Before we talk about MOT cost 2025, it might be prudent to give you a little more about MOT testing costs generally.

Many news outlets will tell you that the cost of an annual MOT has not risen in the last 14 years, but that is not a phrase I believe car owners would recognise and that is because the cost of an MOT test has gone up, but what hasn't risen, is the maximum price a garage can charge for an MOT, which has been stagnant for the past 14 years.

But what's the difference?

The MOT test has a maximum price that can be charged, which for cars (class 4 MOT) is £54.85 and that has been the maximum price that can be charged for the past 14 years. Whilst there is a maximum charge, there has never been a minimum charge.

National brands and independent garages alike have, in the past, significantly reduced the price of their MOTs, presumably to help get customers through the door. The likes of Halfords and Kwik-Fit have historically charged £25 where as independent garages have charged somewhere in the region of £25 to £40, but that is by no means the cheapest I have seen. In 2016, I took my then Fiat for its MOT and was charged just £20. However, in recent years, national and independent garages prices for an MOT have risen.

Research by Motorway (1) has identified the average MOT Cost 2025 prices, broken down in to regions, these being:

- London, £50 to £60

- South East, £45 to £55

- North West, £40 to £50

- Midlands, £45 to £55

- Scotland, £40 to £50

- Northern Ireland, £30 to £40

- Wales, £30 to £55

Whilst the research shows some obvious flaw, mainly that a class 4 MOT test cannot be more than £54.85, it does suggest that broadly speaking, the actual cost motorists are charged has increased in the last decade at least.

When thinking about MOT Cost 2025, and whether you are getting a good deal, remember that the lowest price, isn't always the best deal. You have to question why the MOT test is so cheap?

An MOT test can take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. Garages across the country are charging between £50 and £80 per hour (2), so why would they charge less for an MOT test?

Well, there are two schools of thought. The first is that you charge a lower MOT test fee to get customers through the door. You test fairly in the hope that should the car need work or repairs, the customer will leave the car with you, and that is where you make your money.

The second is far more sinister, in that you charge a lower fee to get customers through the door. You then go over their vehicle with a fine toothcomb and fail the vehicle on anything possible.

Whilst the number of garages that fit into the second category are diminishing, there are still some rogue testers out there.

In the event that your car fails its MOT test (or passes) when it shouldn't have, you can always request a form VT17 from testing station to appeal the MOT testers decision. This will involve completion of the form, submission of the form to the DVSA and then having your vehicle tested again.

(1) https://motorway.co.uk/sell-my-car/guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-get-an-mot

(2) https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/mechanic-hourly-rate-uk/