Open consultation

Changes to HGV, bus and trailer MOT centre service charges

Published 25 September 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. Introduction

A consultation lets you give your views on new or changing government policies. We take your responses into consideration before making any final decisions.

This consultation is about changing the maximum service charges that MOT centres for heavy goods vehicles (HGV), buses, coaches and trailers can make to customers for using their facilities. We want you to give your views on plans to increase the maximum service charges ATFs can make for the first time since 2010.

2. About MOT centres for HGVs, buses and trailers

MOT centres for HGVs, buses and trailers are officially called ‘authorised testing facilities’ or ‘ATFs’. They are privately-owned sites approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) where HGVs, trailers, buses and coaches are tested.

At these sites:

• DVSA provides vehicle standards assessors to carry out the tests
• the site owner provides the premises and equipment

ATFs can:

• host tests for their own vehicles
• charge a service fee to other companies using their testing facilities

3. Background

In 2010, DVSA moved to the ATF model. Now almost all MOTs (99.88% in 2023/2024) for HGVs, trailers, buses and coaches happen at ATFs, rather than at government-owned testing stations.

ATFs arrange testing appointments with vehicle operators, and DVSA sends its vehicle standards assessors to carry out the tests. The statutory test fee for each test goes to DVSA.

The ATF contract allows testing facilities to charge operators a service fee for using their premises. This helps cover the costs of running and maintaining the facility. There are 3 maximum charges set out in the contract by vehicle type. These maximum charges help make sure customers are charged fairly.

ATFs often carry out maintenance work on vehicles before or after tests. Some may recover their costs this way rather than having a separate service charge. The amount ATFs charge varies, and not all charge the maximum allowed.

4. Why we need to make changes

The maximum service charges ATFs can make have not changed since 2010. During this time, trade associations (some of which represent vehicle operators and ATFs), and ATFs, have told us that their costs have increased and that to keep ATFs viable the service charge should be increased.

Costs have increased because of:

• increased running costs (such as utilities, rent, salaries, equipment maintenance)
• the need to update equipment on an ongoing basis to provide assurances on modern vehicles that they are safe and meet new requirements

5. What we’re proposing

We plan to increase the maximum service charge ATFs can make to:

• help ATFs cover their rising costs
• allow them to plan for future testing equipment needs
• keep the testing network sustainable – including encouraging new ATFs where the extra capacity and choice will benefit the vehicle operating industries

We believe raising the maximum HGV test service charge by £15 (a maximum 9% increase in overall costs for vehicle operators if ATFs charge the full amount) is appropriate. This increase is less than inflation over the same period, which would have seen an increase of approximately £30.

Current and proposed maximum service charges

This table shows:

• the current maximum service charges
• what the charges would be had they risen with inflation since 2010
• our proposed new service charges
• the proposed maximum increase in the context of the overall costs of a test (the statutory test fee paid to DVSA and the service charge)

Test type	Current maximum service charge	Maximum service charge if in line with inflation (CPI)[footnote 1]	Proposed maximum service charge	Average statutory test fee	Maximum percentage increase in total cost
HGV	£55	£85	£70	£114	9%
Trailer	£40	£62	£50	£54	11%
Buses and coaches	£70	£108	£90	£116	11%

Not all ATFs will charge the full amount. Some do not charge a service charge at all, particularly when testing their own vehicles or when offering testing as part of a wider service.

It is recognised that getting the ‘right’ increase is a balance, in protecting vehicle operators and other users from excess cost increase, whilst creating an environment where ATFs can continue to thrive and invest.

6. How to respond

The consultation started on on 25 September 2025 and will close at 11:59pm on 21 November 2025.

Fill in the online questionnaire to give your views.

When you respond, please say whether you’re responding as an individual or representing the views of an organisation.

If you’re responding on behalf of a larger organisation, make it clear:

• who the organisation represents
• how you gathered the views of members (if applicable)

7. What will happen next

We will publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

Contact DVSA if you have any questions about this consultation.

Vehicle Testing and Roadworthiness
vtr@dvsa.gov.uk

8. Privacy and Freedom of Information

We collect, use and store your personal data so that we can record and analyse your response to the consultation. We may share your personal data if we have a lawful reason, for example, as part of a criminal investigation or to prevent fraud.

Read the DVSA consultations privacy notice to find out how we collect, use and store your data.

DVSA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT). The data controller for DVSA is DfT – a data controller determines the reasons and how personal data is processed.

For more information see the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Public Register. DfT’s registration number is Z7122992.

Freedom of Information requests

We might need to publish or share some or all of your response to this consultation in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice that we have to comply with. It covers how we deal with confidential information.

Tell us if you think any information you have given us is confidential. If we get a request to see all or part of your response, we’ll consider what you have told us before we decide whether to release it. We cannot promise to keep all the information you have given us confidential.

Some IT systems produce an automatic confidentiality disclaimer. We do not always recognise them.

Annex A: government consultation principles

This consultation follows the government consultation principles.

The principles give us clear guidance on running consultations.

Annex B: full list of consultation questions

This is a full list of the questions that you’ll be asked when you fill in the online questionnaire to respond to the consultation.

1. What is the nature of your business?

• ATF
• Vehicle operator
• Vehicle operator and ATF
• Maintenance provider (that is not an ATF or operator)
• Trade body
• Other (please specify)

2. Do you agree with the principle of allowing an increase in the maximum service charge that ATFs can make for the use of the facility?

• Yes
• No

If no, please let us know why you disagree with the principle of allowing an increase in the maximum fee that ATFs can charge for the use of the facility. [Free text – maximum of 500 words]

3. Do you think the proposed amounts are:

• Too high
• About right
• Too low

If you think the proposed amounts are not about right, please let us know why. [Free text – maximum of 500 words]

4. Will there be any material changes needed in your business (or the members of the trade body) as a result of the proposed increase in the maximum charge??

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

If there will be any material changes needed in your business, please let us know what these material changes are. [Free text – maximum of 500 words]

5. Do you expect the DVSA to commit to regular reviews of the service charges, for example annually or bi annually?

• Yes
• No

Why do you say this? [Free text – maximum of 500 words]

6. Please provide any other thoughts you have about the proposed changes to ATF service charges charges.

[Free text – maximum of 500 words]

1. Based on Bank of England CPI from 2010 to June 2025, showing an overall inflator of x1.548. Rounded to nearest £1. ↩