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MOT Price Increase 2026: What Is Actually Changing
The short answer for most drivers: the MOT price is not increasing in 2026. The car fee is still capped at £54.85, frozen since 2010. The only confirmed 2026 rise applies to heavy vehicles.
Is the MOT price increasing in 2026?
Not for cars, motorcycles or vans. The DVSA statutory maximum car (Class 4) MOT fee stays at £54.85 in 2026, unchanged since April 2010, and no rise has been laid before Parliament. The one confirmed 2026 increase is to heavy-vehicle testing: from 6 July 2026 the maximum service charge an Authorised Testing Facility (ATF) can add for HGV, bus, coach and trailer tests went up. Standard car, motorcycle, van and motorhome MOT fees are unaffected.
Sources: DVSA published MOT test fee schedule on gov.uk (car/bike/van fees) and DVSA's confirmed heavy-vehicle ATF service-charge changes effective 6 July 2026. Verified 13 July 2026.
What Is Not Changing (Cars, Bikes, Vans)
Every standard-vehicle MOT fee is a statutory DVSA maximum, and none of them moved for 2026. A garage can charge less than the cap, and most do, but none may charge more.
| Vehicle type | 2026 max fee | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Car (Class 4, up to 3,000kg) | £54.85 | Frozen since April 2010 |
| Motorcycle (Classes 1 & 2) | £29.65 | No 2026 change |
| Large van (Class 7, 3,000-3,500kg) | £58.60 | No 2026 change |
| Motor caravan / motorhome | £54.85 | No 2026 change |
See the full breakdown on the MOT test fees 2026 and MOT cost 2026 pages.
The One 2026 Increase: Heavy-Vehicle ATF Service Charges
From 6 July 2026, DVSA raised the maximum service charge that Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) can add for heavy-vehicle tests. This is the first change to these limits since 2010, and it followed a public consultation that closed in November 2025. It affects operators of HGVs, buses, coaches and trailers, not car, motorcycle or van drivers.
| Vehicle type | Old max charge | New max charge | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HGV (goods vehicle over 3,500kg) | £55 | £70 | +£15 |
| Bus & coach (PSV) | £70 | £90 | +£20 |
| Trailer | £40 | £50 | +£10 |
These are maximum permitted charges, not fixed fees. ATFs continue to set their own prices within the limit, so competition can keep the real charge below the ceiling. The figure is a service charge, separate from the statutory test fee.
Why the Car Fee Has Stayed Frozen
The £54.85 Class 4 cap was set by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 and has not been amended since. Changing it requires a new statutory instrument from the Department for Transport, and none has been laid.
Industry bodies have lobbied for a rise, arguing that garage overheads, tester wages and equipment costs have climbed while the cap has not. So far ministers have declined. In real terms the fee has fallen by roughly a third against inflation since 2010, which is one reason garages lean on the MOT as a loss leader and make their margin on any repair work the test uncovers. See how that plays out in the true MOT cost and average repair cost pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MOT price increasing in 2026?
Not for cars, motorcycles or vans. The DVSA statutory maximum car (Class 4) MOT fee stays at £54.85 in 2026, unchanged since April 2010, and no rise has been laid before Parliament. The only 2026 increase is to heavy-vehicle testing: from 6 July 2026 the maximum service charge that Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) can add for HGV, bus, coach and trailer tests went up. Standard car, motorcycle, van and motorhome MOT fees are unaffected.
Is the MOT going up in 2026?
The car MOT fee is not going up in 2026. It remains capped at £54.85 for a Class 4 car, and most garages charge £30-45 regardless. The one confirmed 2026 rise is the maximum ATF service charge for heavy vehicles (HGV, bus, coach, trailer), effective 6 July 2026. If you drive a car, motorcycle or van, your MOT fee ceiling has not changed.
How much did the HGV and bus MOT charge go up in July 2026?
From 6 July 2026 the maximum ATF service charge rose from £55 to £70 for an HGV, from £70 to £90 for a bus or coach, and from £40 to £50 for a trailer. These are the first changes to the heavy-vehicle service-charge ceiling since 2010. They are maximum permitted charges, not fixed fees, so an ATF can charge less.
Is the £55 to £70 change a test fee or a service charge?
It is a service charge, not the statutory test fee. Heavy vehicles are tested by DVSA examiners, usually at an Authorised Testing Facility (ATF) rather than a government test station. The ATF charges a service fee on top, and it is the maximum for that service fee that DVSA has raised. The change does not touch the car MOT fee, which is a single statutory maximum of £54.85.
Why has the car MOT fee been frozen since 2010?
Successive governments have chosen not to raise the £54.85 Class 4 cap. It was last set by The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2010. Industry bodies including the Independent Garage Association have repeatedly called for a rise, arguing that garage costs have climbed while the cap has not, but no minister has laid an amending statutory instrument. In real terms the fee has fallen by roughly a third against inflation since 2010.
Could the car MOT fee rise later in 2026?
It is possible but nothing has been announced. Any change to the £54.85 Class 4 cap requires a statutory instrument from the Department for Transport, and none has been laid. The heavy-vehicle service-charge change that took effect on 6 July 2026 followed a public consultation that closed in November 2025; there is no equivalent live consultation on the car fee. Watch the gov.uk MOT test fees page for any amendment.
What a 2026 MOT actually costs
The cap is £54.85, but the real spend is the fee plus the odds of a failure and repair.
MOT Cost 2026 Guide