The Ministry of Transport Test (MOT) is the statutory examination of all motor vehicles by a certified garage in order to ensure that they are roadworthy. In order to identify which garages are certified to carry out the MOT, look out for the blue sign emblazoned with three white triangles that will be prominently displayed outside these garages.

The police can stop a driver and ask to see a valid MOT certificate at any time and the government maintains an online database of all vehicles holding a current certificate. If a driver is stopped by the police and doesn’t have an up to date certificate they can either receive a fixed penalty of £60 or, if the matter is taken to court, fines of up to £1,000 can be imposed.

The idea behind the MOT test is to ensure that cars are roadworthy and therefore will not cause harm to either the driver or to other road users. Fees for the test vary from garage to garage and are dependent on the amount of work that needs to be carried out in order to make sure that vehicles are safe. When a car simply just needs a test and no extra work or repairs, then the government recommends a charge of £54.85. If a car fails the MOT test the owner will receive a list of all the problems that need to be rectified and then will be charged accordingly.