The government is considering changing the frequency of MOT tests from yearly to every other year.
There are changes for new vehicles too. Currently, new vehicles need to get an MOT after 3 years. But in the future, new vehicles might not need an MOT for 4 years.
The MOT changes apply to cars, motorbikes and vans.
The government says that the changes to MOTs reflect the improvements to vehicle safety, for example automatic lane keeping systems (ALKs).
This might cause some safety concerns for motorists. But government analysis revealed that new vehicles usually pass their MOT in the first 3 years. And that there are low numbers of casualties in collisions in the UK due to vehicle defects.
It’s standard practice to test new vehicles at 4 years in countries like:
- Belgium
- Denmark
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Portugal
Most drivers will likely be happy that they could save money with less frequent MOTs. The average MOT costs £40, so the new changes could save motorists across the UK £100 million a year.
But it’s important to make sure you’re still getting regular services and not ignoring problems with your vehicle. This should also mean you have less problems when you do get an MOT.
The government is also looking at how MOTs could help monitor emissions. This should reduce pollution and strengthen the environmental efficiency of vehicles.
One of the new measures could include testing pollutants like NOx. This should ensure that diesel, petrol and hybrid cars always meet emission requirements during their lifespan.
The government is also consulting on:
- Electric vehicle batteries and whether they should be tested to improve their safety and reliability
- More plans to deal with excessively noisy vehicles
- How the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can stop MOT and mileage fraud
The public consultation launched on 18 January 2023 to seek views on the new MOT rule changes.