |
| Zero emission goods vehicles (between 3,501kg and 4,250kg design gross weight) | 7 | £58.60 |
Classes 4a and 5a cover vehicles tested with a seat belt installation check, and their maximums are higher than the class 4 or class 5 figure for the same number of seats. Taxis, ambulances and some passenger vehicles share the car fee or sit close to it, but the age at which they first need a test can differ, so check the official table for your vehicle type.
Why the MOT price varies between centres
GOV.UK puts it simply: there is a maximum amount MOT test stations can charge, and it depends on the type of vehicle. The published figures are ceilings, not a national price list. Two approved centres can quote different amounts for the same car, and both can be within the rules as long as neither goes above the maximum for that class.
- The maximum is the whole fee
- You do not pay VAT on the MOT fee, so VAT should not be added on top of the published maximum.
- Only approved centres can test
- The MOT must be done at an approved test centre. Only centres showing the blue sign with 3 white triangles can carry out the test.
- The cap covers the test
- The fee table lists maximums for the MOT test only. It does not set any price for repairs needed to pass.
- Collection is a centre's own service
- Some MOT centres will collect your vehicle for the test and return it. GOV.UK says to contact a centre to see if this is available.
MOT retest cost after a fail
What you pay for a retest depends on where the vehicle is repaired and how soon it goes back for testing. GOV.UK describes four routes:
- Left at the centre
Repaired and retested within 10 working days: no fee
If you leave the vehicle at the test centre for repair and it is retested within 10 working days, it only needs a partial retest. There is no fee for this.
- By the next working day
Back to the same centre: free for listed items
You will not have to pay again if you take the vehicle back to the same test centre before the end of the next working day for a partial retest on one or more items from the official list.
- Within 10 working days
Taken away and brought back: partial retest fee
If you take the vehicle away for repairs and bring it back within 10 working days, it only needs a partial retest, but you can be charged a partial retest fee.
- Any other case
Full retest at the full MOT fee
In all other cases you need a full retest and pay the full MOT test fee again, up to the maximum for the vehicle's class.
The GOV.UK fee table does not give a separate figure for the partial retest fee, so ask the test centre what it charges before you take the vehicle away.
Items that qualify for the free next-working-day retest
The official list includes the following items, among others. Some further items, such as emergency exits and stairs, apply to class 5 vehicles only.
- access panels
- battery
- bonnet and bootlid
- doors, including hinges, catches and pillars
- electrical wiring
- fuel filler cap
- horn
- lamps, excluding headlamp aim
- mirrors
- rear reflectors and registration plates
- seatbelts (but not anchorages) and seats
- steering wheel
- windscreen glass, wipers and washers
- wheels and tyres, excluding motorcycles and motorcycles with sidecar
Whether you can drive the vehicle away to be repaired is a separate question from the fee and is not covered here. The MOT grace period guide covers the limited journeys allowed once an MOT has run out, and the MOT failure guide explains what fails an MOT in the first place.
MOT fees when you appeal a result
You can appeal an MOT result to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The fee position depends on which way the appeal goes.
Vehicle failed
Recheck at the full test fee
Send the complaint form to DVSA within 14 working days of the test. If DVSA decides to recheck the vehicle, you pay the full test fee again, and it is refunded if your appeal is successful.
Vehicle passed
No fee for a recheck
If you think the vehicle passed but should have failed and DVSA decides to recheck it, you will not need to pay the test fee again.
GOV.UK also advises that no repairs should be made until the appeal process has finished.
Where these MOT fees apply
These maximum fees come from the GOV.UK MOT guidance, which this guide applies to England, Scotland and Wales. GOV.UK says there are different rules and processes for MOTs for vehicles registered in Northern Ireland, so these figures should not be read as a Northern Ireland price.
MotRadar does not show prices or compare test centres. It reads the DVSA record, so you can use the MOT expiry check to see when the next test is due, or the MOT history to read past results and any failures before a retest.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an MOT for a car?
GOV.UK sets a maximum MOT fee of £54.85 for a car with up to 8 passenger seats, which is a class 4 vehicle. A test centre can charge up to that amount, and you do not pay VAT on the fee.
Why do MOT prices vary between test centres?
The figures GOV.UK publishes are the maximum amounts MOT test stations can charge, not a fixed national price. That is why the price for the same vehicle can differ between approved centres, but it should not go above the published maximum for its class.
Do you pay VAT on an MOT test fee?
No. GOV.UK states that you do not pay VAT on the MOT fee, so the maximum figure for each vehicle class is the most a test station can charge for the test.
How much does an MOT retest cost?
It depends on what happens after the fail. A partial retest is free if the vehicle stays at the test centre for repair and is retested within 10 working days. If you take it away and bring it back within 10 working days, a partial retest fee can be charged. In all other cases you pay the full MOT test fee again.
Is an MOT retest free if I go back the next day?
It can be. You will not pay again if you return to the same test centre before the end of the next working day for a partial retest on items from the official list, such as lamps, mirrors, wipers, doors or wheels and tyres.
How much is a motorcycle MOT?
The maximum fee for a standard motorcycle is £29.65, whether the engine is up to or over 200cc. A motorcycle with a sidecar has a maximum fee of £37.80.
Do I pay again if I appeal a failed MOT?
If DVSA decides to recheck the vehicle after a failure appeal, you pay the full test fee again, and the fee is refunded if the appeal is successful. If you appeal because the vehicle passed but you think it should have failed, you do not pay the test fee again for a recheck.
Official sources
Fees can change. Recheck these primary pages before relying on a price, retest rule or appeal fee.
Editorial and service boundary
Last reviewed: 23 October 2026. MotRadar is independent and is not a government service, DVSA service or legal adviser. This is general information about published maximum fees, not a price quote, a recommendation of any test centre or advice on a particular dispute.
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